Now, there really is a difference between traditional SEO and Local SEO!
Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of SEO and a
local SEO agency, their services and most importantly why you should use them, let’s recap the basics.
What is SEO?
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. A.K.A how to get the number one spot on Google.
Local SEO is the same thing, but it takes proximity into account and focuses on the location that you’re searching. Local SEO is great for businesses because the higher the rank (appear) on Google, the more likely it is they’ll be found, the more customers they can attract.
Now this is a very basic explanation and there's a lot more that goes into it, but we’ll get to that, don’t worry!
What is an SEO agency?
An
SEO agency is a company that specialises in all the tips and tricks that help make your business a great success. We do all the hard work for you! Just sit back and wait for your bank balance to increase.
Good SEO agencies work on several services such as website designing, blog writing, YouTube creation, social media managing, review sourcing, link building and a handful of other clever things that optimise your business. In turn, these skills help to drive traffic to your website and media outlets to increase client reach.
Why should you use an SEO agent?
Nowadays having an online presence is just as, if not more important than, shopfront appeal. When looking for a service, item of clothing, objects, cafes and restaurants, anything that has a price tag really, peoples first port of call is to ‘google it'. We want answers quickly and very rarely look past the first 3 recommendations that pop up. Therefore, appearing at the top of Google is a great way to increase business. This is what SEO agents can help you with!
5 things to look for when hiring an SEO agency
It can be a little overwhelming putting your business baby in someone else’s arms, especially when you’re not sure what to look for. Here are a few ideas to help you find the best SEO nanny.
- Look at case studies.
Companies love to talk about their successes and it's important for you to see how an SEO agency has helped other businesses. A great tip is to look for businesses with a similar demand, product and ethos as yours to get a good mirror of how SEO agencies and Local SEO agencies can help you.
- Ask what tools they use and ask WHY.
On the surface, SEO can seem quite complicated, especially if you’re having random names and technical terms thrown at you left, right and centre. It's good to brush up on the basics before hiring any SEO agent to get even the smallest understanding of the tools they will use. The ‘Why’ factor is the clincher though. Asking why they use certain tools over others will show you their experience and knowledge of SEO and which tools can optimise your business the best.
- What's their strategy?
Come with a game plan and a detailed desired end goal. This will help you track the progress of your business and also help your SEO agent to use a strategy to meet your goals. A strategy too specific will alienate you from potential customers whereas a strategy that’s too loose won’t give you any credibility. Make sure they cover all bases.
- Customer references
Just like asking about case studies, previous client references will tell you all you need to know about who you’re working with. Often you can contact previous clients directly. Be straight with them and make it clear who and what you’re enquiring about. People will be very quick to either sing their SEO agent’s praises or cut them down quick. We hope it's the latter!
- What will be in the reports?
Each month, quarter, however frequently you decide collectively to send reports, there are a few things that any good SEO agent will include. I’ve bullet-pointed these below:
- Rankings by location
- Generated reviews
- Traffic by location etc.
Reports are great for tracking progress, and if you want to understand everything then researching SEO in depth is great. However, the most important thing to focus on is that you’re seeing an increase in traffic and hopefully clients too!
What services does an SEO agency offer?
SEO agents will offer a range of services to optimise your business but there are a couple of things worth considering first if you're not willing to spend the money on an SEO agency that you can do to help yourself.
How does your website come across?
First impressions are everything, and if your site is complicated to use, looks messy, has irrelevant information… people will be quick to hit that back button!
(side note- is your website mobile friendly? Mobile searches have increased significantly within the last couple of years, and has now become the popular choice for searching for goods). Mobile search is particular important for local businesses, with over 70% of local searches happening on mobile!
How can I make a good website?
It's easy to create a good looking website through websites like Word Press and Wix. Alternatively, a professional agency will be able to offer websites created as part of their SEO services. This means your site will be created with helping you to rank in mind. You shouldn’t get too caught up in styles or appearance (although if you have more time it wouldn’t hurt to circle back to it). If your information is relevant and the page is easy to follow, then you’ve taken the first step in improving your business.
Where do you list on Google?
If you’re not appearing in the top half, let alone 1st page anywhere on Google, the likelihood is you’re not going to be seen. The aim of SEO is to get you the highest rankings on social media platforms and search engine pages, in order to make you the most visible to prospective clients.
So what does it all mean?
By now I think you’ve had your fill of SEO agencies, local SEO, business optimisation and all the other unfamiliar jargon, so I’ll wrap it up.
In short; a local SEO agency provides services that you can hire to make your business pop. Through a series of tools, algorithms and expertise they can help your business reach more prospective clients. Without using SEO (or hiring an SEO agency to save you some time) it is very difficult for any business to reach its full potential. You can't just create a website and expect it to rank - you have to work at it every month.
SEO agents want the best for your business and want you to be a success and they have all the tools to help you do that. If you’re stuck for where to find one of these guardian angels check out another of our posts or pages on
local SEO services
here.
