Your business currently ranks number 67 on Google for a critical keyword related to your service, and frankly, you’re not happy about it. You desperately want potential clients to find your business online, but you personally have no idea how to get your business’s website to the first page of users’ search engine results to make that happen. In light of this, you’ve decided to hire a search engine optimization (SEO) agency.
Research shows that SEO has 20 times more online traffic opportunities than pay-per-click, or PPC, advertising does on both desktop and mobile. And hiring an agency will increase your chances of getting the rank results you want compared with figuring out SEO on your own.
However, there are some questions you should not ask your potential SEO agency to avoid harming your relationship. Here are several SEO questions to not ask when looking for the right service provider for your company.
“It Won’t Take Too Long to Get Results from Your SEO Work, Will It?”
This is one of today’s most common SEO questions, as clients would naturally like to see their websites shoot up to the top of search engine rankings as soon as possible. However, although SEO is widely celebrated and can indeed yield excellent results, it’s not a magic wand that generates instant results. Instead, completing a business SEO project might take anywhere from two to seven months to finish depending on the nature of the project, including your site’s keywords.
Also, before you try to ask an SEO agency questions about the length of your project, keep in mind that after an SEO agency works on your site once, you can’t simply leave it alone and expect it to draw organic traffic all on its own. Rather, the best SEO results are attained through ongoing investment and nurturing in both technical improvements and content creation.
In fact, a recent survey showed that 50% of companies wanted to cut their SEO budgets when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, but brands that were consistent with their SEO actually continue to reap its benefits each day. Meanwhile, those that stopped or restricted their SEO efforts might not experience the level of success they would have enjoyed had they stayed on course. So, when you partner with your SEO agency, be prepared to be in the relationship for the long haul for optimal success.
“What Can You Do for Free?”
This is yet another one of the top SEO questions not to ask a well-rated agency if you want to remain on its good side. That’s because SEO not only takes time but also requires work and expertise to get you the results you desire. In light of this, it is not uncommon for an SEO expert to charge about $100 to $150 per hour. As a matter of fact, small businesses in the United States in 2019 spent close to $500 monthly on SEO on average.
As a general rule of thumb, SEO involves conducting a thorough audit of your existing site and then utilizing multiple complex and intricate strategies to continuously maintain and improve your website ranking. Thus, you’re not paying for a quick marketing fix; instead, you are paying for specialized skills as well as a personalized long-term campaign that is designed to work for your unique business and drive positive results.
“I Don’t Need to Do Anything Now That My Site Is in Your Hands, Do I?”
When it comes to common SEO questions, this is a major one that ranks high on the list of questions not to ask a prospective SEO agency. Why? Because SEO agency experts will likely want to involve you so that they know about you and your expectations from the start. Here are some questions an SEO agency may want to ask:
- What are the top goals you have for your website?
- Who are your current competitors?
- Who is your target audience?
- What is your target return on your investment?
Other SEO questions that the agency may wish to ask to involve whether you have brand guidelines for the agency to follow, for example. Of course, you can also expect the SEO agency to ask questions about your budget, as this will be a major driving factor in how much the agency can do for your site both now and long term.
Simply put, you actually have a huge say in the direction of your SEO project, so expect to be involved in it to some degree. However, if you prefer to have minimal involvement in the project, you and your agency can always discuss this upfront.
“Can You Do Whatever It Takes to Get My Website Ranking High?”
This is another one of the most common SEO questions, as clients are eager to increase their search rankings by any means necessary. However, it is also one of the top SEO questions not to ask because a reputable agency won’t engage in unethical web practices (such as keyword stuffing) to increase your website results on search engines.
Instead of doing “whatever it takes,” also known as black hat SEO, you should expect a solid agency to employ more profitable and better long-term solutions—ones that won’t get you penalized or even banned from online search engines.
Take Advantage of Top-Tier SEO Services from a Leading Agency Today!
If you’re interested in taking your business website higher—literally—by using winning SEO strategies, you can’t go wrong with hiring a reputable SEO agency. SEO agency team members can utilize their strong industry expertise to answer common SEO questions for you, help your site to rank high, and prevent negative repercussions that could drag your site down.
The reality, though, is that not all SEO agencies are created equal. Thus, it’s paramount that you choose an agency with a solid track record in the field. And it’s just as critical that you forge a healthy relationship with the agency by avoiding the above-listed SEO questions not to ask an SEO agency. Begin your search for the right agency for your SEO project today, and start seeing your revenue rise alongside your website rankings in the months ahead.