How to select the right SEO Agency

When you’re looking to choose a UK-based SEO Agency, many companies struggle to determine what is important and what isn’t. The need for SEO services and wider digital marketing services is only increasing, but a reliable agency can be hard to find.

All companies differ in their needs, from help filling an internal skills gap to needing a full team. It can be especially difficult to know what you need when you don’t know about it!

Here are a few questions you can ask to get the best results:

What guarantees can you give us about Search Engine Ranking Positions?

All SEO agencies will aim to increase positions, leading to further traffic and revenue, but none can guarantee anything. Search engine rankings can only be guaranteed by themselves, and if an agency guarantees anything they shouldn’t be trusted, and you should question this thoroughly.

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How much will increased website traffic cost me?

Cost doesn’t always equate to quality or specific work levels. Services can be cheaper in less competitive markets, and the amount of work required is dictated by this too. Of course, there’s a correlation between increased spend and more time and effort involved.

Will you need to change my website?

This can range from tweaks to code which users will never see through to full redesigns for UX optimisations. On average there will be changes to content on the page and probably messaging, but these should always be mutually agreed upon by all parties involved.

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How do you gain links?

This should be open and transparent, with at lest some form of reporting on where links are gained. If you just get a number of links rather than specific URLs, this is very suspicious. Link building has moved on, but some agencies still use dubious techniques which can do serious long-term harm for a small short-term gain.

What’s your company’s history?

A history of provable work is always valuable, and you should research newly formed companies. Names can change and people with experience can start new agencies, so if they are new it’s worth looking into work history and experience.

What does your pricing include?

Ask for monthly deliverable examples and check if any quotes include reporting, calls, etc. These can sometimes be extras and invoke surcharges.

What length of contract do you require?

Flexibility is good and you don’t want to be tied into any services, particularly in volatile markets. Rolling contracts tend to be the norm, and notice periods are usually a few months to protect both parties. Yearly contracts should usually be queried and shortened if possible.

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Are you a certified Google/Bing advertising partner?

Paid advertising can be a nice supplement or a lifeline, so you should make sure that the agency you’re looking at is verified in this regard. Google and Bing will take money from anyone with a credit card, so this verification proves expertise and experience.

Can you provide examples of the results that you’ve previously achieved?

When services are good and consistent, you’ll be able to find testimonials, reviews and case studies to prove this. As with all online reviews, check the lower ratings to see if issues are real, got resolved, or reasonable. Reaching out to current or previous clients is also a good method to get feedback before deciding.

Asking the questions above can help you get a better idea of the agency you’re dealing with, as well as results and deliverables. Obviously we’re biased, but we know we hit the right note on the questions above, so get in touch with us today if you have any questions.

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