Sure, your website looks great. You’ve got eye-catching visuals, a clever and organized layout, and maybe even a blog or links to your social media pages.

But if you’re not driving traffic to your site, does that mean all your efforts are for naught? Well, maybe. But that doesn’t mean you can’t do anything about it. An SEO company can help you increase your search engine rankings to drive more traffic to your site. But beware; not all SEO companies are created equal. Here are five things to look for you in an SEO company.

SEO Companies: Five Things to Look For

  1. Experience: While search engine optimization isn’t an ancient science, it’s not exactly a brand new idea either. Good SEO companies will have plenty of experience and be willing to share the results of their labors with other businesses. SEO experts with lots of experience will be better equipped to tailor their services to the unique needs of your business.
  2. A Thorough Understanding of SEO: The best SEO companies can direct you on SEO strategies that involve the technical features of your site, as well as how to optimize on-page content and how to optimize off-page content.
  3. An Eye Toward Marketing: SEO may be a special science, but good SEO companies need to incorporate killer marketing tactics as well. Marketing tactics ensure that your content won’t just be SEO directed, but will have a right balance of SEO “bait” and enticing marketing messaging.
  4. Flexibility: You may have found an SEO expert, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that he’ll gel with or even “get” your company culture. A good SEO company will be able to mold their strategy to align with your business culture and communication style.
  5. Excellent communication:  SEO can be highly technical. That’s why communication between your company and your SEO expert is vital. Your SEO company should be able to quickly and clearly communicate with you, your IT team, and your general management.

Red Flags When Choosing an SEO Agency

When onboarding new clients at NeONBRAND, we are often confronted with bad previous experiences that cause a potential client to be skeptical of SEO altogether. Insecurity with your SEO decision doesn’t have to be the case! Avoid an SEO that shows any of the following red flags!

  1. Promising Ranking #1 In SERPS: Google has warned against any ranking guarantees. It is IMPOSSIBLE to predict the success of any SEO campaign since Google ultimately decides who is going to rank for what keywords. There are hundreds of ranking factors, all weighted differently, and to guarantee ranking success is a huge SEO red flag!
  2. Working From Home: A reputable SEO firm should have a physical location. Having a physical location shows how secure they are with their business and that they’re not some fly-by-night SEO guy trying to turn a quick couple bucks. It also assures that you’ll be able to find them should you need help.
  3. Not Working on Backlinks: Many SEO’s struggle with a successful backlink strategy. Although Google very carefully monitors backlinking, it is still a very valid way for the search engines to decide who should rank. Without a linking strategy, your SEO results will be limited.

Ask the Questions

Don’t be afraid to do your research on the SEO firm you’re considering using! They should either have the answers or be willing to get them for you. Look into their reputation, their results, ask about their ethics, the list goes on. Since we do this a lot, we have the answers. Any SEO firm with credible experience should have the answers too.