Search engine optimization is an important part of online marketing, and essential for the visibility of websites. Therefore, SEO should be given high priority and the right contact person should be found. Who is commissioned for SEO? How can really competent agencies be recognized and found? Information on this is provided in the following article.
What is search engine optimization (SEO)?
Definition of
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization and is an online marketing strategy to make websites more visible and easier to find for the target group in various search engines.
What does SEO do?
Search engine optimization includes content SEO, image SEO and link building, whereby keyword research and meta data are an important part.
The aim is to make the website easier to find online. Good SEO can move the positioning of the pages higher up in the search engines, making them more tangible for the respective target group. It also ensures that the target group comes across the website in the search results via a wide variety of search entries.
In general, SEO ensures the visibility of websites in search engines and is therefore one of the most important methods in online marketing.
Do SEO yourself or hire an agency?
Many companies are asking themselves for the first time whether they should hire an SEO Agency for the search engine optimization of their websites or whether they can optimize their website themselves.
However, there is no clear answer to this question. Each company must decide individually whether or not it makes sense to commission an agency. A few things and basic requirements should be taken into account, such as the budget and your own level of experience. Both hiring an agency and hiring an in-house employee have advantages and disadvantages that need to be assessed.
Do it yourself / Hire in-house labor
Advantages:
- Our own employees already know the company, the product and the target group inside out.
- They also have close contact with other departments in the company.
- In most cases, they already have direct access to the CMS – all data remains internal.
Disadvantages:
- Your own employees may first have to acquire the necessary specialist knowledge in the field of SEO
- Credibility can suffer from so-called “operational blindness”.
- Required tools & hardware etc. must first be purchased, and the employees must first familiarize themselves with them.
- Having your own workforce costs money. In the event of termination, a replacement or new employee must be found as quickly as possible.
Hire an SEO agency
Advantages:
- The SEO agency already has the necessary expertise and sufficient experience. They can therefore offer the company detailed advice.
- They also already work with advantageous tools so that the company does not have to purchase and deal with them first.
- They are very flexible and also have no “operational blindness”.
- You can make comparisons with other companies and thus deliver a better report.
Disadvantages:
- An SEO agency is also associated with certain costs.
- There is no guarantee of success, especially as success is usually not immediate, but only becomes apparent after long-term support.
- The agency must be trustworthy, as it may need access to the company’s own content management system.
Tips for choosing the right SEO agency
After carefully weighing up the pros and cons, the decision was made to commission an agency. But who do you commission now? How can a reputable and successful SEO agency be recognized?
Selection criteria
Experience, knowledge & references: A lot of time and research should be invested in choosing the right SEO agency to get the best out of your website. To do this, the agency’s references should be looked at or given to you. This illustrates the agency’s experience.
Time & communication : The time that the agency takes for the company is very important. Good SEO service providers are in regular contact with the company in order to precisely determine its needs. There is usually a schedule with regular contact and a fixed means of communication. In addition, the SEO agency should always provide information about changes and progress.
No “guarantee” promises: As already mentioned, SEO is not a quick fix, but a lengthy process. Agencies that give guarantees for ranking are dubious. Especially when promises are made about top rankings and the like.
Visibility & reviews: In order to make a selection, you should also look at the positioning and findability of the agency itself. In addition, reviews from customers can be included to get a better picture of the agency.
SEO costs: SEO naturally also has its price. You should therefore not necessarily take the cheapest offer. It is usually the case that agencies with higher prices are more likely to respond to individual solutions for the company and also take the necessary time. In the end, every company must ensure that it receives the best service for the planned budget.
Innovative approach: It is therefore good if the agency is flexible and develops strategies tailored specifically to the company. The focus should not only be on one level of SEO, but on several SEO aspects, such as loading time, page speed and user experience.
Focus on the target group: SEO experts know the relevance of the target group. In order to find the best strategy, the SEO agency must also be informed about the company, the product, its users and the message.
Data protection: Finally, the contract should also be read carefully. In the best case scenario, it contains a data protection declaration in the interests of the company so that no information is leaked to the competition.
5 questions that should be asked of SEO agencies
To make sure that the agency is competent, you can ask a few questions.
How does the agency want to improve the search engine ranking? The agency should be able to explain the planned strategies in detail and realistically assess the desired goals. It is also advantageous if the agency creates an audit and uses it to explain the current state of the website and describe improvements in the on- and off-page areas.
Can the agency guarantee that the website will appear at number 1 in the Google rankings? This is a trick question. If the agency answers “yes” to this question, it is better to look for another agency.
How is success measured? A good SEO agency can provide tools with which changes and improvements to the site can be tracked. She should also be able to explain the tool and the significance of the changes.
How often do you communicate? The question of communication and communication channels is also important. The SEO agency should have regular contact with the company and report on all changes and progress.
How has SEO changed in recent years? A question to test competence. SEO is constantly changing, so the agency should explain all the important current aspects of SEO and analyze the changes of recent years.
When choosing the right agency, a number of criteria should therefore be considered and asked about in order to achieve the best possible results. Nevertheless, it should always be remembered that SEO is “only” a very good aid – success always starts with the content and the company itself. With a competent search engine optimizer and their SEO measures, long-term progress can be achieved.
