How to choose an SEO agency in Yorkshire
Based in Yorkshire and looking for an SEO agency to give your online presence a boost? Here are 5 questions to ask.
Every small business needs an SEO strategy. Without it, you're consigning your website to the back pages of Google search results.
Chances are, you deserve better. All that time and effort spent crystallising your brand, only to be met with a 100-decibel silence.
Of course, SEO isn't
everything. Local businesses in Yorkshire and elsewhere can get custom through physical advertising and word of mouth. But to really level up as a business, you need your page to be optimised for search engines.
Here comes the problem. The world is full of SEO agencies – and they all promise results. So, how on Earth do you know which one to choose? How can you ensure your money is well-spent?
Like so much in life, it's all about doing your homework and asking the right questions. Here, then, are five questions to ask of a Yorkshire SEO agency before you sign on the dotted line.
Do they have the right skills and experience?
SEO strategies are like New Year's resolutions. They need to be realistic, concrete and manageable.
Every SEO agency will tell you they can help boost your online brand. But how will you know if they've succeeded? The answer is to articulate your goals and work with an agency with the skills and experience to meet them.
If your primary goal is to get more website hits, for instance, you'll need to work with a dab hand at
pay-per-click advertising and
on-page SEO. But if your priority is a spike in leads, you might need to incorporate email marketing and content marketing into your digital marketing strategy.
Wherever possible, SEO should follow the so-called "KISS" principle: keep it simple, stupid! But in the case of local SEO, that first S could also stand for "specific". Know your goals in detail, know your audience and know the competition before you pick an agency.
Are they affordable?
It's received wisdom that you've got to spend money to make money. But how much? The truth is that SEO agency fees can vary widely.
You know your budget. Finding an agency that can stay within its limits is a strong start. But you also need to be confident you're not getting ripped off.
There's no substitute for shopping around. You need to know the lay of the land before you make a decision. So, your best bet is to put aside an afternoon to suss out the agencies in your area and approach the ones who work within your budget.
Do they have time for you?
This is a big one. Large corporate agencies have their benefits. But as a rule of thumb, the bigger the agency, the less time they will have for you.
It may be that you want an SEO agency to accomplish one simple task and are happy to leave them to their own devices. However, most small businesses in search of a local SEO agency want more attention.
This is because SEO consists of lots of different things. It's no exaggeration to say you're putting your digital future in their hands. So, you need to be confident that they have the time to stay in a dialogue with you.
In the worst-case scenario, the alternative is a breakdown of trust and a lot of bad feelings. But even if things don't reach this point, you want an SEO agency that won't dodge your calls.
Do they have a strong local reputation?
If you're looking for an SEO agency in Yorkshire, it's probably because you want to draw on local expertise. You run a local business yourself. It makes sense that you'd want an SEO agency that knows the area and knows how to drive locals to your site.
So, how do you know if they're the right pick for you? One word for you: testimonials.
Take a look at their website. Have they worked with people in your area? What kinds of businesses? Have the business owners left positive testimonials? Can the agency point to concrete results, or are they falling back on vague promises of success?
These are all crucial questions. But you don't have to rely solely on the horse's mouth. You can also reach out to former clients and see what they say. If they were happy with the service they received, they'll probably want to tell you.
Do they know what success looks like?
SEO is like dieting. You need to know what success looks like. Otherwise, you could be heading for a breakdown of communication and trust with your SEO partner.
In practice, this means that an SEO agency needs to tell you what success will look like. Can they promise an increase in website hits? How many? By when? How about keyword rankings, backlinks or social media engagement?
All these things are measurable. If an SEO agency is unwilling to measure them, it probably doesn't know what it's doing – and your money is better spent elsewhere.
Your questions answered
What is an SEO agency?
An SEO agency is a company that helps businesses improve their visibility on search engines. They use a range of strategies to make websites more search-friendly, increase organic traffic and improve search engine rankings. Done well, this can lead to more site visits, more engagement and more sales.
What makes good local SEO?
Good local SEO helps your business show up when people search for similar services in your area. It also targets locals through a range of means: from on-page optimisation to email marketing, from targeted ads to regular blog content, from up-to-date business information to video content.
Looking for a Yorkshire digital marketing firm to give your SEO strategy a glow-up? At My Digital Hero, we have the skills, expertise and experience to help. Get in touch today for a quick, competitive quote or explore our services online.
