What to Expect from an SEO Company

We have decided to write a series of articles to help educate our clients (and prospective clients) on what we deem to be important (and sometimes confusing) areas of Search Engine Optimization.

The SEO field as a whole can be a bit of a minefield for business owners, and people who are “out of the loop”. It’s easy to make badly-informed decisions, and even easier to blow a shed load of cash in the process. With few formal qualifications, many so-called “consultants” have sprung up all over the place – many full of somewhat colourful “advice”. Clients will often come to us (understandably so) with weird and wonderful ideas and plans for optimizing their website. Maybe they’ve read this, or heard that – their friend has recommended they do this – you get the idea. We’ve heard it all…

This is where education and expectations management come in (and play a huge role in our job).

A solid Search Engine Optimization partnership between provider and client should seek to adhere to the points below:

Clear communication

Communication is essential to success in any project. Especially Internet-based relationships where often many miles (or time zones) separate both parties. We will always be clear on what communication method (E-mail, Skype, IM, Phone) shall be used and when’s best to contact. We’ve found weekly or fortnightly contact to be just fine.

Clear Aims/Goals

Again, it’s essential to set clear goals for the project and measure progress against these goals. Examples of such goals:

• Increased Ranking for particular Keywords
• Increased Raw Search Traffic
• Increased Orders/Sales/Enquiries/Leads
• Increased Brand/Product Awareness
• Increased Backlink Count

Each of the above goals have advantages and disadvantages associated with them, so it’s important to discuss your exact requirements before deciding on a strategy.

Regular Reporting

During the weekly or fortnightly contact, you should receive reports detailing work carried out and progress towards pre-determined goals. Everything should be explained fully, and you should be able to easily ask for more information/clarification on any points, should you require.

Education/Expectations Management

Perhaps the most important aspect of dealing with clients is managing expectations. We are trying to develop more online content to do this as effectively as possible. Below are some essential points to note:

• SEO takes time, it’s not an overnight process (6months+)
• Your competitors are ranked highly because they have invested this time and effort into SEO (and/or) been around for a long long time.
• On-Page Optimization is usually not enough (by itself) to get ranked
• SEO is not cheap (or easy). It takes a lot of effort & hard work.
• Keyword Research is more important than you may think…
• No company (or individual) can guarantee you rankings
• There is an awful lot of rubbish written about SEO on the web.

Honesty

Our business is built on integrity and honesty, and we’ll always provide an honest opinion. Even if it means turning down new business, or upsetting someone. Dishonestly and setting unrealistic expectations are two main causes of friction in an SEO relationship.

Want more information? Take a look at our useful info section for similar SEO articles. Our Frequently Asked Questions page deals with some other common themes. If you feel we’ve missed something, or would like to add a comment or find out more – please contact us by using the Quick Contact form on the right hand side of any page.