The world of digital marketing is well-known for its constant change and rapid pace but more than often, a lot of entrepreneurs actually have no idea what goes on inside an SEO agency. So that you will be able to know what we really do, let’s deal with first things first: what is SEO?

Search engine optimisation, in simple terms, is the process of boosting the online visibility and organic traffic of a website by improving its search rankings. It involves the creation of high-quality content, the building links, the application of appropriate coding that will help your website rank well on search engines, and the optimisation of your website for desktop and mobile devices. Aside from those things, SEO also involves making your website secure, making it load fast, making it stand out among its competitors, and improving its crawlability (refers to the ability of the search engines to access and crawl on your content) and indexability (refers to the ability of the search engines to analyse your web pages and add it to their index).

As an entrepreneur, you might be wondering why all these things are essential. Just to let you know, more than 90% of the people begin their online experiences and local service discoveries through search engines and in order for you to take advantage of this statistic, your ultimate goal must be to reach the first page of the keywords that are relevant for your business.

If all of these things are too overwhelming for you, don’t worry. That’s why SEO agencies like us exist: we are here to make your life easier and better.

How much do SEO agencies charge?   

When it comes to rates, there is no fixed rate that is applicable to all SEO agencies. It will also depend on what SEO services you are going to avail. For instance, if you want to avail social media, SEO, digital funnels, paid search campaigns, Facebook advertising or web design and development, the rates may start from £250 to £500 per month, more or less.

How to Choose the Best SEO Agency   

Reasonable rates. We understand that every penny matters, which is why you should look for an SEO agency that offers reasonable rates for their services.

A wide array of digital marketing services. It is the responsibility of SEO agencies to offer realistic results to all their customers. This is possible by carrying out tried-and-tested services.

• Social media. More and more people are spending their time on social media. Investing in social means getting a better chance to interact and engage your target audience and convert them into loyal customers.
• SEO. Do you want to be the best among your competitors? To do you want to boost your online presence? SEO can provide the results that you need.
• Digital funnels. Do you want to generate sales or leads at a predictable cost and scale it to your changing preference? This service is best for you.
• Paid search. Are you completely new to your business? Have you been running paid campaigns for a while now? What your answer is, more growth can still be achieved through paid search.
• Facebook advertising. As you already know, Facebook is the number one social media platform and there is a big chance that a significant number of your target audience is spending their time on Facebook. Targeted Facebook ads are meant to catch their attention and deliver a significant amount of conversion that your business aims for.
• Web design and development. As they say, first impressions last. The same is true when it comes to your website. So that your customers will have a good and lasting impression with your business, your website must be functional, speedy and responsive enough to enhance their experience and journey. Entice them with helpful and high-quality content and you’ll have a loyal customer base who’s willing to stick with you.

Testimonials. It’s not enough that SEO agencies offer affordable and wide-array of services. They should be able to deliver it satisfactorily. You can determine this by reading testimonials from their customer base.

Support a cause. Aside from delivering excellent services, SEO agencies who are passionate on giving back and supporting local or national charities by raising needed funds could be a standard that you can include in your search for the best SEO agency.

What to Ask an SEO Agency   

To determine if an SEO agency is the right fit for you and your business, here are some of the key questions you should be asking.

• What is SEO?
• Have you worked with clients that belong to the same industry as mine? If they have successfully worked with similar clients, there is a big likelihood that they will understand what exactly it is that you need and deliver the results that you want, and perhaps even more!
• How often will you be sharing or educating us about the plans and strategies that will improve our SEO performance? The frequency of reporting and educating will depend on your negotiation. Initially, the frequency may be done weekly and along the way, it could be reduced to once a month.
• How can you improve my rankings on search engines? This is possible by implementing various SEO techniques that your website needs immediately.
• How are you going to implement SEO techniques to my website and how often are you going to do them? This will depend on the current status of your website. After taking a detailed evaluation, the SEO agency can start planning and implementing SEO techniques with your full knowledge and approval.
• How often are you going to submit reports regarding the SEO techniques that are implemented? Submitting a monthly report is the standard for most SEO agencies. The report will include a detailed analysis and explanation on how the strategies are working and what steps must be taken to maintain or improve it.
• How are you going to earn high-quality backlinks for my website? This can be done through local link building, content-base link building, finding unlinked brand mentions, guest blogging and more.
• When will I start seeing positive results? There is no specific answer to this question but as long as you continue to implement good SEO practices, positive results may be visible in a few weeks or months.
• When will I reach the number 1 rank on search engines? No SEO agency can guarantee you when exactly you’ll reach number 1? If an SEO agency is promising to put you on top and give you a specific period of time, find another SEO agency. Nobody can guarantee that. All they can do is optimise your website in accordance with the current SEO algorithms and do their best to beat your competitors.

What to Expect from an SEO Agency

• see their success directly aligned with that of the client’s
• deliver on target, on time, and most importantly, on budget services for every client
• strive to deliver excellence
• committed to the development of all members of the team
• invest in their business and staff
• use the appropriate tools and skill sets required to achieve client goals in the ever-changing digital world
• boast an impressive portfolio of clients, predominantly small and medium-sized enterprises that are spread across many sectors and industries
• effectively plan, prepare and deliver bespoke services to clients

If you are looking for an SEO agency with a genuine passion for small and medium-sized enterprises, Smarter Media is more than willing to help you reach your business goals!