If your website doesn't show up on the first page of search results on Google, Bing or Yahoo, your potential customers may not even know you exist. Good SEO consulting can make a decisive contribution to increasing the number of visitors to your website. This leads to greater awareness of your brand and higher sales and profits.
But what if you lack the time and technical know-how to improve your website's position in search results? Then it may make sense to hire an experienced, good SEO consultant.
Here are 10 important questions you should ask yourself when considering a professional SEO consultant:
1. do I get a list of current and previous customers?
Good SEO consultants should be willing to provide a short list of current and past clients as well as contact information. In the best case, they can show you transparent, data-based case studies of how projects have developed during their support.
You can use these references to assess how effective the candidate is. You can also assess whether the consultant has actually worked on specific SEO campaigns. However, don't expect that sensitive data could (or should) be shared with you.
However, they should at least be able to tell you whether the optimizations have borne fruit. This applies in particular to ranking improvements, traffic increases and, in the best case, more concrete information on business impact (sales, turnover, lead development), although this can be easier or more difficult to measure depending on the case.
Therefore, you should orientate yourself on the results that were really created during the period of customer care:
- Keyword rankings (especially for high-conversion keywords)
- Traffic (Non-Brand Trafficactual oranic Traffic)
2. how will you improve my ranking?
Stay away from SEO consultants who are not prepared to explain their SEO work in detail. Foaming-at-the-mouth consultants who hide behind buzzwords instead of explaining to you clearly and simply how things work are the wrong partners.
They should explain the SEO techniques they intend to use to improve your website's search engine ranking.
They should also be able to estimate how long it will realistically take to achieve the agreed goals of the SEO campaign, especially if the site is older than 2 years and some data is already visible.
Make sure that the candidate's offer includes an initial Onpage & Technical SEO audit of your website. This way, problems that could affect your search engine ranking, such as broken links and erroneous pages, can be eliminated.
A good SEO consultancy should also offer "on-page" optimization to make your website as search engine friendly as possible. This involves improving the structure of the URLinternal linking and many other aspects of your website. Furthermore, it is about the creation of page titles, headings and tags.
Also inquire if your consultant offers "off-page" SEO services to help you with link building and promote your content on other websites, often via blogs, guest posts and placements.
3. do you follow the search engines webmaster guidelines?
You want SEO consulting that strictly adheres to the best practices published by Google for Webmaster holds.
It prohibits 12 common SEO tricks, including the automatic generation of spam content and the addition of false hidden texts and links.
If a candidate doesn't adhere to these guidelines, optimizing your website could hurt rather than help. Or worse, Google could ban them from search results altogether.
Bing and Yahoo also publish best practices for Webmasterwhich are followed by good SEO consultants.
Nevertheless, the following applies: Smart SEO Agencyeople and freelancers know exactly how flexible certain guidelines are - you don't always have to follow every rule meticulously. In any case, have a track record and data to show that the recommendations and guidelines have worked well and without consequences in several cases if you are unsure.
4. can you guarantee that my website will be ranked number one on Google, Bing or Yahoo?
When the candidate answers in the affirmative, turn around and run as fast as you can in the other direction.
Although it is impossible to achieve a top ranking in any Search Engine unethical SEO consulting services give such false guarantees to attract clients.
It is a red flag when the SEO consultant claims to have inside contacts with Google or another Search Enginethat give you priority rankings in the search results. No one can influence this huge algorithm alone.
There are a number of reasons why it is impossible to work in the area of Search engine optimization (SEO) rankings. Here are some of the most important reasons:
- Search engine algorithms are constantly changing: Search engines such as Google regularly change their algorithms to optimize the Relevance and quality of search results. This means that the factors that contribute to a website ranking in search results can also change. This means that it is difficult to predict in advance how the rankings of a website will develop.
- The competition is high: There are many websites competing for the same keywords and search terms. Even if a website takes the best possible SEO measures, there is no guarantee that it will beat the competition and achieve a high position in the search results.
- The quality of the content is crucial: Search engines rate the quality of a website's content very highly. A website that has high-quality, relevant and up-to-date content has a better chance of ranking in the search results. Other websites can also create high-quality content - you simply cannot predict how the rest of the market will develop.
- There are many factors that influence the Ranking influence: There are many factors that contribute to a website ranking in search results. These include the quality and Relevance of the content, the technical quality of the website, user-friendliness and many other factors. It is therefore difficult to predict exactly how the rankings of a website will develop, as the weighting of these factors can change constantly.
5. do you have experience with Local SEO?
Appearing at the top of local search engine results is especially important for small businesses that want to target customers in their area. You need a good SEO specialist who has experience with all disciplines of SEO.
If your website is optimized for local SEO, it should show up when someone searches for a keyword relevant to your business in your area.
To achieve this, a good SEO consultant should have a Keyword-Conduct research. A good method is to enter the city and state of your company in the title tags and Meta descriptionen of your website.
In addition, an experienced SEO consultant should ensure that your website appears in the local directories of Bing, Google and Yahoo. These are onlineDirectories of companies that relate to a specific geographical area.
6. will you notify me of any changes you make to my website?
Search engine optimization usually requires several changes to the code of your website. It is important to know exactly which adjustments the SEO expert wants to make and on how many websites, especially if the marketing mix consists of various channels such as SEA, social media and the like.
A good SEO consultancy will always discuss any proposed changes with you. If you want the applicant or SEO agency to get your permission before accessing and changing the code and design of your website, make sure you specify this.
For example, will the consultants customize new page titles & headings or change the existing ones? Will they write additional copy about your products and services to increase the number of visible keywords on the page that are relevant to your potential customers? Do you plan to redesign all or part of your site's navigation or add new pages?
7. how do you measure the success of your SEO campaigns?
To measure the success of your SEO measures, you need to track exactly how much Traffic your website gets and where it comes from. Good SEO consultants should have experience in using the SEO tool Google Analytics have. This allows them to track the improvement of your website's search engine ranking, the number of links from other websites that lead to your website, the type of search terms that searchers use to find your website, and much more.
Be sure to ask how often they're willing to share these important analytics with you, and how they use SEO data to continually increase your search engine rankings and website traffic.
There are various ways to measure SEO success. Here are some of the key metrics you should consider:
- Search Engine RankingsOne of the most important ways to measure SEO success is to monitor rankings for specific keywords and search terms. You can do this using tools such as Google Search Console or Ahrefs do
- Traffic: Another important factor is the Trafficthat your website receives. You can use the Traffic with the help of analysis tools such as Google Analyticsthe Google Search Console or SEO Tools like SEMrush monitor and see how the Traffic developed over time.
- Conversions: On the Traffic should also be followed by corresponding conversions. A conversion can mean that a user performs a specific action on your website, such as buying a product or signing up for a newsletter. It is important to monitor the number of conversions to see how well the SEO work is actually helping to achieve your business goals.
- ROIThe return on investment (ROI) indicates how much profit you make from your investment in SEO. You can calculate the ROI by dividing the profit you make from your SEO efforts by the costs you spent on optimization.
It's important to track several of these metrics to get a comprehensive picture of how well the SEO work is actually working. This way, you can determine whether the measures are actually helping your website to rank better in search results and generate more traffic. Traffic and conversions generated.
8. how will we communicate and how often?
The communication styles and customer service standards of SEO consultants vary. You need to find someone whose approach best suits your needs. Ask the candidate if they prefer to communicate in person or via phone, Skype, Slack or email.
Also find out how often he will inform you about the current status of things. In SEO, updates should take place at least twice a week in the first few months, but once a month may be enough later on.
In any case, an advisor should be available at all times; shared communication channels such as Microsoft Teams and Slack are often the most efficient method here.
9. what are your fees and payment terms?
Of course, you need to know how much you have to pay and whether the consultant is paid on an hourly basis, as a retainer or on a project basis.
In the SEO consulting industry, project-based payment is the most common. It can vary greatly depending on the size and complexity of the project. Most contract projects were between 1500 and 5000 euros per month.
According to the price survey conducted by Moz in 2011 with more than 600 SEO companies, the study revealed that the most common fees in the premium range were between €2,501 and €5,000 per month. The most common hourly rates ranged from €76 to €200. Consultants who work specifically for small companies often charge less per month/hour.
Other important questions about payment: How often do invoices have to be paid - every 30, 60 or 90 days? Is interest charged for late payments?
10. What happens when we part ways?
If your contract expires or you terminate it early, you should still retain ownership of any optimized web content you paid the consultant or SEO consulting service for.
You should therefore make sure that your consultant is not contractually allowed to change or remove any content if you part ways with them. This applies to content that they have added, changed or optimized on your behalf.
You should also ask your advisor if they charge any fees for early contract termination and, if so, state this in the contract.
What to look for in your answers:
Exaggerates the results if the keywords used are almost meaningless
Or as Google puts it: "obscure, long Keyword-Phrases you were going to get anyway." If you own a hair salon, common sense tells us that you want to be found for "hair salon near me," but some people use unproductive terms and claim that a website in the Ranking stands.
Displays biased analyses
The analysisDashboard from Squarespace, for example, can be useful to get a quick overview, but in general it should not be used for reports or as case study material. The data is unreliable for websites with low search traffic or after a project if you, your team, your SEO, your designer, etc. visit the website frequently. Use Google Analyticsto filter out your team's visits to the website.
Improves traffic, but only for brand-related search queries
Of course, you want to be found for your business name, but if you own a bakery, you also want to be found for searches like "baker Berlin" can be found.
It sells you "backlinks", but refers to directory listings
Not all links are created equal. Business directories can play a role in local SEO efforts, but many businesses want natural, editorial links from highly relevant, high-authority sites.
He only advises in one dimension
Optimization is about more than just keywords, you need conversions. Your SEO expert should have at least a basic understanding of user experience principles and be willing to advise you on best UX practices. Ideally, you want someone who offers a holistic strategy.
He cooperates with competing local companies
It's common to find SEO agencies that do "SEO for dentists" or "SEO for pool builders" or something similar. When an SEO company contracts with multiple local businesses that are all competing for the same clients, there is a conflict of interest. Ask how your business stays top of mind.
It uses undifferentiated, unnecessary content
Some of the "SEO for dentists" agencies simply copy the content of the industry sites they manage from page to page, just swapping names and addresses. And the websites they manage often publish unnecessary, ineffective and duplicate blogs.
You use jargon for confusing reports
These providers usually don't offer training or education because they're happy for you to be confused and in the dark. Small businesses in highly competitive local markets are particularly at risk of being targeted with scare tactics by SEOs.
Controls your company values
Your domain, website, content, social platforms and Google accounts are assets of your business. You must be the owner of all accounts to maintain control of your brand.
Tells you what you want to hear
Experienced SEOs will tell you that it can take months of hard work to get where you want to be. Any guarantee of a good ranking must be considered suspect. If you have a local business and someone tells you that they can get you to the top of Google, they often mean PPC remarketing and not organic search.
Treats SEO like a cookie cutter checklist
Yes, there are standardized, repeatable SEO best practices that apply to every website - and a general checklist can help new businesses get started on a solid foundation. But in many cases, a customized plan tailored to your industry, your services and your customers is the best approach for long-term growth. At the very least, you need to understand what it takes to get from a checklist to where you really want to go.
Looks overly aggressive or spammy
Cheap SEO factories that funnel clients through on a grand scale put profit above your business goals. SEO is not a one size fits all. If your SEO says optimization is a formula or a 50-point checklist, your business is going to be in the SERPs be inferior.
Some of the questionable practices listed above are due to a lack of experience and not deliberate deception. Everyone starts from scratch - and initiative, curiosity and cleverness can outweigh inexperience. But SEO is largely a self-taught endeavor. At what point is someone qualified to call themselves an expert?
We don't have an exact answer to this - we've been around for years and still learn something new every day - but when hiring an SEO, you should be guided by the suggestions above and look for someone with integrity who will work in the best interest of your business.
What you should look out for outside of the questions
Read case studies
Pay attention to comments from previous customers. Do clients mention ROI or a positive impact on the bottom line? Has the SEO worked with companies at different stages of business growth or only with newly established companies?
Check the SEO of the SEO
Many people don't know enough about SEO to judge effective SEO. You can use simple free tools to see basic metrics for any website. You can also try searching Google for keywords that a website might be targeting (other than the brand name): Do you see the website in the organic results?
Read the about us page
Does the agency management seem reliable? What is the educational or professional background of the consultant? How much experience does he have?
If resume information is hard to find, look it up on LinkedIn. Also, tools like Who Is or Wayback Machine can help you find out how long a group has been in business.
Read reviews
Is it easy to find positive reviews? When evaluating skills, look for comments with substance. Give more weight to feedback from experienced professionals or seasoned businesses than inexperienced solopreneurs who don't yet understand search and are just excited because their brand name shows up in search results. This is where platforms can also help.
In the German area:
- ProvenExpert: Especially for freelancers
- Google reviews: For every company
- TrustPilot: For consultants
In the international space:
- DesignRush: Especially for affordable SEO Agencies
- ClutchSEO agencies of all sizes
- G2: Agencies, but also tools
Find a smart partner
SEO is a fast-paced, dynamic field. Look for someone who stays up to date with current best practices. And since SEO is a type of business consulting, you need someone who understands your business beyond keywords and title tags.
A good SEO becomes a part of your team and is interested in your success
In addition to a basic optimization checklist, you need to differentiate your business, your message, and your website. Can your SEO help you with the strategy?
Be ready to implement and have patience
If you want to see real change and progress, you need to implement your SEO's recommendations. And if you're just starting out, you need to accept that SEO can be a slow process.
Learn SEO basics
The best way to hire an SEO expert is to learn some SEO basics. Then you'll be better prepared to discuss strategy, understand recommendations, and have realistic expectations when outsourcing SEO. Moz's SEO Learning Center is top notch. Or try a custom SEO training session to learn how SEO affects your website. When you understand the basics and value of SEO, you'll have more confidence in your SEO partner.
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