Digitization is running, and more and more companies realize that their ability to be found in search engines is mandatory for their further and lasting business success. At the same time, agencies for SEO services are springing up.
How do I find a good SEO agency in this crowd that will put my online business on the road to success?
#1 ranking on Google doesn’t have to mean anything
Does a good SEO agency have to have top rankings on Google itself?
No, top rankings don’t necessarily have anything to do with your SEO skills.
Good rankings take time. Many long-established agencies have existed for years, have many backlinks, a mature domain, and have correspondingly good rankings.
On the other hand, numerous agencies have been established recently. Of course, due to their newness in the market, they don’t have any presentable rankings yet, but that doesn’t mean that this isn’t a good SEO agency.
The bottom line: High agency visibility can, but doesn’t have to, correlate with their SEO skills. When looking for a suitable SEO agency, you should not rely solely on its visibility and positioning.
New agencies, in particular, have to fight for their rankings first, which is why, objectively speaking, agency placement on Google is not a good criterion.
#2 A good SEO agency is not just looking for more traffic
A good Healthcare SEO Agency is not only interested in increasing your website traffic. Increased visibility and more organic traffic are nice numbers that every agency would like to present to their clients.
So a good SEO agency isn’t just looking for traffic alone, but for:
- More target group relevant traffic
- Higher conversions
- More sales
- Brand Building
#3 A good SEO Healthcare Agency does not promise any positioning
If an SEO agency makes specific promises to you, you should avoid this agency as much as possible.
- In 2 months, you will be number 1!
- In the next month, we will double your traffic!
Google updates are constantly changing the SEO rules of the game, the competition is also optimizing, and nobody knows exactly which optimizations have which effects on the rankings.
#4 Better specialists than generalists
A good tip when looking for the right SEO agency: I prefer a pure SEO agency instead of a full-service agency.
Why?
SEO has become increasingly demanding and complicated in recent years.
SEO is a full-time job, and if you want to do it well, you have to deal with it every day.
You probably visit a dentist rather than a general practitioner if you have dental problems, correct?
It is similar to the search for a good SEO agency. First, to find an agency that specializes in SEO.
But: Good SEO agencies also know about content marketing, branding, UX, and web development, as these areas are directly related to SEO and digital visibility.
#5 A good SEO agency does not do dumping SEO
We see time and time again that SEO has become a price war.
SEO is often seen as an interchangeable service, so the choice of provider is based solely on the price offered.
But here lies the fundamental flaw. SEO can be done well or badly.
You can certainly find an SEO agency to take care of you for a few hundred dollars a month.
However, experience has shown that you pay at least double the money saved by choosing the cheapest offer. You then have to hire a good SEO agency which fixes the predecessor’s errors and then implements new measures.
Unfortunately, the most common sentence that we hear from new customers is: We used to have SEO support, but…
On the other hand, if you find an SEO agency that does not rely on dumping prices and you have to invest significantly more, you will most likely benefit and have more target group-relevant traffic on your website, and your sales will increase.
#6 No analysis, no strategy? Not a good SEO Marketing
Before any SEO optimization, there is a comprehensive analysis of the website, the competition, and the niche. After each analysis, a strategy is developed tailored to the customer’s goals. And only then does it comes to SEO optimization.
Agencies that just want to optimize right away should be viewed with healthy skepticism.
So first, ask the agency what they plan to do. If no strategies are planned and no competitor analysis is carried out, this reduces the chances of success considerably, and you should better look for another agency.
Sebastian Weidner
Managing Director of Rankingdocs
#7 Find an SEO with experience
It sounds so easy. Of course, a wealth of experience is always an advantage for the customer in every service.
But especially in the field of SEO, many career changers found an SEO agency but have little experience with search engine optimization.
Experience across different industries and niches is essential in the SEO industry.
Therefore, ask your SEO agency in advance:
- What have customer projects already been implemented?
- Which sectors and niches have already been serviced?
- Does the agency have its website projects?
If the SEO agency you have chosen cannot provide a satisfactory answer to these questions, you should, at best, look elsewhere.
#8 A good SEO agency will send you regular reports
A good SEO agency will send you comprehensive reporting every month.
This reporting should not have the function of presenting the best figures from the SEO agency’s point of view and of satisfying the customer.
The reporting should show the most important key figures as they are and give the customer an unbiased insight into the development of his website.
Important KPIs that should appear in good SEO reporting:
- Development of organic traffic
- visibility
- Ranking development of relevant keywords
- User signals (bounce rate, length of stay, etc.)
- Development of the link profile
Before you decide on an SEO agency, ask them about their reporting and the tracked KPIs for you.
#9 Don’t get the wrong Google Partner Seal of Approval
Some agencies advertise with the Google Partner certificate.
Therefore, even an agency that has never lifted a finger for SEO can receive this certificate.
So it is by no means bad if an SEO agency can show a Google Partner certificate. But don’t get me wrong: This certificate does not show how well the agency operates SEO.
Above all, this does not mean that the agency as a Google partner enjoys any advantages or can influence your positioning.
#10 Let them show you case studies
A good SEO agency can present you with case studies on their projects or customer projects.
How have the most important key figures changed? For example, at what time was visibility increased by what percentage? What impact did this have on the customer’s sales figures?
#11 A good SEO company runs a blog
In the first point, we stated that an agency’s rankings are not an objectively good quality criterion – this applies particularly to agencies new to the market.
Nevertheless, the SEO agency of your choice should have an appealing website.
This includes:
- Appealing web design
- No spelling mistakes
- A clear positioning
- Disclosure of the most important SEO measures
- An SEO optimized blog
The blog, in particular, is an important quality criterion for an SEO agency. You can see if the agency knows how to write quality content from the blog.
#12 Do professionals or interns optimize here?
Years of experience and valuable key knowledge on the part of the SEO company are factors that drive up the price of SEO support.
Accordingly, as a customer, you expect high-priced SEO support provided by experts.
Outsourcing aspects of your SEO (e.g., copywriting) is common practice and nothing to worry about.
However, the analysis, the creation of a sustainable SEO strategy, or the implementation of sensitive SEO measures (e.g., link building) should always be carried out by professionals with the appropriate experience.
Therefore, ask your SEO agency who is in charge of optimizing your website and make sure that only professional SEOs are in charge of your project.
#13 Every good SEO agency offers a face-to-face meeting before starting
Last but not least, an important tip: Find an SEO experts that takes the time for you
Insist on an initial face-to-face meeting and get an impression of the SEO agency’s capabilities.
The personal conversation can usually determine within a very short time whether you have found a reputable partner for your digital visibility or whether you should rather continue your search.
There are certain statements that a professional and reputable SEO service provider does not make to its customers. This includes things like “with our agency you will be number 1” or “we work directly with Google” – stay away from such agencies!
In summary: This is how a good SEO agency works
There are certain subject areas that a reliable search engine optimization partner should cover. This includes:
- Comprehensive analyzes (on-page and off-page) including the special features of the niche and the competition
- Keyword research, identification of lucrative search terms, and understanding of search intent
- SEO-driven Content Marketing
- Technical SEO advice, including crawlability and indexability, URL management, and loading times
- Sustainable link building
Therefore, a good SEO agency should demonstrate in-depth knowledge of each aspect so that the optimization is effective, sustainable, and profitable for the customer.
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