Clio Top Legal Marketing CompanyBefore hiring us as their new DC SEO company, many of our prospective clients wrestle with this question. The answer truly depends on your budget, industry, location, and expertise when it comes to search engine optimization best practices.
It's true - there are so many SEOs out there who promise page 1 rankings, it makes it difficult to separate the truly effective DC SEO companies and the rest. However, hiring an SEO in-house can cost far more than even the most competent agencies. Finding the best firm to handle your search engine optimization campaign is your key to beating your competition online at an affordable price.
1. Beware of any SEO agency that promotes the buying and/or selling of links. Google's April, 2012 Penguin algorithm update is not a fan of purchased links to boost your site's reputation. This is a red flag because it means either the firm is buying links because they aren't up-to-date on current best practices, or they simply don't care that this practice can easily damage your website's rankings in the short- or long-term.
2. Do your research on others who have hired the DC SEO Agency. You can probably read testimonials on their website from others in your industry, or ask to speak with an existing client. Some SEO agencies won't provide their clients as contacts, but this isn't necessarily a deal-breaker. For example, JMR will usually share contact information, but for a client in a different industry. The important takeaway you want to see in testimonials or hear from existing clients is that the firm is experienced, communicates well with clients, and got them results.
3. Be sure that the agency is detailing what they are doing if you ask. Just to be clear, I don't mean that your DC SEO company should relate every single step they take in your campaign. As an SEO client, you want a clear and comprehensive agreement at the onset that you can review before signing the dotted line. After that, it's all about results.
- ✓Are your keyword rankings increasing over time?
- ✓Is your website traffic increasing over time?
- ✓Are you getting more calls/messages?
- ✓Are you seeing a return on your investment financially?
- ✓Is my account manager giving me strong answers to my questions?
If the answer to all these questions is yes, as long as your SEOs are using white-hat best practices, it's time to let the professionals do what you pay them for.
Hiring in house can be effective if you have the budget and can find that single SEO specialist who you think can effectively run your campaign. If this is not the case, and you're looking for local DC SEO help, it's probably time to start vetting agencies. Just be sure to keep these three hiring tips in mind to find the best possible professionals for your campaign.
