SEO is more complex and organic than it has been previously. This means that keeping up with the changes can require a full-time technician.
Not every business is in a position to make that staff addition, so hiring an SEO company can be a good strategy. But the question for many business owners and CEOs is "Why hire an outside company for SEO?" The follow-up question is often, "Why can't we do it ourselves?"
Do You Need an SEO Company?
That is a valid and legitimate question, and one that does not have a simple answer. If your company is relatively large and you have the capability of bringing on additional staff to handle the various inbound marketing tasks and functions, then doing it yourself can be a fiscally strategic move.
On the other hand, why invest in a number of employees and have the added costs of benefits, payroll taxes and equipment costs such as workstations when you can simply look for a good agency that specializes in SEO strategy? And note that the emphasis is on the word "good".
The wrong company will make promises that sound legitimate. Making sure you can spot the less-than-stellar agencies and find a quality vendor can be challenging, but the good ones are out there. You just need to know what questions to ask and what reference to review.
Not All SEO Firms Are Created Equal
So why hire a good SEO company? There are three main reasons besides ensuring that your search engine optimization efforts really do optimize your search engine rankings. In addition, a good SEO company will:
1. Follow your ranking
A good agency help you see exactly what your performance online looks like in terms of visits, leads and customer acquisition. This way, you’ll know where and when to increase engagement, or taper back your resources. The goal with a good company is to partner with you to mke your marketing investments smarter and better.
Some of the components used should include:
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Social Media Measurement: To help you understand how social media is driving leads and traffic.
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Organic Search vs. Paid Search: Allows you to ee how much of your search traffic can be attributed to search engine optimization, and how much you're paying for.
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Buyers vs. Browsers: Helps determine which online channels brought in serious leads versus website visitors who just came to look around.
2. Optimize your website
There is far more to SEO than cramming in keywords and phrases, In fact, this old-school approach to SEO is no longer effective and is even frowned upon. Different aspects of your website are optimized according to their specific functions. For example, blog posts will differ from landing pages.
A competent firm will work with you on the following:
- Blog Posts: They will help you identify what type of blog content is working best to attract visitors and drive traffic, and help you make your blog posts effective and engaging. If you want, they will provide written blog content for you that is fully optimized.
- Landing Pages: They will work with you to create pages that convert better by measuring and optimizing your landing pages for success. This should include comparing pages against each other to see which performs best. They should also track progress over time, and see what offers are most effective.
3. Provide consistent data reports
Consistent and inclusive communication is a must. At the very least your quality firm will provide monthly reports of your website's analytics along with input and explanation. In addition, you should expect to have a dedicated account manager who is available by phone and by email. While face-to-face meetings might be nice, the truth is they are not always necessary. But if the logistics allows for it, you should at least have an initial consultation in person.
Got Content?
The most beautifully designed website is of almost no value without quality content. And, quality content builds awareness, increases engagement and drives traffic – and creates truly entertaining and useful content for the reader. When your content engages, educates and entertains, you have created high-value content – and your visitors will be more likely to return for more as well as share your content with their social sphere.
A good SEO company will provide content creation services as part of their offerings. While you may not feel you need this feature, expect to be given a fair appraisal of your existing content. A good company will insist on working with engaging content.
To be engaging, your content needs to be fresh, timely, relevant, interesting, and entertaining to your readers. It is content that your readers are searching for and want to share with their colleagues, friends and family.
Your content must not only be compelling, it must also be optimized to maximize its value, and therefore also needs to be:
- Search engine optimized
- Written for a specific keyword or keyword phrase
- Keyword rich
- Properly formatted
- Naturally linkable
Finding the Right SEO Match
At BroadVision Marketing, we assist our clients in developing custom, quality content that fits your organization’s needs. We also distribute, bookmark, and syndicate your content to engage visitors, drive leads, recruit clients, increase sales, and reduce your costs.
If your online presence is being overlooked, you need not despair. For businesses managing their own marketing, the help of a trusted marketing firm can be a life saver. A quality marketing agency that specializes in SEO and Inbound Marketing, such as BroadVision Marketing, will have the resources and know-how to bring your website up to the standards Google continues to establish.
Sometimes it requires an outside perspective to see what your website homepage really looks like to first-time visitors. Acquiring the insights and assessment of a third-party professional can be an investment that will bring a quantifiable return.
BroadVision Marketing offers all this and more. In addition to bringing your website up to date with mobile-friendly design, we invite you to get a free Complimentary Inbound Marketing Session. Being found through mobile search requires more than a mobile-friendly design. Request a free complimentary session to help you make an informed decision, or call BroadVision Marketing at 707-799-1238.
