For those looking to boost or rejuvenate their digital presence, partnering with a digital agency can be an attractive option. After all, search engine optimisation (SEO) is a complicated and time-consuming process. But with there being so many SEO and digital marketing agencies, it can be difficult to determine which one is best for you. This article will first explain the basics of SEO and then give you some things to look out for when picking an SEO agency.
What is SEO?
Search engine optimisation (SEO) is the process of creating or refining a website with content that is likely to rank well in search engine results. The use of keywords that are likely to attract quality leads is a key component of this. Similarly, managing the design of your website so that it is user friendly is also important.
SEO is an organic method of ensuring your business and its content get shown to a wider audience. While paid promotion may provide you with quick results, it can become expensive to maintain. SEO offers a longer-term way to maintain strong positioning on search engine results pages.
So what are the red flags to look out for when choosing an SEO agency?
1. Lack of Transparency and Communication
Good SEO agencies will be upfront about the activities they wish to undertake to improve your business’ online presence. A good collaborative relationship always involves complete transparency.
Similarly, good agencies will update their clients about the effectiveness of their strategies regularly. Clients and agencies often agree upon monthly updates in the form of a report. It is a big red flag if you reach out to an agency about hiring their services and they are slow to respond. A poor interaction in the enquiry stage of a business relationship may be demonstrative of an agency’s future communication preferences.
2. Overpromising
While an agency can tout an improved search engine ranking as a benefit of their SEO services, they should not promote a specific result. For example, it is a red flag if an agency promises the top search result on Google. This is because Google and other search engines have highly unpredictable and ever-changing algorithms so there are never any guarantees.
3. Their Own Digital Presence is Poor
It is usually a bad sign if a digital agency has a poor online presence. It will devalue trust in the eyes of the consumer if a business cannot showcase its brand well through its own website and social media accounts.
4. Poor User Ratings
While user ratings such as those found on Google Reviews are not the be-all and end-all, they are still an important barometer of a business’ quality of service. While one or two bad ratings can be expected for most businesses, if these poor reviews form the majority then this suggests a negative pattern of behaviour by the business. You should rethink partnering with a digital agency if their customer feedback is consistently poor.
Are you interested in improving your business’ SEO? Start achieving your goals by getting in touch with Patch Agency’s team of SEO specialists today!
