Firstly, what is SEO?
SEO (Search engine optimization) is the process of affecting the visibility of a website or a web page in a search engine's "natural" or "organic" search results. The more frequently a site appears in the search results list, the more visitors it will receive from the search engine's users. SEO may target different kinds of search, including image search, local search, video search, academic search, news search and industry-specific vertical search engines.
Optimizing a website may involve editing its content, HTML and associated coding to both increase its relevance to specific keywords and to remove barriers to the indexing activities of search engines. Promoting a site to increase the number of backlinks, or inbound links, is another SEO tactic.
Google's PageRank system is the way of determining which websites are the most applicable and useful for every search term. An SEO specialist's task is to make a page as applicable and useful as possible, thereby improving its rank.
Before looking for SEO firm, it's important and necessity to find an SEO firm that is comfortable working with small to medium businesses and has experience working in your niche.
1. Budget and Fees
The first thing you need to take into consideration before you even look at fees is how much you can actually afford to pay. Fees will vary across the board, so it's important for you to have a figure in mind and find a reliable SEO firm or consultant who can work on your budget.
The firms may ask you to pay by the webpage, by the hour, by the project, or ask for a pre-determined amount of money to cover the cost of their work for the month.
2. Background Check
Most SEO firms will have testimonials on their website, but they're not the referrals you're interested in, since they're likely the company's biggest success stories. You want to hear from run-of-the-mill customers to see how the SEO firm performs across the board. Ask for the names and numbers of at least three companies for an honest opinion.
If the client you're speaking with has been particularly successful, ask them how much they paid to achieve that success and how much it has cost them to maintain it.
Also check out the Better Business Bureau and Ripoff Report to make sure the firm you're considering has a clean reputation. It might also be worth checking the firm's own page ranking to see how well it handles its own SEO.
3. Communication and Reports
Once you've determined how much you can reasonably expect to pay, you need to ask the firm how much you can expect to get paid. What will the return on investment (ROI) be and how does the company plan to track it?
Some basic steps they should be taking to optimize your search ranking include, keyword optimization, headline and link-building from other sites. You should discuss the techniques the firm plans on implementing.
They should give you updates and reports, because if they're not, they may be doing stuff that Google doesn't approve of that may have a short-term gain, but a long-term loss.
Ask them how often you'll receive progress reports and what tracking processes they'll have in place to prove your ROI. Some of those tracking techniques may include monitoring the number of e-mail requests, newsletter sign-ups and phone calls you receive.
4. Ask for SEO Experts
Look for SEO groups and online forums like Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization, High Rankings, Search Engine Guide and Digitalpoint. The members and forum users are willing to share their tips and experience.
SEO (Search engine optimization) is the process of affecting the visibility of a website or a web page in a search engine's "natural" or "organic" search results. The more frequently a site appears in the search results list, the more visitors it will receive from the search engine's users. SEO may target different kinds of search, including image search, local search, video search, academic search, news search and industry-specific vertical search engines.
Optimizing a website may involve editing its content, HTML and associated coding to both increase its relevance to specific keywords and to remove barriers to the indexing activities of search engines. Promoting a site to increase the number of backlinks, or inbound links, is another SEO tactic.
Google's PageRank system is the way of determining which websites are the most applicable and useful for every search term. An SEO specialist's task is to make a page as applicable and useful as possible, thereby improving its rank.
Before looking for SEO firm, it's important and necessity to find an SEO firm that is comfortable working with small to medium businesses and has experience working in your niche.
1. Budget and Fees
The first thing you need to take into consideration before you even look at fees is how much you can actually afford to pay. Fees will vary across the board, so it's important for you to have a figure in mind and find a reliable SEO firm or consultant who can work on your budget.
The firms may ask you to pay by the webpage, by the hour, by the project, or ask for a pre-determined amount of money to cover the cost of their work for the month.
2. Background Check
Most SEO firms will have testimonials on their website, but they're not the referrals you're interested in, since they're likely the company's biggest success stories. You want to hear from run-of-the-mill customers to see how the SEO firm performs across the board. Ask for the names and numbers of at least three companies for an honest opinion.
If the client you're speaking with has been particularly successful, ask them how much they paid to achieve that success and how much it has cost them to maintain it.
Also check out the Better Business Bureau and Ripoff Report to make sure the firm you're considering has a clean reputation. It might also be worth checking the firm's own page ranking to see how well it handles its own SEO.
3. Communication and Reports
Once you've determined how much you can reasonably expect to pay, you need to ask the firm how much you can expect to get paid. What will the return on investment (ROI) be and how does the company plan to track it?
Some basic steps they should be taking to optimize your search ranking include, keyword optimization, headline and link-building from other sites. You should discuss the techniques the firm plans on implementing.
They should give you updates and reports, because if they're not, they may be doing stuff that Google doesn't approve of that may have a short-term gain, but a long-term loss.
Ask them how often you'll receive progress reports and what tracking processes they'll have in place to prove your ROI. Some of those tracking techniques may include monitoring the number of e-mail requests, newsletter sign-ups and phone calls you receive.
4. Ask for SEO Experts
Look for SEO groups and online forums like Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization, High Rankings, Search Engine Guide and Digitalpoint. The members and forum users are willing to share their tips and experience.