How to Choose an SEO Agency: 4 Traits to Look for

Even just ten years ago, investing in SEO was largely seen as avant-garde — something that the most forward-thinking companies had begun to implement, but that hadn’t yet reached mass adoption. Since then, however, the value of SEO has become increasingly clear. With organic search often being a business’s largest source of traffic, and years of seeing the impact of algorithm updates firsthand, everyone from Fortune 500s to mom-and-pop businesses have recognized how essential SEO is. And now, more of them than ever are wondering how to choose an SEO agency.

It makes sense — as awareness of the importance of SEO has increased, so too has the number of agencies specializing in it (to give you an idea, a quick Google search for “SEO agency” yields around 130 million results). While this does give you more options than before, it can also make choosing the right one seem more daunting, especially when you consider that not all of them will be up to snuff.

Given how important SEO is, though, you can’t just leave it in the hands of anybody. Taking your time to find your ideal SEO partner is a lot more efficient than hiring the first one you come across, working with them for months (or more), and regretting it later. Wondering how to choose an SEO agency that’s right for you? Whether you’re looking for an SEO agency in Chicago like IndiWork or on the other side of the country (or world), you can kickstart your search by considering these four factors.

1. Continuous Learning

   There are few industries that move as fast as SEO. An algorithm update alone is enough to rewrite the rules of the game, or simply make them more difficult. As a result, SEO best practices are constantly updating. If your SEO agency isn’t staying on top of the latest news, they may be adhering to best practices that no longer have the impact they once did. Worse still, outdated practices can sometimes actually harm your ranking — while keyword stuffing may have once vaulted your website to the top of the search results page, for example, it’s now almost certain to hurt you.

   And of course, algorithm updates aren’t the only thing that can change the SEO landscape. For one, new technologies have an impact as well — just take the rise of voice search through programs like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant.

   A good SEO agency will stay on top of the latest news (through trade publications, conferences, etc.) and then disseminate that information to everyone in the organization. In your initial conversations with SEO agencies, consider asking them how they keep up with changes in the SEO space, and what trends they’ve noticed recently. A great SEO agency is always learning and evolving, while one that stays stagnant quickly becomes hopelessly out of touch.

2. User-Centered

   People often associate SEO with creating content that’s been optimized for bots, crawlers, and algorithms. But it’s important to remember that there’s a user (and potential customer) behind that screen, not just a bunch of code. The best SEO agencies will keep this in mind, and optimize your website in a way that makes not only the bots happy, but also your users. Even if you optimize a site in a way that looks great on paper, it likely won’t lead to the results you’re hoping for if it doesn’t map back to the customer journey.

   A key part of how to choose an SEO agency is gauging how much they value the user experience. You can do this by asking SEO agencies you’re looking into about their work with previous clients, or reading case studies if they have them. Pay special attention to how they talk not just about how their work benefitted clients, but also those clients’ customers. In order for you to reach your business goals, you need to meet your customers’ expectations — so you want to work with an SEO agency who will take the time to understand your customers’ wants and needs.

3. Clear Communication

   Through all of the updates over the years, search algorithms have become incredibly sophisticated. And as you can imagine, it can get pretty complicated to create content that those algorithms favor. Other must-have SEO knowledge and skills — such as data analytics, website architecture, SEO tools, and programming — are similarly complex. Of course, you’ll want to work with a team that has mastered these topics. But beyond that, your SEO agency should be able to communicate and work with you as a digital partner to implement best practices and create a win-win situation.

   Thoroughly researching your online presence and studying your key competitors will help in laying out a roadmap for a solid, optimized SEO strategy. That’s why finding a partner that can clearly and transparently explain their recommendations is such an important part of how to choose an SEO agency. Between an SEO agency’s subject matter expertise and your institutional knowledge, you’ll be better equipped to design and execute the best SEO strategy for your business.

4. Results-Driven

   Many SEO agencies promise you the world when you first sign with them, but then fail to deliver, offering unclear strategies or recommendations that don’t move the needle. But in today’s high-tech world, SEO efforts should be transparent, measurable, and results-driven. That means you should be able to see and measure a difference in your website analytics, monthly reports, and, of course, your website. Beyond an increase in traffic, you’ll also want to look out for an increase in leads (for B2B companies) or sales (for B2C companies).

   To make sure the agency you’re considering will deliver results, discuss metrics from the get-go. Ask if they can share any concrete results from their work with clients. If they can provide multiple examples of their work directly translating to tangible gains (say, X% more SEO traffic, or an increase in keyword rankings), you’ll have a better sense of how results-driven they are — and in turn, whether they can drive results for you.

   If you’ve found yourself wondering how to choose an SEO agency lately, look no further than IndiWork. We’re an SEO agency in Chicago that has worked with clients of all kinds, from enterprises to startups. We pride ourselves on staying on top of cutting-edge SEO news, prioritizing user experience, communicating clearly, and delivering results — in fact, XYZ. Reach out to us or request a quote to learn how we can help your business grow through a full-service digital partnership.