With technology advancing rapidly, it’s a challenge for most companies to catch up on new trends and updates within the industry. Some fail to do so because they don’t have the resources to adapt to these changes. Also, a lot of companies try working with SEO agencies. But sometimes they don’t fulfill the needs of small businesses.
SEO is one particular method for a successful business; it’s what generates you the most organic type of traffic to your website. Because SEO can be tedious; most consider hiring digital marketing agencies to help them. But as quickly as technology changes, some SEO agencies stick to outdated techniques that no longer are relevant; or work at all.
As a small business owner, it’s essential to recognize these mistakes and the reasons why SEO companies might not get you the results you are looking for. To get you on top of your game, here are some reasons you should consider before you decide to hire an SEO agency:
1. They
Have Absolutely No Idea What They Are Doing
So first and foremost is the obvious – though many companies consider themselves as an SEO agency; half the time they are still using the same SEO tactics from 10 years ago. It’s absolutely necessary for an SEO agency to keep up with the quick changes Google makes on a daily basis. Otherwise, you are paying them money (which is what all they care for) and receiving crappy results on your end.
2. Does
Not Provide You With Any Reports
Before even considering an SEO agency to help
you; you should read their fine lines first. Ask for the contract up front –
this is a great way to make sure the SEO company is expected to do what you are
looking for and what they will not do. One of the things you should be looking
out for specifically is if the contract states they will send you monthly or
quarterly reporting agreements.
These reporting agreements are absolutely essential when keeping track of the success of your SEO campaign and how it is improving traffic, popularity, and even sales. You want these reports; so make sure you are getting what you need from the get-go.
3.
Salesman Sold You False Results
So you were thinking of hiring an SEO agency, but the person who convinced you to hire one is most likely their account manager and salesman. He or she probably also knows nothing about SEO or only does a bit of it for their company. You, as a client, have all these expectations of this SEO company you just hired but in the end, you get nothing like what was promised.
Salespeople are experts in over-promising and
under-delivering; that’s why they got hired in the first place. The best way to
avoid this is to make sure you are speaking to an actual SEO expert and not
making any deals with their front-runner sales guy. If you speak with the SEO
representative, they will also be able to give you realistic timelines and
goals.
4. Do
Not Use Social Media Engagement
It’s pretty obvious that social media is one of the best ways to increase your brand awareness and potentially gain new customers. If you are not currently using social media techniques into your SEO campaign, then you better believe you are missing out on a lot of business.
Social media is a great external outlet as it encourages more external sites to link to your content. It also allows you to reach a larger audience by sharing your content to various outlets, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, etc. It’s a way to maximize your SEO efforts and grow as a whole. You should definitely be paying attention to SEO agencies that do promise to use social media in their tactics.
5.
Horrible Communication
This is very necessary – with AI on the rise, sometimes it’s hard to speak to an actual human being. If you are considering to hire an SEO agency, make sure they are easy to contact. Whether it’s making themselves easily accessible by phone, text, or email – they should be ready to answer any quick questions you may have for them instantly.
You are essentially handing the success of your business to an agency after all. The least they can do is be communicative.
It’s always great to know the agency you hire
will let you know when a plan has fallen through or if something has changed;
always check in with your SEO company and their efforts.
6. No
New Content
It’s imperative to always be creating new content and information to your site in order to maintain rankings and increase customers. When you hire an SEO company, it’s typically on a long-term basis. Always good to check in on them on a monthly basis to ensure this part is still up-to-date.
7.
Easily Can Scam You Into Hiring Them
SEO takes time and patience, which most of the time businesses and entrepreneurs don’t. They decide on an easy option and hire an SEO agency. But let’s face it, at the end of the day SEO companies really only care about your money. So, before jumping the gun and hiring SEO companies, think about if it’s really worth it.
The sad reality is most of these companies convince you to work with them long term, and after a month or so, you might not see the results you want but are stuck to paying them anyway. Therefore, if you stop seeing results after a month or so, it may be time to move on.
But if you really need the extra help with SEO, make sure you hire a true SEO expert to help you get the results. Not all SEO companies are sharks and frauds.
To sum up, just take time to do your research and find a company that suits all of your expectations and needs from the get-go. This is not something you can rush if you want to successfully grow your business.
