SEO outsourcing or a hiring digital marketing agency has become a norm of many big and small companies that do not have time and expertise to execute a data-driven campaign or have the budget to hire an in-house team of digital marketing experts.
Rather than adding an SEO team, SEO outsourcing provides a significant advantage that more and more businesses are starting to realize, the primary being cost efficiency. Moreover, outsourcing digital marketing activities means that you will be able to focus on more important areas of your business without having to worry about online marketing.
Partnering with a digital marketing agency can be helpful but it does not always guarantee expected results. Therefore, if you are planning to outsource your SEO to an agency, you must first educate yourself about certain particles that will not only ensure the success of the campaign but your company’s reputation as well.
Here are 8 dos and don’ts for hiring a digital marketing agency:
Do’s for hiring an SEO Agency
1. Know Your Goals
Knowing and understanding your goals will make it easier for you to find the right digital marketing agency that can match your specific requirements. Some of the common goals for outsourcing include:
- Leverage relevant knowledge, up-to-date and expertise in SEO and integrate them into your overall marketing campaign
- Boost your organic search by having a diverse SEO strategy that includes content creation, link building, and utilization of various online channels.
- Achieve cost-saving by shifting your in-house SEO operations into the hands of expert professionals.
2. Choose the Right Method
There are different methods for obtaining SEO services. It is helpful to know which method might give you some level of cost advantage depending on your budget. Some of the methods are:
- Link Building services from package providers
- SEO services from freelance platforms
- Holistic services from an SEO agency
3. Pick the Right Type of SEO Provider
With thousands of providers offering their SEO services in the market, you must understand which technique of SEO your agency uses. Digital Marketing Agencies basically follow three techniques:
- White Hats
- Black Hats
- Borderline Black Hats
4. Research the SEO agency’s Background and Performance
Before you jump in and give your company’s website access credentials to your chosen SEO provider, you must ensure you have done enough research about their reputation and performance. To confirm they are legitimate, you can ask the following questions:
- What techniques do they use to make their website competitive on organic search?
- Are there any authoritative websites or blogs that featured their work or business?
- Have they been rewarded by any group or organization for their quality of work?
Don’t’s you must be aware of before hiring your digital marketing agency.
1. Don’t Expect that Outsourced Employees Can Function Without your Guidance
Regardless of the level of expertise your SEO provider has, you have to help them understand the nature of your business, product, or services. Take time to educate them about your organization during the onboarding process so that they will be able to use the right approach and execute the right tactics in SEO.
2. Don’t Deal with a Company that is Lacking Knowledge of Latest SEO Updates
SEO is an ever-changing system; therefore, SEO agencies should always adopt new ideas, emerging platforms, and methodologies. You must ensure that your SEO agency is knowledgeable about the latest trends in SEO. It is also best to first consult your personal SEO expert to know if the strategies your SEO agency is offering is still effective today.
3. Don’t Expect SEO Outsourcing can Deliver Better Results
Don’t think that outsourcing your SEO can fix solutions to all your marketing problems. You must admit that your SEO agency also follows a certain process, a process that you must be prepared to interplay with and put some effort to ensure the strategy is streamlined and refined to work both for your SEO provider and your business.
4. Don’t Hire Low-Quality Spammers
Don’t outsource cheap providers that post their client’s web site’s URL on irrelevant forums to un-indexed articles directories. They offer the cheapest way to get your website penalized by Google and other search engines.
There is no doubt, outsourcing your SEO to a reputed and efficient agency can provide your business with the helping hand to establish a firm footing in the online marketing world. But without the right planning, clear communication, your organization’s help, and most importantly the right expectation and the right SEO agency, ensuring the success of your outsourcing project is next to impossible.
To ensure your SEO agency does the right job and make your business search engine friendly, follow these dos and don’ts when outsourcing your Digital Marketing Activities.
