6 questions to ask when you are looking to outsource SEO
You need to outsource SEO services, you have made a shortlist and you are going to start calling but you don’t know exactly what questions will help you find the right one for you; this article will tell you exactly what you should ask them before you decide which one to hire.
Before you engage with an SEO agency, decide what you need.
Do you need brand awareness do you also need to use your website to generate leads? Do you need to include other services like PPC or SEO content management? Does your business need to appear in local searches? Have a goal in mind and make that goal the centre of your communication with your SEO agency.
Then talk to them, explain your goals and ask the following questions:
1 – How are you going to accomplish my goals? What processes and tools will you use?
You may not understand the technical side of SEO, but this is good because it will force them to talk to you avoiding technical language and you will realise if they really understand your issues.
2 – How often are we going to communicate? How are you going to report?
Modern SEO means nothing if it is not integrated with all other business functions. How is your outsourced SEO agency going to communicate with your business? Find a communication strategy which works for you from the start.
3 – What resources will I have to commit internally?
You should know that, before you go into any arrangement, because it could get very complex and expensive. How much will it cost you to outsource SEO? How many people of your team will you have to commit?
4 – Can you guarantee my website will reach n 1 spot on search engines?
If they say “yes”, ditch them immediately: no one can guarantee that in modern SEO. A good SEO agencies will tell you that they can help you outrank your competition and build an SEO strategy which with clear, useful goals and measurable KPI’s to bring profitable visibility to your business.
5 – What do you do if things aren’t working?
They should have a strategy in place to change course of action if things aren’t working: ask them to tell you about it.
6 – What are your fees and payment terms?
You need to know how much you’ll be charged, of course, and also whether the agency gets paid hourly, by retainer or by project. Project-based payments are the most common in the SEO consulting industry, and they can vary widely, depending on a project’s size and complexity.
