Choosy Customers Choose SEO Agencies Wisely: A 6-Point Cheat Sheet

SEO with The Web Guys

You recognize that you need an SEO agency, which puts you ahead of the game, but you may have no idea how to pick one. The truth is, however, that you don’t have to go with the luck of the draw. If you’ve gotten yourself into a bad relationship with an SEO agency, the good news is you can call it quits and find a better love connection. While SEO agencies may seem interchangeable – only with different cover art – they absolutely are not.

You are looking for an agency that you connect with, that has the breadth of experience you need, that understands your unique business, and a whole lot more. Lucky for you, there is a 6-point cheat sheet that can help get you into the kind of satisfying, long-term relationship with an SEO agency that you’ve been looking for.


One: Know Your SEO Goals

If you’re not sure what you’re looking for in terms of SEO, now is a good time to give it some careful thought. In fact, the right SEO agency for you will help you explore and pin down your goals – whatever they might be. Success for you may be tied to any combination of the following:

  • Return on investment
  • Conversions
  • Organic traffic
  • Productivity
  • Recurring revenue
  • Gross profit margin

This list could go on and on, but if the SEO agency you’re courting isn’t talking to you about your SEO goals, it’s time to keep looking. If you already have firmly established goals, that’s great, and if the SEO agency is worth its salt, it’s going to want to explore them with you further. Even, however, if you aren’t sure exactly what your priorities are, it’s your job to bring the raw data that can help your SEO agency help you.


Two: No SEO Agency Is an Island

The reason you don’t have in-house SEO expertise may be because your business is too small, because you don’t have the resources – in terms of man-hours – to devote solely to SEO, or because you simply don’t have the expertise, and that is all well and good. It’s important to recognize, however, that you and your SEO agency are a team – they are not out there working completely independently, and they shouldn’t be. If you don’t have a teamwork makes the dream work mentality when it comes to your SEO pros, it’s time to adopt one.


Three: Get a Handle on Your Budget

You recognize that the only way to grow your business and brand is with solid SEO and that you need outside help to do it, which puts you ahead of the curve. It’s also important to have a realistic budget in mind regarding what your business can spend on SEO. Tying your budget in with your return-on-investment numbers is often a better way to go than simply setting an upper- and lower-dollar amount. Once you’ve got a pretty good idea of what you’re looking at in terms of budget, it’s time to get out there and see which agencies are within reach. Keeping an open mind, however, might help you find the one – even if they are slightly out of your budget range.


Four: Know What You’re Dealing With

When you head out into the big wide world of SEO agencies, it’s important to take stock of your business in relation to the agencies you’re considering.


A Size Differential May Matter

It’s important to consider the size of your business in relation to the size of the agency in question. If you’re a large, well-established company, for example, and the SEO agency is a tiny fledgling, there’s no reason why it can’t work, but the size and experience differential should be a consideration.


Niche Concerns Should be Addressed

Perhaps you’re running a straightforward online business that is much like many others out there, and that’s great. If this is the case, an SEO agency that is fairly generalized in its approach may not be a deal breaker. If you’re running a business, however, that ventures into the world of niche, you need an SEO agency that can keep up.


Shining a Light on Growth and Lifecycle

You’re in the business of growing your business – not of hitting plateaus and rolling with them. As such, you’re looking for an SEO agency that’s down to help you spread your wings and fly – in direct relation to where your business is in terms of growth and lifecycle right now. And with that, you have to lift off.


Five: Hone Your Interview Skills

If you’re trying on an SEO agency for size, you have questions, and now is the time to ask them. Before you get down to the business of interviewing a prospective agency, take the time to gather your thoughts, flesh out some well-considered questions, and craft an outline for the proceedings. You’ll be glad you did.


Six: Find a Good Fit, People

If you like the agency’s reputation, brand, or vibe, that’s great – and it means that you’re buying into whatever it that they’re selling. If it isn’t a good fit, however, it isn’t a good fit, and continuing on your journey is well advised. For example, if any of the following ring true, it’s time to rethink things:

  • You feel intimidated or as if you’re being shut down or shut out.
  • The agency doesn’t get you (you can find one that will).
  • The agency doesn’t take the time, doesn’t care enough, or doesn’t have the insight to make sure that you understand what they’re talking about (tech can be weird that way).
  • The agency skirts an issue that you consider important (it’s your prerogative to decide what’s important).
  • The agency is not specific about pricing and what’s included.

If you get a bad vibe, keep looking – the right agency for you is out there.


Looking for an SEO Agency? Look No Further

If you’re looking for the right SEO agency for you, the SEO pros at The Web Guys cordially invite you to take us out for a spin. We recognize that there are plenty of fish in the sea when it comes to SEO agencies, but we take a lot of pride in the connections we make with businesses like yours, and we think this might be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Reach out and contact or call us at (317) 805-4933 to learn more today.