How to find a great SEO agency – Google’s advice

5 steps to finding the best SEO agency for you

Nearly every business relies on a website to sell, collect leads, provide brand awareness or company information. But for a website to work for you, it needs to be found and stand out from the competition. This is where the search engines come in, and SEO. Unfortunately, SEO can seem impenetrable to the inexperienced, with its secret algorithms, computer languages, complex strategies and technical knowhow, which is why many businesses turn to SEO agencies for help. It is a highly specialised discipline that most companies need help with on a regular basis. Hence a proliferation of national and local SEO Agencies.

All SEO Agencies promise higher rankings and more traffic for your site, so how can you be sure you are hiring the best, the one that will be able to deliver on that promise and more?

There are no professional accreditations, no formal qualifications for SEO. But there are things you can do to make sure you are hiring a great SEO Agency to work with you.

Step 1 – Research SEO Agencies that have a similar client profile to your business

This might be similarities in the industry you work in, or in company size or budget size, or even in ethical outlook or company vision. Have a detailed look at their website – is it professional, useful, knowledgeable, and engaging? And where do they rank for terms relevant to their business like ‘SEO Agency in [insert city]’, ‘SEO Agency in [insert industry]’

If they can get their own website to rank well for highly competitive terms like these then they know what they are doing.

Step 2 – Make a short list

Research and make a shortlist of 3 or 4 agencies, including a mixture of maybe regional and national, or large and small SEO firms and call them to arrange a telephone or face to face interview.

Step 3 – Watch this excellent video

Have a watch of ‘How to Hire an SEO Agency’ from Maile Ohye, who was a top Google representative. If you don’t have time to watch it (11 minutes) see our summary of points at the end of the article.

Step 4 – Ask for references

Testimonials and case studies are useful however, these may not always give a complete picture. Ask for a few references of their current or past clients and drop them a line or call. If other clients are willing to take a few minutes to recommend the agency’s services, then that is a great thumbs up.

Step 5 – Be prepared to give it time

SEO is a mid to long term marketing strategy. It is unlikely you will see positive results immediately – we recommend 6 to 9 months is the absolute minimum time you should wait before assessing the outcomes and next moves with your chosen agency. If you jump ship too early you may end up losing all the SEO advantages you have just invested in. But do expect to be kept fully informed on progress on a regular basis.

How to hire an SEO agency

Google’s 'How to Hire an SEO Agency' Official Advice

If you have not got the time to watch the video, then do have a read of our synopsis of the advice from Maile Ohye, in the official Google video on finding the best SEO company for you.You can read a summary of the helpful tips and advice all about selecting the right SEO agency for your business below:

There are no magical tricks in SEO that will provide you with short term gains, so that your site suddenly ranks number 1.
The added value that SEO will provide to your business is only as high as the quality of your website, service, or product.
Look for appropriate rankings – in the spot when an unbiased potential customer would expect your site to be seen.
A successful SEO agency will look to improve the entire searcher experience, not just the ranking positions but the click through rates and conversion rates. They make sure your website is serving all visitors a good experience.
SEOs need 4 months to a year to implement improvements and then see benefits.
Request that any recommendations are corroborated with an official statement from the google help centre website or webmaster central forum.
Speak with your potential SEO agency. They should seem genuinely interested in your business, who your competitors are, who your potential customers are, what other channels you are using, how your business makes money and what your website goals are. They need this information to be able to assess how search can actually help you. The best agencies will take a holistic approach, it’s not just about getting your site the highest short term rankings or the most traffic.
Get a technical SEO audit done by your potential SEO firm. They should give you a detailed and prioritised list of what could be improved on your site, what investment it will take to make these changes and the estimated impact. Decide if you want them to make the recommended changes based on going through this audit with them.
Ask for and check their references. The SEO firm you choose to work with should feel like someone you trust and can learn from.
Be prepared to take the time and investment to implement the changes. If you are not ready to commit to making the recommended SEO improvements then you won’t see the positive impact either.

01.

What is an SEO agency?

An SEO Agency is a company that specialises in improving the search engine ranking results for websites, businesses, and individuals. Google, Bing and the other search engines use hundreds of ranking factors in their algorithms when deciding what results to present every time someone types in a search query. And that’s estimated at over 6 billion searches each day. These algorithms are constantly being updated and also undisclosed. The specialism of SEO is therefore highly skilled and is an investment, as part of a digital marketing strategy, for businesses who want to receive more highly targeted traffic to their websites.

02.

What can I expect from an SEO agency?

An SEO agency helps improve your website’s visibility and performance in search engines through a range of services, including in-depth audits, keyword research, content optimisation, and technical SEO improvements. They may also focus on building high-quality backlinks, optimising for local search, and analysing competitors to give your business a competitive edge. You can expect regular performance tracking and reports, along with tailored strategies to align with your industry, audience, and goals. As search algorithms evolve, a good SEO agency will adapt its approach to ensure long-term success in driving organic traffic and boosting online presence.

03.

How long will it take to improve SEO results?

Improving SEO results typically takes time, as it depends on factors like your website’s current performance, the competitiveness of your industry, and the strategies being implemented. While some changes, such as fixing technical issues, can show results within a few weeks, building domain authority, creating high-quality content, and achieving significant rankings for competitive keywords often take several months. Most businesses begin to see measurable improvements in organic traffic and rankings within 3 to 6 months, but consistent effort is required for long-term success. A reputable SEO agency will set realistic expectations and provide regular updates on progress.

04.

How much does it cost to hire an SEO Agency?

The cost of SEO services varies depending on what is included and the expertise of the agency. SEO retainer costs are typically around £3,000-£5,000 per month based on the scope of the project. A one-time project will range between £3,000-£30,000 and hourly rates for SEO consultants fall between £100 to £200 depending on the expertise of the consultant.

05.

Why choose Varn as your SEO Agency?

Unlike other digital marketing agencies, SEO is and always has been our core specialism. It’s not an after-thought when building a website, or a bolt on marketing service. We’ve been delivering expert SEO services since 2010 and have a wealth of experience in getting our clients websites achieving an optimal performance. Just take a look at our case studies to see the kind of results we have achieved. We are a friendly, experienced, and honest team… you’ll really get to know the person working on your SEO, so they can fully understand your unique business and website goals and be fully on board for the journey you are on.

18.06.24 Article by: Cerys, Senior Marketing Executive More articles by Cerys

Can we help with your SEO challenge?

If you would like any more advice, or to discuss a technical SEO audit or what we feel our SEO agency can offer you, then please give us a call. We would like to understand your business and help you to achieve your goals.

We have SEO clients who are happy to provide references for us and give you the low down on their results and what it is like to work with us, so if you would like to chat to one, we can put you in touch.