Choosing the right local SEO agency is a critical decision that can significantly impact your business’s online presence and success. At best, it can even be a huge investment that’ll yield sustainable growth, both online and offline.
However, deciding on the right agency isn’t as simple as it sounds. In fact, it requires a thorough understanding of what constitutes a reputable agency, and a defined and clear vision of your business’ goals and aspirations.
To learn help you keep an eye out for these qualities, we’ve prepared a checklist below! So, read on to learn more.
Why Do You Need a Local SEO Agency?
A local SEO agency can help enhance online visibility in your target market, as well as your ranking in keywords that are relevant to local searches. In addition, they can also help develop relationships with other local businesses and organisations, which should lead to more collaborative marketing efforts and local link-building opportunities.
In summary, hiring a local SEO agency can be an excellent investment if you can find a company that does great web design with experience and measurable success in your local market, and you have a solid grasp of your own goals and expectations. When you engage Web9, we will be able to design and build a website that looks great and optimised for the search engine.
Tips for Choosing a Local SEO Agency
Define Your Goals
Set your goals and take a moment to understand your needs truly.
Before committing to an agency, clearly define what you require from a local SEO campaign. Here are some common goals that can be attributed to local SEO:
- Increase Google My Business (GMB) Visibility – Optimise your Google My Business (GMB) profile to enhance visibility and add credibility to your local business. You can implement this by providing an accurate business listing on Google, as well as by providing regular updates on the said profile.
- Generate Local Leads and Sales – Local SEO strategies ultimately seek to increase conversion, which in many cases means sales.
- Improve Local Search Rankings – There are cases when local search results are more appealing than global. If you’re setting a goal around local search engine optimisation, a good place to be is among the top local listings for your category.
Other objectives that you may strive for during your local SEO campaign are local link building, an increase in local online reviews, and an improvement in local traffic to your website.
Look for Customised Solutions
Digital marketing is an ever-evolving field. Therefore, an agency should be able to showcase its commitment to continuous learning and adapting to new trends and algorithm updates.
Also, you should be wary of any one size fits all solution being offered, since most businesses start their SEO journey from a unique position, with their own individual challenges.
It’s fair to expect that the agency will tailor their strategies to fit your specific business goals and local market conditions.
Talk to the Local SEO Agency Before Hiring Them
Don’t forego the chance to speak with your prospective SEO agency in person.
As a matter of fact, you shouldn’t put pen to paper without an initial consultation. Not only does it make the decision more personal, but you also get a sense of their communication and collaboration techniques early on.
We can’t stress enough how important effective communication when it comes to transparency and reporting. Hence, we encourage you to look for a team who actively listens to your input, and keeps you informed about the progress and changes in your SEO strategy.
Discuss if They Offer Reports
Speaking of reports, a reputable agency must be transparent about its methods.
On that note, they should also be able to provide regular reports on progress and track changes accordingly. As a client, it’s your right to receive detailed insights into your website’s performance, keyword rankings, and other key metrics.
Monitor if They are Easy to Reach
Local SEO services are notorious for being difficult to contact outside designated check-ins.
In fact, some of them have limited touchpoints, which can leave you on “read” during website emergencies.
At the very least, your agency should provide a direct line for urgent concerns, if not an actual point of contact for your ongoing project.
No matter the size of the campaign, consider the level of customer support the agency provides. You may even refer to customer feedback when they’re available.
Ideally, you’d want to partner with an agency that is responsive, willing to answer your questions and provide ongoing support to ensure your local SEO strategy is on track and successful.
Red Flags to Look Out For
Guaranteed Results
Avoid agencies that promise guaranteed SEO results, such as a specific ranking position or an exact number of leads over a period of time.
Even at the highest level, SEO remains largely unpredictable and continues to be influenced by many evolving factors, including search engine algorithms, competition, and market trends.
As such, guaranteed results often signal a lack of transparency or understanding of the complexities of an SEO campaign.
Automated Strategies
Automated strategies can be detrimental to your SEO efforts, as they typically lead to low-quality output and potential penalties from search engines.
With that in mind, we advise against agencies that rely heavily on automated tools and strategies. In SEO, the lack of a personalised approach frequently leads to uneven and unsustainable results.
One Size Fits All Method
Avoid agencies that offer a “one size fits all” SEO package or approach.
Local SEO, in particular, should be customised to fit the unique needs of your business, including local market conditions and industry specifics.
In most cases, relying on a blanket solution will generate suboptimal results and missed opportunities for targeted optimisation.
Aside from the aforementioned red flags, you should also strongly consider negative feedback or a lack of positive reviews from past clients. In addition, lack of transparency and unwillingness to share details about the local SEO strategy often lead to strained partnerships.
How to Choose the Right Local SEO Company?
Seek Industry Experts
An extensive and clear understanding of local SEO and local customers is crucial for developing effective strategies tailored to your business.
When choosing the right local SEO company, you’re not simply looking for an industry expert. You’re also after a team that understands the local market and trends.
As such, you should prioritise an agency familiar with your specific local market. After all, they must understand the local culture, competitors, and customer behaviour to develop a sound strategy best suited to their area.
Research Track Record
A company’s track record provides valuable insight into its ability to secure results and manage local SEO campaigns. In particular, look for SEO services that have a proven track record within the area that you’re looking to engage.
For starters, you can examine the company’s portfolio, case studies, and client testimonials. During or before the initial consultation, you can also ask for references and follow up with past or current clients to get a sense of their satisfaction and the results achieved.
Talk About Your Goals and How They Will Achieve Them
The clearer and more articulate you are with your goals, the easier it is to find an ideal match.
In practice, the best time to discuss your goals is during the initial consultation. Here, you can also ask the agency to map out a strategy on how they plan to address your needs.
Being open with your objectives’ onset can lead to a more detailed presentation, with more realistic timelines and expected outcomes to boot.
Monitor if They are Easy to Reach
Assess the agency’s communication channels and see how willing they are to accommodate yours.
Along with that, carefully observe their responsiveness to your query during the initial stages of the campaign. See if that can be a reasonable standard, and provide feedback should you see them lacking in that regard.
Last but not least, take note of how frequent their communications are, including the regular updates and discussions.
Finding a Trusted Local SEO Expert
If you’re looking for a company that has a strong grasp of local SEO techniques and tendencies, especially in the Brisbane market, look no further than Web9 Website Design and SEO services.
Our team offers personalised SEO strategies rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, which is significantly more effective in developing timely and measurable digital marketing goals for local businesses.
With our regular and transparent reports, you can stay on top of your SEO performance and progress, while we do our best to build the foundations you need to succeed in your local market.
Book your initial SEO consultation today to see how we can energise your business and improve your SEO and content marketing strategies.
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