SEO consulting services can help a webmaster boost their websites presence by bringing in professionals who understand what it takes to create on-site and off-site optimization, however it’s important when choosing a service provider that you first investigate their past successes and understand their approach to site optimization.
Start your search by first examining how the SEO service ranks for keywords found on their own website. If an SEO “expert” isn’t ranking for basic terms such as “SEO” or “SEO Services” and “SEO consultants” it should raise a red flag.
Speak with several representatives from the company. While a one man organization may be able to assist you with the initial setup of your SEO practices, larger SEO consulting services can handle better monitoring of your targeted keywords once your site has been initially optimized. If you plan to build a long term strategy it’s good to know the company is large enough that it will likely be around to continue the implementation of the SEO strategy they initially implemented.
Request information about other customers the SEO consulting service has assisted with SEO development. Visit those websites and find common terms used throughout those websites, examine how those sites rank in Google, Yahoo and other search engines. Also examine the sites structure, saturation of keywords in articles and other basic SEO practices. If the site appears to be naturally written with keywords well placed and not overused it’s a good sign that the SEO firm knows how to optimize for search engines.
Ask the SEO Service if they belong to any professional SEO organizations. For example, are they a member of the Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization (SEMPO) or perhaps the Search Marketing Organization of America (SMA-NA). Reputable search optimization organizations vet their customers and provide them with ongoing standards and practices in the search engine optimization market. If the SEO organization doesn’t appear to work with professional organizations it should raise another red flag.
Check to see if your potential SEO provider has published any case studies in regards to the SEO market. Case studies show that the company is serious about their business, it also likely means they are constantly attempting to find new trends in SEO which they can utilize for their customers. SEO firms that rely on case studies are often the first organizations to find new SEO practices that will benefit their customers, giving them an edge over competitors.
Finally, take a real world approach when making your final decision for who to hire, check the company’s name in Google and look for reviews of the organization on the first pages of Google search results. Established SEO consulting services should have enough of a reach that some reviews will exist, while their own URL should pop up in search results on a regular basis.
SEO consulting services are a mixed barrel, however with the right research you can find a firm that will best represent your needs and continue to represent your website in the future.
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