You’ve done the research and landed on what you think is the perfect SEO agency. To alleviate any doubts, you set up a consultation.
A consultation is a great way to determine if an SEO agency is right for you. They can explain their process in detail and tell you about success with past clients.
This is also your chance to ask questions. As an expert SEO agency in Brisbane, we’ve come up with some of the top questions you should ask during your consultation.
“What do you plan to do to improve my page rankings?”
This might seem like a broad question for a short consultation, but it’s an important one to ask.
Their team won’t have a specific plan just yet. What they can do is describe their general process. They’ll talk about conducting an audit, creating copy, researching keywords, and building backlinks. Learn more about a typical SEO process here.
“How will you access my website to make changes?”
Of course, an agency will need to access your website to make the necessary changes.
In most cases, it’s easiest to give them access to your website. It’s important that you trust the agency to ensure the security of your company’s data.
If you do not want to give anyone access, an in-house staff member can implement the changes. However, this will slow down the process and require constant communication with the SEO company.
Be wary of their team does not suggest any edits to your content or metadata. Sure, there’s offsite work that they need to complete. But if they aren’t also making changes internally, then you won’t see the results you’re seeking.
“How will you inform me of progress?”
Too many unqualified SEO agencies make changes without seeing if they actually work. You’ll want to know how they’ll inform you of their edits.
You should also know how they inform you of the results. Will they send reports every week? Every month? You’ll want to know exactly how your pages are performing and how the team reacts to fluctuations.
“Are you on top of the latest algorithm changes?”
Search engine algorithms are constantly changing. While many are minor, there are very important ones of which all agencies should be aware.
Educate yourself on some of the latest. Ask them to briefly explain these to you in the consultation. It’s not supposed to be a “gotcha” moment. Rather, it’s your way of determining their knowledge of the industry.
“What kind of contract will I have to sign?”
With most agencies, they expect you to sign a contract. This isn’t unusual as it can take a while to see results from SEO. They want to know that you are committed and will give them the time they need to achieve access.
That being said, you don’t want to enter into a lengthy contract. Some agencies will rope you into one-year agreements just to get business. Six months is usually typical as you can always extend them if you want to continue working with their team.
You should also ask what would happen if you had to terminate your contract. It’s relatively unlikely but could occur if you suddenly can’t afford their services or if you are unhappy with the results. Take note of any fees that you could incur were you to terminate your contract.
Come Up with Your Own Questions
Coming prepared with good questions will not only help you find the right SEO agency. It will also help you show them that you are serious about seeing results.
Our SEO agency in Brisbane recommends this list of questions as a good starting point. Feel free to expand on it and get all the information you need before settling on an agency. To learn more about the kinds of questions and answers you should be receiving, get in touch with us.
