SEO Articles

The Process of Selecting a SEO Company

If you have decided to use an external SEO Company and have been provided with the enviable task of sourcing one, here are a few tips on how to go about cutting through the myriad of information, competing providers and charlatans out there in the market and finding the right fit.

The first and most logical approach is to gain an impartial and clear basic understanding of what Search engine optimisation or SEO is all about. One port of call we would recommend is the E-consultancy ‘Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) Best Practice Guide’ which is an excellent resource to gain an understanding of Search engine optimisation (SEO) without the hype, personal opinions and high pressure sales pitch you may find elsewhere. Once you are armed with the facts you will be able to speak knowledgably with potential providers and ask key questions which will help to ensure the SEO partner or provider you choose to work with, will be the right organisation to deliver for you.

The second step is to clarify your goals and objectives for the SEO campaign. It does not matter if the goal is unrealistic as it is the identification of the goal which is important. Many people jump into SEO because they have heard it’s the next best thing, but do not have a clue of what they want and how it fits in with their business strategy. A jack in the box approach is no approach at all and results in a lot of wasted time and resources.

The next step is identifying the financial, technical and human resources available at your deposal. This will impact on the kind of relationship that you would be looking for from an SEO Company. If you have the financial resources and nothing else then look for an SEO that can provide you with a comprehensive solution and take on the accountability for implementation. If on the other hand you have limited financial resources but adequate human resources, then look for an SEO Company that can provide ongoing consultancy and guidance. There can be many combinations but the important thing is to know what will and what will not work for you. Many times companies take on comprehensive SEO contracts and do not have the resources for providing inputs, feedbacks and approvals which ultimately results in an underperforming campaign.

The final step before beating the drums is shortlisting the criteria for inviting an SEO Company to pitch. We have put together a few suggestions based general feedback:

Search engine optimisation is a time intensive activity requiring varied skill sets that can not be automated making it expensive. If you are in a competitive industry and are looking at perusing aggressive targets it will not come cheap. Anyone offering cheap solutions can not be doing a complete job even if they outsourced.
Identify companies that have worked and delivered results in your business vertical as it reduces the gestation period of them learning about your business, competitors and market dynamics
Dig into their breeding about how old is the company, the profile of management and lineage
Evaluate their own SEO campaign, as any SEO Company worth its money should be ranking well for a handful of keywords and have a well optimisied site.
Check their accreditations and certificates

Providing that you have been able to carry out all the background work prior to inviting an SEO Company to pitch, the chances of selecting the right agency and making a success of your campaign are significantly increased. The key is clarity and expectations.