It’s Going SEO, SEO

How to Check if Your SEO Contractor is Doing Their Job

One of the most disappointing things I’ve seen when reviewing a site is poorly done SEO, or search engine optimization for those who don’t know the term. When taking on a new client, we create an initial SEO report. This helps us to understand what work has been completed and the steps we’ll need to take in order to make you number one in the search results!

Since even the industry term “search engine optimization” is convoluted and comprised of many connotations, it wouldn’t make sense to expect anyone but an expert to understand the inner workings of search engine optimization strategies and search engine algorithms. But even if you don’t know everything about SEO, knowing these three tips will help you make sure you are getting what you pay for.

1. Reports, Reports, Reports: Many agencies or contractors tell you not to worry about it. They’ll tell you that things have been completed, but offer little proof of results. Completed “to-dos” mean nothing without solid reporting on your site’s SEO progress and keywords ranking. At least one report a month is standard.

2. Data Doesn’t Lie: Unless the person reporting manipulates it, data doesn’t lie. Make sure to look for best data practices, such as graphs starting at zero. If it starts at a higher number it can morph the graphs to look like there is a larger difference than normal. Even leaving out labels for x-axis, y-axis, and other elements of graphs and tables can create misleading data. So, when you do get these reports, make sure the data are being analyzed honestly. If it is, and you don’t like the results, give your SEO guys a break. They’ll probably want to make it up to you and work extra hard that next month to get your rankings up.

3. Keywords are Key: What keywords are your SEO contractor implementing? Make sure they give you some explanation on why they chose those keywords, because there are hundreds and hundreds for every industry. You’ll need to choose a specific one for each page of your site and dial that one in. The best keywords may be the ones that you least expect. So don’t let your contractor or your biases cloud your keyword choices.

I hope these three tidbits help. You are paying a lot of money and should be getting your money’s worth. Your site should be in good hands. And sometimes the best hands are your own judgment. I’d say that’s pretty SEO, SEO.