hiringYou’ve got a problem. You know you need to attract more organic traffic to your website.

Well the good news is there are plenty of SEO companies in the marketplace; however, only a few of those companies can deliver on what they promise.

Not to mention, there are plenty of spammers and con artists disguising as a ‘SEO company’ – just waiting to take your money for nothing in return.

And while finding the perfect fit isn’t easy, the truth is that hiring the right SEO company is paramount to your business’s digital success.

As Google’s rankings continue to evolve and become more intricate, most will need someone with the time and familiarity to handle their organic search efforts.

Here are 3 tips you should take into account when searching for the right company.

Avoid these companies

  • Be very suspicious of SEO companies that send unsolicited emails, especially if they are from a different country.
  • Ask questions about the firm’s processes and reporting. Make sure they are clear and transparent on how they will report results to you.
  • Don’t believe anyone that promises a No. 1 ranking. Google results are different given the context of each searcher (based on history, location, etc.). A No. 1 ranking can be different for everybody.

Have a list of questions

  • Come prepared with a list of relevant questions. Make sure you do your own SEO research so you know enough to tell if they really know what they are talking about. Just enough to make sure they know and follow Google’s best practices
  • Ask questions geared toward their process and how the two of you will work together.
  • Make sure to do research on each company you get a consultation from (and you should get multiple consultations).

Get references and case studies

  • Have them show you results they’ve gotten for others. You want to know they have the capability to get the job done.
  • Ask them questions about their background and experiences. Make sure to ask about their successes and their failures.
  • Weigh everything together and make your decision. Remember just because a company has great looking case studies doesn’t mean they are the absolute perfect fit.

In general, a reputable SEO company contains these traits:

  • Transparency and honest
  • Top-notch customer service
  • Sets deliverable (and reasonable) expectations
  • Industry experts