- Learn SEO fundamentals
- Evaluate what is most important to you
- Search for SEO agencies on Google
- Check their reviews
- Shortlist at least 3 SEO agencies
- Get on a call
- Review their answers and choose
Choosing a SEO agency for your business is a critical decision that can make or break your business growth. If you end up engaging the wrong company for your SEO services, you will have not just lost a large sum of money but also delayed the growth of your business. As such, you need to take a systematic approach for choosing the most suitable SEO agency for your company.
These 7 simple steps (that I have highlighted below) will help you identify the best SEO agencies within the shortest period of time.
Step 1) Learn SEO Fundamentals.
- What is SEO and how can it impact your business?
- Why is it important to choose the right SEO agency?
- How Google chooses content to rank on page 1?
- What are the 5 steps of SEO to rank on Google page 1?
Before choosing an SEO agency, it is essential to learn the fundamentals of Search Engine Optimization. This includes understanding key concepts such as keyword research, technical SEO, on-page optimization, and link building. By grasping these basics, businesses can better evaluate potential SEO agencies and determine which one is the best fit for their needs. Additionally, learning SEO fundamentals can help businesses identify reputable SEO companies that use white-hat SEO strategies, rather than black-hat tactics that can harm their online presence.
Here are some SEO fundamentals that is crucial for you to learn before beginning your selection process:
What is SEO and how can it impact your business?
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a critical component of digital marketing that can significantly impact a business’s online visibility and search engine rankings.
SEO is not just about getting to the top of search engine results. It is about staying there and continuously attracting potential customers. A good SEO strategy can lead to sustainable growth by ensuring that your website remains relevant and authoritative in your industry. This ongoing process involves various techniques, from keyword research and content creation to technical SEO and link building. By understanding these elements, you can better appreciate the value that a skilled SEO agency brings to your business.
Why is it important to choose the right SEO agency?
A reputable SEO company can help businesses improve their website’s ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs), driving more organic traffic and leads.
Choosing the right SEO agency for your business will ensure that you can get the benefits of SEO including:
- Increased online visibility
- Improved search engine rankings
- Enhanced brand credibility
- More leads and sales for your business
That is why it is so important for businesses to make informed decisions when selecting an SEO provider.
How Google chooses content to rank on Google Page 1?
In this short 2 minute video below, I explain how Google chooses content to rank on Google Page 1:
If you didn’t get to watch that, here is a quick summary:
- Google makes money through Pay Per Click advertising also known as Search Engine Marketing (SEM).
- For Google to make more money, Google needs to attract more businesses to advertise on Google.
- Before more businesses will advertise on Google, Google needs more searchers searching for information on Google.
- Hence, Google’s main objective is to maximise the number of people searching on Google to attract more advertisers and maximise its revenue.
- And for Google to do this, it needs to display search (SEO) results that are not just relevant but results that their searchers absolutely love!
This is the fundamental principle behind Search Engine Optimization and how Google chooses content to rank on Google Page 1.
Additionally, it’s crucial to avoid black hat SEO tactics, which are unethical and can lead to severe penalties from search engines.
What are the 5 Steps Of SEO To Rank On Google Page 1?
Check out this 2 minute video clip here:
In short, SEO involves:
- Keyword research
- Content creation
- On page optimisation & technical SEO
- Off page optiimsation (Often also known as off page SEO or link building)
Keyword research is the foundation of any successful SEO campaign. It involves identifying the terms and phrases that potential customers use to search for products or services related to your business.
Content creation involves creating content around the keywords that you want to rank on search engines for.
On-page optimization involves optimizing individual web pages to rank higher and earn more relevant traffic.
Technical SEO ensures that your website is structured in a way that search engines can easily crawl and index.
Link building, or off-page SEO, involves acquiring high-quality backlinks from other websites to improve your site’s authority.
By understanding these concepts, you can make more informed decisions when choosing an SEO agency.
There you have it!
You have nailed SEO fundamentals in under 5 minutes.
Step 2) Evaluate what is most important to you.
When selecting an SEO agency, it is crucial to evaluate what is most important to your business. This includes considering factors such as budget, business goals, and target audience. By prioritizing your needs, you can find an SEO company that aligns with your objectives and provides tailored SEO services.
For instance, if your business requires local SEO, you should look for an agency with expertise in local search results and online marketing.
By evaluating your needs, you can find a reliable SEO partner that can help you achieve sustainable growth and improve your online presence. Start by asking yourself these 5 questions:
- What is your goal with SEO? Some examples of goals you can have include
- Increasing online visibility and targeted traffic to your website by ranking on Google Page 1 for specific keywords.
- Optimizing your website to appear in local search results, so that you get more foot traffic to your physical location. (If your business serves a local market, local SEO will be crucial.)
- Generating more qualified leads for your business.
- Increasing the revenue of your business.
- What SEO strategy do you need when it comes to content creation?
- Would you like the SEO agency to create outstanding skyscraper content for you? Or do you already have amazing content on your website?
- What kind of link building approach do you want to take?
- Would you like the agency to build few high quality backlinks or a larger volume of mediocre quality backlinks to your website?
- What is your monthly budget to pay the SEO team that you are engaging for SEO services?
- How involved and aligned would you like to be with the SEO strategy proposed by the agency?
- If you want to be involved and aligned, ask for a SEO gameplan call before engaging the agency. Many agencies, like SEO With Senthil, offer free SEO Game Plan calls.
- Would you like a SEO partner who focuses solely on SEO? Or would you like a digital marketing specialist who can diversify your digital marketing efforts?
By clearly defining your priorities, you can find an SEO agency that offers the right mix of SEO services to meet your specific needs.
Step 3) Search for SEO agencies on Google.
If you are looking for an SEO agency, it means that you want to rank on Google Page 1 for keywords that are in line with what you sell. The best person you can trust to help you with this job is likely someone who is ranking on Google Page 1 themselves!
In other words, you want to find a SEO agency that walks their talk and has great online visibility themselves. An agency that is ranking on Google Page 1 for competitive keywords.
Additionally, reviewing the results achieved for past clients can provide valuable insights into the agency’s effectiveness.
You can find these top ranking SEO agencies by heading to Google and searching for SEO agencies in your vicinity.
For example, let’s say your business is based in Singapore.
Head to Google and search for transactional keywords like “SEO Agency Singapore” or even “Best SEO Agency Singapore”. These are competitive keywords where users have strong buying intent, as compared to educational keywords that are easier to rank like “how to choose SEO agency”.
If a SEO company ranks for these competitive keywords, it indicates that they have successfully optimized their own website, which is a good sign of their capabilities.
Review their website to see if they offer comprehensive SEO services, including technical SEO, content creation, and link building. By thoroughly evaluating potential SEO agencies, you can find a reliable partner that can help you achieve your digital marketing objectives and drive sustainable growth for your business.
Step 4) Check Their Reviews
Next, check the reviews of SEO agencies that come up in your Google search. Check their client testimonials and case studies to see the results they have achieved for other businesses. Do they have Google reviews or testimonials on their website like this?
Do they have successful SEO client case studies like this one of helping their clients rank on Google Page 1?
What was the approach the agency took to help their clients rank for keywords on Google?
Step 5) Shortlist at least 3 SEO agencies.
Based on the SEO agencies that you found with positive reviews and successful case studies, shortlist 3 SEO providers that you feel most aligned with.
- Do they have SEO success themselves?
- Do their websites highlight any of the SEO components that you noted down as important in Step 2?
- Do their prices fit your budget?
Many SEO agencies do not display their prices in public. Hence I compiled the prices of some of the best SEO agencies in Singapore right here.
For SEO With Senthil, we believe in 100% transparency in the prices we charge. Our current Done With You SEO Services start from $700 a month and our Done For You SEO agency services start from $2600 a month.
If you are based out of Singapore, you can consider shortlisting SEO With Senthil if we are within your budget and criteria.
Or you can leave price out of the shortlisting process for now and proceed to the next step.
Step 6) Get on a call.
Get on a SEO consultation call with the SEO companies you shortlisted to find out their latest prices, packages and more.
Instead of letting the SEO agency dictate the entire conversation, why not ask the agency some of these 15 critical questions instead?
Step 7) Review their answers and choose.
After speaking to all the SEO agencies you shortlisted, you will have a clear idea of which among the best SEO companies to engage for your business.
Choose the one that:
- You align most with.
- Can produce the best results for your business.
- Fits your monthly budget.
Do note that if you are in more competitive industries, the costs of your SEO projects will be higher. And you need to be able to better filter and select the best SEO company to help you rank on Google Page 1.
I hope these 7 steps help you choose the right SEO agency for your business!
Book a SEO gameplan call with me here before selecting the right SEO agency for your needs.