If you are running an online business today, you appreciate the competitive nature of the industry. While the internet marketplace allows businesses to extend their market reach, there is also increased competition, which puts smaller companies at a disadvantage. Such a challenge requires innovative thinking to overcome. A beautiful website is no longer enough to stave off competition in your niche. To stay ahead of the pack, you have to use search engines to your advantage. This is where search engine optimization (SEO) comes in handy.
To appreciate how crucial search is to your marketing efforts, consider that 81% of shoppers today conduct research before making a purchase. With search still retaining the # 1 position as the top driver of website traffic, it goes without saying that your marketing efforts must incorporate SEO. This makes it easier for your site to rank highly on search engine result pages (SERPs) for a target keyword. That 93% of internet experiences start with a search engineis reason enough to hire an SEO agency to run your SEO campaign.
Well, there are thousands of SEO agencies in Paris and finding one is not easy. If this is your first time working with an SEO expert, identifying the best can be an overwhelming affair. To make your search easier, seek referrals from other business owners. Once you have identified several companies, create a shortlist of reputable companies which have a solid reputation in the industry.
From your shortlist, you can now start interviewing the potential SEO firms. Here are some of the questions you should use to gauge different companies:
- Do You Have Any References/ a List of Past Clients?
The SEO industry is characterized by vicious competition and every agency wants to stand out. To boost credibility, the best SEO agencies will have a list of their past clients on their websites. If this is not provided, ask if it is possible to get one. http://alaqueue.fr/will not mind giving out these references and will even urge you to contact them if need be. Such transparency hints at a professional agency which stands by its past projects. If the agency does not have any references, keep looking.
- How Do You Work/How Do You Improve Site Ranking on Search Engines?
This looks like a simple and straightforward question yet it is here that you will distinguish a serious SEO expert from the jokers. A good agency will have a detailed list ofstrategies that can be customized for your type of business. They will also explain how these SEO techniques will be deployed and the reason for choosing them over others. In essence, there should be a detailed proposal of the suggested techniques and expected outcomes. If a candidate is not ready to answer this question, you are most likely dealing with a scam.
- What Guarantees Do You Provide?
Looking at most of the SEO adverts, you will find irresistible guarantees and promises of an instant boost for your ranking. While this sounds very good for your business, it should in fact be a warning sign that you are dealing with an unscrupulousSEO agency. Anyone giving a guarantee in SEO is simply trying to lure unsuspecting business owners. There is no way of beating the search engine algorithm and a good SEO firm will tell you so. The best strategy is to adopt the best practices in the industry and keep doing it right. If you are being given guarantees, you are likely to end up with Google penalties or even suspension of your website.
- Do You Use the Latest Technologies?
The SEO industry is volatile and many strategies that were being used a few years back have now been rendered obsolete. The best SEO expert should stay abreast of these changes. Among the new technologies that they should talk about include local SEO, AMP, and voice search among others. If a candidate seems to be struggling to explain how these new techniques can boost your website’s performance, move on to the next.
- How Do You Communicate?
Reporting and monitoring is an essential part of any SEO project but it doesn’t get much attention until when things go wrong. If you are going to outsource SEO services, make sure you agree on communication protocols. Monitoring and reporting is essential for a strong working relationship. If the agency you are interviewing has no formal communication system, don’t risk hiring their services.
- How Do You Measure the Success of on SEO Campaign?
If you are going to partner with an SEO agency, it is important to agree on the success parameters of the ongoing project. The success of the campaign should fit into your marketing goals. For instance, if your focus is on higher conversion, make sure you agree on the tools to use to track this.
Author Bio
Roger Dylan is an SEO expert who also runs a blog on www.alaqueue.fr. He has over 15 years’ experience in digital marketing. Roger is also a certified diver and an avid outdoor enthusiast. Click this link for more information.