How to find good SEO and avoid lousy SEO.

It’s not too difficult to separate SEO contenders from the SEO pretenders. Here are a few tips to help you find a good SEO program:

Each Search Engine Optimization program is unique, so your program should be customized to your business.

    • A custom SEO program will start with a website and an online presence (SEO) audit. The vendor should present the audit to you before you purchase or agree to begin the program.The audit will help you separate contenders from pretenders. You may find that some vendors might not provide an audit without payment, and thus eliminate themselves from contention out of the gate.
    • Compare the audits. Vendors should start to separate themselves based on their knowledge and depth. Don’t worry if it all sounds like a foreign language- you should be able to compare the effort and knowledge level pretty easily.  But, if you want to fact check the jargon, then look at Google’s Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide and Moz’s SEO 101 guide. It is an excellent source of information.
    • Proof Tip: Avoid cookie-cutter SEO programs. Cookie cutter programs can provide some value, but you’ll end up paying a lot more than you should, and results will be limited. You can often find cookie-cutter SEO programs at your local media company or local listing or yellow page type organizations.

All SEO programs or professionals should be able to justify their work every month

You should receive a list of deliverables, and you should be able to ask your SEO vendor/partner to show you what they did, either on the website or off of the website. Double check their work for the first few months.

  • Proof Tip: If your SEO program doesn’t come with a content plan, it won’t work. It’s a red flag, and one that you should consider running from.

 

“If your SEO program doesn’t come with a content plan, it won’t work. RUN!”

 

It’s not too difficult to separate SEO contenders from the SEO pretenders. Here are a few tips to help you find a good SEO program:

 

Each Search Engine Optimization program is unique, so your program should be customized to your business.

    • A custom SEO program will start with a website and an online presence (SEO) audit. The vendor should present the audit to you before you purchase or agree to begin the program.The audit will help you separate contenders from pretenders. You may find that some vendors might not provide an audit without payment, and thus eliminate themselves from contention out of the gate.
    • Compare the audits. Vendors should start to separate themselves based on their knowledge and depth. Don’t worry if it all sounds like a foreign language- you should be able to compare the effort and knowledge level pretty easily.  But, if you want to fact check the jargon, then look at Google’s Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide and Moz’s SEO 101 guide. It is an excellent source of information.
    • Proof Tip: Avoid cookie-cutter SEO programs. Cookie cutter programs can provide some value, but you’ll end up paying a lot more than you should, and results will be limited. You can often find cookie-cutter SEO programs at your local media company or local listing or yellow page type organizations.
  • All SEO programs or professionals should be able to justify their work every month.
    • You should receive a list of deliverables, and you should be able to ask your SEO vendor/partner to show you what they did, either on the website or off of the website. Double check their work for the first few months.
    • Proof Tip: If your SEO program doesn’t come with a content plan, it won’t work. It’s a red flag, and one that you should consider running from.