There are many ways you can bring more traffic to your website but search engine optimization or SEO is by far the best approach. SEO in layman’s term is the implementation of different strategies to please the search engines and in return, rank higher on their search results.
Traffic from the search engines such as Google, Yahoo and Bing is considered gold by online entrepreneurs because of the potential profit that can be made out of it. It is considered valuable because it’s highly targeted and has a high conversion rate. Therefore, if you are running a business online, it’s imperative and strategic that you include SEO in your online marketing plan.
Unfortunately, SEO is time-consuming and requires some technical skills to be effective at it. While it is no rocket science and can be learned from resources available online, the learning curve is steep and the training resources are oftentimes misleading. Remember that there’s a proper and ethical way of doing SEO. If you implement unethical SEO strategies that you have acquired from unreliable sources, you put your website at risk of being banned in the search results – the nightmare of every online entrepreneur!
If you don’t have time and you don’t want to risk your website from potential penalties, outsourcing SEO is a viable solution. Here are some good reasons why outsourcing SEO leads to better results and higher productivity:
- SEO companies invest in training and technology to be informed on all the latest updates from the major search engines. This allows them to create effective and safe strategies that will yield results and will not get your website in trouble.
- Since SEO is their core service, SEO companies are more efficient to carry out SEO campaigns. Their expertise and resources allow them to accomplish their tasks effectively.
- Outsourcing SEO saves you money. It takes away the costs incidental to the organization, maintenance and training of your in-house SEO team.
- Outsourcing SEO increases your productivity. By taking away the hassles of search engine optimization from your team, you are given more time to manage your resources and focus your attention to your core business resulting in higher and better productivity.
Not all SEO companies are created equal; hence, you need to find one that meets your requirements. Here are some helpful tips to guide you when searching for that ideal SEO Company:
Knowledge and Experience
You should choose an SEO company that is both knowledgeable and experienced in search engine optimization. The company should be able to discuss to you in detail the strategies that they use in running a campaign. More importantly, they should be able to answer your questions without using jargons. They should also be able to provide you with sample projects that they have managed successfully. If they are a reputable SEO company, they won’t have no problem providing you with references.
Immediate Results Guarantee
Stay away from SEO companies that guarantee results. The truth is, no SEO company can guarantee top ranking and the specific timeframe it takes to achieve it. Google’s algorithm is top-secret and unknown to all SEO practitioners. It’s constantly evolving, which makes guaranteeing results even more impossible. Chances are that you are dealing with an SEO company that uses unethical SEO strategies if they guarantee immediate success. While it’s possible to achieve top rankings in a few days using shady SEO techniques, it’s most likely going to be short-lived. Your website could be banned in the search engines, which is the worst thing that can happen.
Consider your SEO campaign as a long-term investment that should be approached with caution and should be implemented gradually and consistently.
Deliverables and Reports
You don’t want to be paying for your SEO without solid evidence that you are getting closer to your objective. This is why a performance report, that is delivered at least once a month, is essential to your campaign. A reputable SEO company will not only send you monthly reports but will make clear the deliverables you should expect.