Nowadays, search engine optimization (SEO) strategies are considered a must have for every small business with an online presence. One of the main reasons is because SEO enhances a company’s visibility amongst a sea of online competitors.
Due to augmented online shopper demands, the Internet marketing industry has gained immense popularity. It has resulted in an incursion of online businesses vying for a piece of the pie. And the pie is growing. According to Internet Retailer, “By 2017, 60% of all U.S. retail sales will involve the Internet in some way, either as a direct e-commerce transaction or as part of a shopper’s research on a laptop or mobile device, according to a new report by Forrester Research Inc. entitled ‘U.S. Cross-Channel Retail Forecast, 2012 To 2017’”.
[hr]
“By 2017, 60% of all U.S. retail sales will involve the Internet in some way, either as a direct e-commerce transaction or as part of a shopper’s research on a laptop or mobile device…”
[hr]
As a result, the online market is emerging as a gigantic blend of self-regulating sellers, small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs), and large-scale companies. Securing top search rankings across prominent search engines has become a more challenging task. So, it has become more prevalent for companies to rely on third party SEO companies to manage and augment their online presence.
When you decide to outsource SEO it is essential to partner with a company that offers economical and results-driven SEO services. A premium SEO company can offer an array of services to facilitate online marketing activities for your business.
Here are some of the factors you should consider before hiring an SEO company:
-
SEO Techniques
The two main categories of search engine optimization (SEO) services are the link building and on-page optimization. Article marketing, also known as content marketing, is another optimization technique. A good SEO company will develop informative content, consisting of site links in order to indirectly promote your company website.
Other techniques like directory submissions, social bookmarking etc. are performed so website links can be shared among friends or people with common interests. Promoting your company website in this way can help improve target traffic and contribute to additional back links (i.e., incoming links into a website or webpage).
-
Reputable Industry Status
When you are in the process of hiring an SEO company you should ensure they have a good reputation in the industry. The company should be experienced and talented in online marketing. As a rule of thumb, it should have a track record of providing first-class SEO services in the last 3-5 years. And you might have to contact several SEO companies and former clients to ascertain the depth and results of their services.
-
Ethical Approach
Search engine optimization (SEO) takes time to accomplish results. Online business can be an extremely competitive industry. A good SEO company will take an ethical approach to SEO and implement strategic marketing techniques to promote your website across search engines.
As Forbes contributor Jessica Bosari explains, good “SEOs focus on slow but steady link building and other marketing techniques that build your site’s reputation and audience without putting your site at risk for a fall the next time Google changes its algorithm.” The SEO companies that boast “Guaranteed number one listings” and “Guaranteed rankings in 1-7 days” should be avoided, because they may use unscrupulous methods to meet desired results.
-
Professional Services
A reliable SEO company should offer industry standard professional services. A good search engine optimization rarely offers low-price incentives. There are many companies that guarantee excellent results at lower costs, but remember: you often get what you pay for. Also there is always a possibility that poorly executed search engine marketing (SEM) could result in your company website being blacklisted or removed from search engines altogether.
It is worthwhile to use the services of a high quality, professional SEO company. Before you sign on the dotted line, look at their portfolio, ask for work samples, a list of previous clients, and outcomes on previous work. It’s your responsibility to confirm that the services offered are aligned with the company’s portfolio.
This article has been edited and condensed.
Sumeet Khanna is an International Editor and content curator, writing on behalf of Four Quadrant, a boutique marketing consultancy focused on go-to-market strategy and execution, with a primary emphasis on delivering quantitative value. Khanna has held posts as the Editor of New York Press, and as the Editor for the American Chamber of Commerce. Connect with @4qmpt on Twitter.
© YFS Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Copying prohibited. All material is protected by U.S. and international copyright laws. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this material is prohibited. Sharing of this material under Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International terms, listed here, is permitted.
In this article
