Do you need help understanding what to ask your SEO agency to get the most out of their services? Or are you considering hiring an SEO agency but unsure about the questions you must clarify before signing the contract or receiving an SEO proposal? This article is designed to help you understand the essentials.
We will discuss everything from understanding their SEO strategy, leveraging Google tools, their proven experience, techniques, and compliance to communication and SEO reporting, content creation and optimization, page SEO, SEO issues and setbacks, and, most importantly, the cost of their services. By following this guide, you’ll be able to fully grasp the role your SEO agency plays and the benefits they provide for your website’s optimization.
Table of Contents
- Understanding Your SEO Agency’s Strategy
- What ROI should I expect from my SEO investment?
- How will you improve my search engine rankings?
- What specific SEO strategy would you deploy to increase our rankings?
- Am I in need of Local SEO or Enterprise SEO?
- Leveraging Google Tools for SEO
- How do you use Google Analytics to track SEO progress?
- Do you use Google Search Console to monitor website performance?
- How do you optimize for Google’s PageSpeed Insights?
- Knowing the experience of the Search Engine Optimization Agency
- Do you have experience in local search ranking?
- How familiar are you with Google’s EAT and core web vitals?
- What results have you achieved for clients in the past?
- SEO Techniques and Compliance
- How do you follow Google’s Webmaster Guidelines
- How do you follow Google’s Webmaster Guidelines
- Can you execute schema markups for Google Rich Snippets?
- SEO Service Communication and Reporting
- What Deliverables Can I Expect on a Monthly Basis?
- Who Will Be My Main SEO Account Manager and Point of Contact for This Engagement?
- How Often Will You Report on Progress?
- How Do You Use Google Data Studio or Other Platforms for SEO Reporting?
- SEO Content Creation and Optimization
- How Do You Handle Content Strategy Within Google’s Guidelines?
- What’s Your Strategy for Google’s AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages)?
- Are You Using AI for Content Marketing or SEO Services in General?
- How Do You Craft Meta Descriptions That Grab Google’s Attention?
- On-Page and Off-Page SEO
- How do you optimize for Google My Business?
- What’s your strategy for caching and indexing on Google?
- How do you build links with respect to Google’s policies?
- Dealing With SEO Issues and Setbacks
- How would you handle a Google penalty?
- How do you deal with negative SEO attacks?
- What do you do if the expected results still need to be achieved?
- Cost Of SEO Agency Services
- What length of contract can I expect?
- What happens if I choose to terminate our contract?
- What fees can I expect from this SEO campaign?
- Conclusion On SEO Consultant Questions
Understanding Your SEO Marketing Firm’s Strategy
When selecting the right SEO agency, understanding their on-page SEO technical, SEO strategy, backlink strategy, and how they plan to boost your website’s visibility on search engines is essential. The following questions can help demystify the SEO provider’s plan for your website if you are inquiring with various agencies.
What ROI should I expect from my SEO investment?
This is one of the foremost SEO agency questions you need to ask. Understanding the Return on Investment from your SEO efforts can help you make informed decisions about your SEO investment. The right SEO agency should provide clear, measurable goals for your campaign.
However, it is also important to note that ROI and return take time. SEO is a process that requires patience and focus. Furthermore, if the agency focuses on commercial and transactional terms that have generated business for you in the past, the ROI will come, assuming they help rank you better.
How will you improve my search engine rankings?
Every trustworthy SEO agency will have a specific plan to improve your website pages’ rankings. They may optimize your website for better speed, improve your backlink strategy, or concentrate on optimizing the technical SEO elements of your website for enhanced performance on search engines.
What specific SEO strategy would you deploy to increase our rankings?
SEO strategies vary based on factors such as industry, competition, and target keywords. Your SEO expert should detail the specific tactics they plan to implement, whether on-page SEO, local SEO, or off-page strategies.
Remember that SEO is an ongoing process, and it is crucial to continuously monitor, analyze, and adapt the strategy to ensure long-term success and visibility in search engine rankings. If you’re asking SEO Agencies this question, these are the items you need to listen for.
Am I In Need of Local SEO or Enterprise SEO?
Local SEO has more to do with ranking locally in the cities where the brand resides. This means that the bulk of their customers are in their geographic region. You can rank locally in the SERPs and the Google/Bing MAP listings with local SEO.
Now, if you are a national brand or work with clients beyond your local DMA, enterprise SEO is what you need.
Asking an SEO Agency the difference will help you better determine a fair pricing structure because local SEO traditionally costs less and is easier to implement than enterprise SEO.
Leveraging Google Tools for SEO
Using the right tools is crucial when it comes to SEO. Google has created several tools that can help you monitor and improve your website’s performance. Two of these tools are Google Webmaster Tool and Page Speed.
Google Webmaster Tool is a free tool that allows you to monitor your website’s performance in Google search results. With this tool, you can track your website’s backlinks, analyze your website’s crawl rate, and get alerts if there are any security issues. Additionally, Google Webmaster Tool helps you identify issues that may negatively impact your website’s visibility so that you can take corrective action.
Another Google tool that can help improve your SEO performance is Page Speed. This tool analyzes your website’s loading speed, identifies any issues, and offers suggestions on optimizing your website’s performance. By improving your website’s loading speed, you can enhance user experience and boost your website’s search engine rankings. Utilizing these tools can help you make data-driven decisions that can enhance your website’s SEO performance and help you achieve your business goals. If you are working with an SEO agency, it’s advisable to discuss with them how to utilize these tools effectively and interpret the data provided.
How do you use Google Analytics to track SEO progress?
Google Analytics is an invaluable tool your SEO agency should be using to measure the success of their SEO work.
It allows for tracking organic traffic, bounce rate, and even conversions. Understanding their approach to Google Analytics can give you better insight into their SEO strategies. Please note that seeing a GA4 Report from them can help discern their skillset in utilizing GA4.
Do you use Google Search Console to monitor website performance?
Any competent SEO company should utilize Google Search Console. It provides valuable insight into your website’s traffic, indexation issues, and organic search performance. Knowing how they plan to use this tool helps you understand their commitment to staying abreast of your website’s performance.
How do you optimize for Google’s PageSpeed Insights?
The speed at which a website loads is an essential metric that affects its ranking on search engines. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain a balance between its importance and other factors. SEO agencies should use effective techniques based on Google’s PageSpeed Insights guidelines to improve website speed. These techniques could involve optimizing images or improving server response time.
Knowing the Experience of the Search Engine Optimization Agency
Understanding the experience of your potential SEO agency is a fundamental step in your selection process. The knowledge and skills your agency brings to your small business or larger corporation play an integral role in defining the success of your SEO efforts.
Do you have experience in local search ranking?
Begin by exploring their competence in various areas of SEO, notably the local search ranking. Both multinational corporations and small businesses greatly benefit from a well-optimized local presence.
Ranking high in local searches instantly makes your small business more visible, hence driving more foot traffic and promoting customer interactions at a local level.
In the current digital marketing ecosystem, an agency that cannot optimize for local search is missing out on a big SEO trend. Their previous success stories in local SEO can give you an insight into their skill set and ability to handle your SEO needs.
How familiar are you with Google’s EAT and core web vitals?
A profound understanding of Google’s EAT and core web vitals is essential for any credible SEO agency. After all, Google uses EAT to assess the value and credibility of the content.
Core web vitals are the factors that Google considers essential in a webpage’s overall user experience. Hence, a firm grasp of these concepts controls how well your site pages will perform in search engines.
What results have you achieved for clients in the past?
A track record of apparent results is a valid indicator of a thriving and efficient SEO agency. It doesn’t have to be about checking client references and spot-checking those who left testimonials. If you understand SEO to an extent, and they can provide at least one to two examples, that should suffice.
It’s best to work with a company that can demonstrate its ability to improve your website’s performance by using popular keywords, boosting your organic traffic, and making a positive impact overall. However, it is important to ensure they have accomplished these results within Google’s guidelines and have not used unethical SEO practices.
SEO Techniques and Compliance
SEO doesn’t work if you get banned. So, compliance with Google is crucial for successful SEO. It’s essential to choose an agency that completely understands compliance and can help you stay compliant. Compliance with Google is crucial for successful SEO. Choosing an an agency with a complete knowledge of compliance can make or break your experience with SEO success.
How do you follow Google’s Webmaster Guidelines?
Adherence to these guidelines guarantees good SEO practices, reducing the odds of penalties by Google. It also shows the agency’s commitment to deliver sustainable and valid results rather than quick, short-term wins that could harm your website’s reputation in the long run.
How do you handle algorithm updates such as Google Panda, Penguin, or BERT?
A competent SEO expert will keep track of these updates, devise strategies to adapt to the changes and prevent any potential negative impact on your website. Their handling of algorithm updates will determine the resilience and stability of your SEO efforts during potentially turbulent periods.
Google Panda, Penguin, and BERT are major updates released by Google to improve the quality of its search results.
Can you execute schema markups for Google Rich Snippets?
Rich Snippets give users more information about what they can expect when they click on your website. Using schema markups enhances the appeal of your website on SERPs.
It makes your site more click-worthy, improving your ranking and click-through rates (CTRs).
Engaging an SEO agency with a strong foothold in these critical areas of SEO would promise credible and effective SEO strategies to improve your online visibility, drive more organic traffic, and deliver stable, long-term results.
SEO Service Communication and Reporting
Ensuring effective communication and SEO reporting from your SEO agency is crucial to maintaining an efficient and successful working relationship. It’s essential that there is transparency from the outset and expectations are clearly set about the communication and reports you can anticipate.
What Deliverables Can I Expect on a Monthly Basis?
It’s essential to clarify what kind of results and deliverables you can expect from your SEO agency on a monthly basis. Standard deliverables from an SEO service may include:
- Monthly SEO report: This report typically provides an in-depth analysis of your website’s performance and site traffic.
- Keyword ranking report: Tracks the progress of your website pages in search engines for the target keywords.
- Link building report: Details the new backlinks that have been acquired to boost your site’s authority.
Remember, the frequency and type of deliverables can vary based on your specific agreement with the agency. Make sure to define these terms at the outset of your relationship to avoid miscommunications.
Who Will Be My Main SEO Account Manager and Point of Contact for This Engagement?
It’s important to ascertain who your main point of contact will be at the SEO agency. Are they based in your city, the United States, or overseas? Do they grasp SEO well and are not simply project managers? Is there an assigned SEO expert who will be responsible for your website?
Knowing this can help streamline communication and ensure your project receives its attention.
How Often Will You Report on Progress?
Being privy to regular progress reports is part of analyzing the effectiveness of your efforts. It’s crucial to agree on the frequency of communication and reports. Whether it’s weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, this frequency should complement your business strategy and preferences. Also, being able to match up SEO trends to progress can also be helpful.
How Do You Use Google Data Studio or Other Platforms for SEO Reporting?
Most SEO consulting firms today use tools like Google Data Studio to create customizable reports. This tool presents data in an easily digestible format, providing you with clear insights into your website’s performance. It is important to understand how your SEO provider uses this tool and what other platforms they use for tracking and reporting.
SEO Content Creation and Optimization
Fashioning relevant and optimized content for your website is at the heart of any successful search engine optimization strategy. Here are a few questions about content creation and optimization that you need to ask.r
How Do You Handle Content Strategy Within Google’s Guidelines?
A good SEO expert adheres strictly to Google’s guidelines for content creation. This includes creating unique, high-quality content that delivers genuine value to the readers, utilizing keywords naturally within the content, and avoiding tactics that may be seen as attempts to manipulate search engine rankings—requesting detailed insights into their content strategy and how it complies with Google’s guidelines.
What’s Your Strategy for Google’s AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages)?
In today’s digital marketing landscape, where mobile usage supersedes desktop, it’s imperative to have a strategy for Google’s AMP. The AMP framework ensures that pages load quickly on mobile devices, contributing to a better user experience and improved search engine rankings.
Are You Using AI for Content Marketing or SEO Services in General?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is playing an increasingly prominent role in SEO. Many SEO agencies use AI-powered tools to identify patterns in data, generate content ideas, optimize content, and more. Make sure your agency is staying caught up on this critical trend.
How Do You Craft Meta Descriptions That Grab Google’s Attention?
Meta descriptions play a significant role in attracting clicks from search engine result pages. Ask your SEO agency about their approach to crafting compelling meta descriptions. They should be well-versed in creating persuasive descriptions, containing target keywords, and adhering to the prescribed length.
On-Page and Off-Page SEO
An efficient SEO strategy requires understanding both on-page and off-page SEO tactics. These tactics must be balanced according to your business’s specific needs and the search engine’s requirements. Remember, the end goal is to optimize your online presence and increase traffic to your website.
How do you optimize for Google My Business?
For local businesses, Google My Business (GMB) is essential for improving visibility. A solid SEO strategy ensures your GMB listing is fully optimized and updated. This can mean adding detailed business information, including opening hours and contact details, managing and responding to reviews, posting regular business updates or offers, and ensuring your business is correctly categorized.
For instance, optimizing your GMB listing could involve adding photos or a virtual tour of your business. This enhances user experience and signals to Google that your listing is active and relevant, improving your search engine visibility. This is one of the crucial areas to discuss with SEO agencies during negotiations.
What’s your strategy for caching and indexing on Google?
Another imperative area to discuss with potential SEO companies is their strategy for caching and indexing on Google. Indexing refers to the search engine’s storing and retrieving data during searches. Meanwhile, caching refers to storing web page content in a cache, or temporary storage location, to fulfill subsequent requests.
An effective SEO company must have a clear strategy for optimally organizing your site’s structure, improving its crawlability, and speeding up page load times through caching. This could include proper use of HTML tags, optimization of XML sitemaps, and exemplary server configuration, among other technical SEO maneuvers.
How do you build links with respect to Google’s policies?
Link building is a fundamental aspect of off-page SEO. However, it’s imperative to construct a backlink strategy that aligns with Google’s policies. This means avoiding manipulative practices like purchasing backlinks or using automated systems to create links.
A reputable SEO agency should employ legitimate strategies. They might leverage high-quality content for organic link building, engage in guest posting on reputable sites, and ensure proper keyword usage in anchor texts. This question is critical as the best SEO strategy involves a balanced approach to on-page and off-page SEO, with solid adherence to Google’s link-building policies.
Dealing With SEO Issues and Setbacks
Just as SEO can drive substantial growth in organic traffic and website visibility, SEO setbacks can lurk around the corner. These could range from algorithmic penalties to unexpected negative SEO attacks. How an SEO agency deals with these issues strongly indicates their resilience and tenacity.
How would you handle a Google penalty?
Google’s algorithmic penalties can significantly affect your website’s ability to rank on the search results page. Therefore, it is essential to inquire about an SEO company’s experience and strategies for handling Google penalties.
They should be able to outline a clear recovery plan that involves identifying the cause of the penalty, rectifying the problem, and submitting a reconsideration request to Google.
How do you deal with negative SEO attacks?
Negative SEO attacks can be detrimental. Some negative SEO attacks include spammy link attacks, fake reviews, or scraping and republishing your content. Therefore, asking an SEO agency how they manage such situations is vital.
An experienced company often has a proactive strategy to monitor for potential negative SEO attacks and take immediate action to mitigate any damage.
And not to worry. This happens few and far between and typically for enterprise SEO.
What do you do if the expected results aren’t achieved?
While reasonable SEO efforts often yield positive results, the expected targets may not be met within the projected timeline. In these instances, knowing your SEO company’s action plan is crucial. What steps would they take to re-strategize? Would they perform a comprehensive SEO audit to identify areas that need improvements? Their response will provide insight into their flexibility and commitment to ensure your SEO success.
Cost Of SEO Agency Services
Choosing the right SEO agency for your business is a significant commitment. Along with the time and effort put in, there is a financial aspect that is crucial to consider. To fully dive in, let’s examine some crucial SEO consultant questions such as the SEO contract length and SEO proposal, possible outcomes if the SEO contract is terminated, and the expected fees associated with an SEO campaign.
What length of contract can I expect?
Contract length varies widely in the world of SEO services. Every agency operates differently, and project scope can significantly affect the time commitment. However, it’s essential to understand that SEO is not usually a flyby approach. Effective SEO takes time, potentially six (6) months to a year or more.
That is why many agencies require a commitment of at least six months, with an average of 12. It’s essential to drill down and ask your potential SEO service provider about their standard SEO contract length. Reputable SEO companies will articulate the reason behind their required commitment and how it connects to expected campaign results.
While long-term SEO contracts may initially seem daunting, remember that SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. Consistent SEO efforts over an extended period increase the potential for significant organic visitor growth.
What happens if I choose to terminate our contract?
Life happens, and sometimes circumstances require a change midstream. When it comes to working with an SEO agency, it’s important to understand what steps are involved if you decide to terminate the contract prematurely. This is one of those SEO agency questions you want to take advantage of.
Most agencies include a termination clause in their contract. This clause typically requires notice—30 days, for example—and might include penalties or fees for ending the relationship prematurely. There could also be stipulations about the transfer of work done during the time of service. Ensure you have full clarity about these points before signing the contract.
What fees can I expect from this SEO campaign?
Understanding the cost of SEO services is a minefield. Prices can vary significantly based on the agency, the market, the business size, and the specific services you opt for. Generally, SEO services can range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars monthly.
The best way to navigate this aspect is to ask your potential SEO agency for a detailed SEO proposal with breakdowns of every cost involved. Not all SEO services are priced equally. Some agencies may charge a flat fee for services, while others might have a la carte pricing or charge on an hourly basis. This may include additional charges like website page creation or content optimization.
Conclusion On SEO Consultant Questions
The importance of asking the right questions when choosing an SEO agency can’t be overstated. By exploring contract length, termination procedures, and cost expectations, you set yourself up for a smoother, more beneficial partnership. These key insights can make all the difference in your collaboration with agencies.
Remember that due diligence upfront pays dividends in the end. The more information you gather early on, the better equipped you’ll be to make an informed decision. Your business’s visibility depends on your SEO strategy, so choose your SEO service provider carefully.
In conclusion, consider these critical SEO agency questions as you improve your online presence. Whether you are a start-up or a huge corporation, the importance of strategic SEO cannot be understated. With the right SEO expert, your organic visitors can engender growth and effectively meet your business objectives.