SEO agency selection – Tips for enhancing your local presence
Choosing the right SEO agency is a pivotal decision for businesses looking to improve their local search presence. Start by clearly defining your ideal local customer base and geographic service areas. An experienced SEO agency will tailor strategies around your target market parameters for maximum conversion potential. Outline must-have locations, key demographics, service radii from your business, and typical customer personas.
Take an objective audit of your current local search visibility before agency outreach. Is your Google My Business listing complete and optimized? How visible are you in online directories and maps? Analyze rankings for priority keywords and conversion paths. This gives the agency insight into areas of focus from the start.
Research their results for local clients
When evaluating SEO agencies, review case studies and examples of local search success they’ve achieved. Ask for data on the positive local ranking, traffic, and leads gained for companies similar to yours. Proof of expertise with local search analytics and optimization signals an ability to help your brand. Not all agencies are created equal when it comes to niches. Some excel with e-commerce SEO, while others focus on the healthcare vertical. Choose an SEO firm with demonstrated experience optimizing sites in your specific industry. They’ll have tailored best practices to share.
Understand their link building approach
The quality backlinks an agency obtains to boost your local domain authority and search presence are crucial. Inquire about their most effective link-building tactics for local clients and verify examples. A solid local link strategy takes time, outreach, and consistency. From site migrations to page speed optimizations, an agency’s technical SEO skills impact local search success. Discuss their site auditing process and abilities to resolve indexation challenges, duplicate content issues, mobile optimization needs, and more. Unique, relevant content is the lifeblood of SEO. The agency should outline its content creation process and integration with optimization to attract local searchers. Well-optimized blogging, videos, FAQs, and other assets build authority. Ask for samples of local content they’ve produced.
Validate reviews and results first
It is not enough for legitimate SEO agencies near me to make claims on their websites, they should provide third-party validation, such as Google reviews, case studies, testimonials, media coverage, and awards. Speaking directly to other local business owners who’ve partnered with the agency provides valuable insights. Ask for two to three references from companies that’ve assisted with SEO in your metro area. Learn what their experience was like. Costs for SEO services vary widely depending on needs. Be upfront from the start about your budget range and project scope desires so you only consider affordable options. Many offer flexible monthly packages. Comparing tiers and deliverables helps inform decisions.
Look for transparency and reporting
Quality agencies proactively communicate action plans, and progress reports, review analytics, and provide complete transparency into campaigns. You own all SEO account assets. The use of propriety software, AI, and martech solutions gives an agency an edge in surfacing local insights and optimizing nuances at scale. Ask about the technology they leverage specifically for enhanced local performance. Make sure the agency outlines opportunities for growth beyond the initial campaign period. Continually improving local presence, monitoring new competitor activity, and optimizing based on search trends are key for staying top of mind with area customers.
