Search Engine Optimization or SEO is a process that focuses on getting a website and its pages to rank on search engines. Efforts resulting from a successful SEO (Search Engine Optimization) program will result in an increase in traffic to the target website and subsequent pages. The traffic will be categorized within your website analytic software as organic traffic. As a general rule, organic traffic should account for at least 50% of the total traffic to the website.
All major search engines such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo have primary search results, where web pages and other content such as videos or local listings are shown and ranked based on what the search engine considers most relevant to users. Payment isn’t involved, as it is with paid search ads.
The SEO process begins with strategy development around your competitors, your industry, and your website structure. Once the strategy is complete, we attach both off-page and on-page tactics to improve your visibility across all the main search engines. Monthly SEO deliverables will be published and tracked using an SEO dashboard, which you have access to 24/7. The process is transparent, collaborative, and fast. No more waiting months to see results. Give me/us a call for a quote. We are located in downtown New Orleans, Nashville (TN), Baton Rouge (LA), and Portland (OR).
Before you choose your SEO vendor, you may want to consider the following factors. Not all SEO services in are created equal.
1. Consider Search Engine Optimization (SEO) deliverables and SEO performance transparency
Everything on the internet is trackable, and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is no acceptation. Some SEO vendors charge by the hour and other by deliverable, but either way, they should be able to provide you monthly reporting. Your monthly reporting should provide you with search engine page (SERP) ranking increased or decreased and a list of their monthly deliverables (activities). SEO isn’t a set it and forget it type product, so make sure you are making progress every month.
2. Is the Search Engine Optimization vendor capable of making changes to my website?
It’s very rare to run into a website that meets search engine optimization (SEO) structure best practices. Generally, we see duplicate content issues, bad redirects, and a lack of structural data. In most cases, it is important that your SEO vendor has the ability to make SEO structure and code changes to your website. If your current website vendor does not allow for someone else to make changes to your website, then your SEO vendor should be able to provide a document that outlines the changes, so your developer can implement. This requirement alone will thin crowd of SEO companies. Not many SEO companies have the knowledge and are willing to take on the responsibility of making SEO structural changes to your website. Before you sign a contract, ask for examples including deliverable examples.
3. Can the SEO vendor produce SEO content?
The cornerstone of a successful search engine optimization strategy is content. In many cases, content will even outweigh bad website structure. When choosing an SEO vendor, make sure they provide you with content examples and a content calendar. Don’t forget that SEO content needs to be unique, focus on keywords with the strongest search volume, and needs to be written at a 5-6 grade reading level. If it were me, I would ask for examples.
4. Is your search engine optimization strategy unique and does the strategy focus on your competitors?
Every website and the environment that website competes in online is different. It stands to reason that a strong SEO strategy would need to be unique to your website, your specific market, and business environment. How do you tell if your SEO strategy is unique? It’s simple, your SEO strategy needs to focus on outranking specific competitors within your market. Your content, tagging, and link strategy need to built to be stronger than your competitors. Preferably, competitors that are ranking on the first page of Google/Bing/Yahoo. better than your competitors. Ask the SEO vendor to present on their competitive strategy.
5. If it’s cheap, it’s probably not worth the cost.
Your website needs to be seen as an employee that represents your brand and business online every hour of the day. Your website needs to be an investment. Your website needs to be prepared to answer questions, and sell your brand to every consumer who arrives on your website pages. The better your website becomes, the better it represents your business and sells your products. Consider it your best salesman.
When it comes to SEO vendors, you get what you pay for. Good SEO professionals run upwards of $150+ per hour, and trust me, they are well worth the cost. Would you trust your best salesperson or receptionist with a bad trainer or manager? If you are a small to medium-size business paying less than a $1000 for SEO, you’re probably throwing your money away.
Ps. Avoid yellow page companies, huge corporate giants, and your brother’s cousin like the plague.
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