With more people connected to the web than ever before with smartphones and mobile devices, there is a certain urgency in creating effective online marketing strategies to reach out to the majority of users. TV advertisements, newspaper ads, and flyers are no longer enough, as about 90% of people use their mobile devices to research products and services online.
Because search is the second most popular internet activity, a high search engine ranking is critical if a company wants to maximize its online visibility. Search engine optimization (SEO) is effective in driving traffic to websites, and uses organic methods such as link building, keyword search, and social media marketing to accomplish this. In fact, SEO leads offer a 14.6% close rate compared to outbound leads, such as cold calling, and print advertising, which only have a 1.7% close rate.
Because SEO takes vigilance and effort, it may be best for companies to outsource SEO to a search marketing firm. But not all search engine marketing firms are created equal, and finding the right one will take shrewd analysis, and careful research.
Here are a few mistakes companies should avoid when looking for search engine marketing firms to promote their business.
- Taking Their Word — If a company is not completely aware of what SEO is and how it works, it will likely trust search engine marketing professionals without fact checking. This would be a mistake, because of the hundreds of SEO companies there are, only a handful will offer high quality SEO services that match the needs of a particular company. Instead of taking an SEO firm’s word for it, companies should talk to a firm’s clients, check its Google rankings, and compare the firm with its competitors.
- Hiring Cheap SEO — It is also easy to think that all search engine marketing firms should be able to promote a company successfully. This often means that a company will turn to the cheapest option, which may end up being an expensive mistake. The merit of an SEO firm is based on its results, and a firm that charges more could be worth the services. If it will manage social media, offer link building and keyword search, conduct analytics on a regular basis, and constantly work with a company to improve content and web presence, the SEO firm may be slightly more expensive, but highly effective. Companies must make sure that the SEO firm provides them with concrete evidence that the cost of their services is worth the money.
- Skimming the Business Plan — As in any contract, the fine print matters. Simply browsing through a proposal from an SEO firm without paying attention to the details could prove to be costly. Every firm will have a slightly different approach, and finding the right one will depend on the firm’s business plan. Not every plan will suit the needs of a company, and simply picking one that roughly matches a company’s goals may not produce the best partnership. Hopefully, the relationship between an SEO firm and a company will be a lasting one, making it imperative to be sure of the firm’s effectiveness from the start.
There are hundreds of search engine marketing specialists to choose from, and each one will give their guarantees about raising search rankings. It is critical for companies to tread carefully, and narrow this list down before signing any contracts. This will save them a lot of time and money that could be better used to improve the quality of their products or services. Find more on this topic here: www.ssprosvcs.com
