Have You Consulted on Your SEO Needs?

Dave Thomas

March 30, 2016

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Is your small business setting itself apart from the competition?

In a business world where giving your brand all the opportunities possible to differentiate itself from others, you need to be giving your company all the advantages possible.

Part of those advantages is having a search engine optimization (SEO) strategy in place, one that will allow you to put together the best content marketing plan possible.

So, where would you rate your SEO strategy these days on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being excellent)?

Are You in Search of Better SEO?

You need to start by determining whether or not you are capable as a small business man or woman of doing your own SEO.

If you have the budget (and staff) for SEO and other marketing/advertising needs, you might opt to keep the work in-house. On the other hand, those small businesses (including those with one just employee, the business owner) that are strapped with personnel and financial limitations; they may choose to outsource their SEO requirements.

In the event you fall in the latter category, here are three factors to remember when finding the right SEO provider:

Vetting SEO consultants and companies – When considering outsourcing your search engine optimization needs, how will you go about finding an SEO consultant or company to handle such tasks? Start by researching a handful or more of SEO providers, looking for the one that best fits your needs. Look at things such as how long they have been in business, what kind of track record they have when it comes to not only customer service but also delivering proven results, how small businesses rank them as far as the top SEO options on the market etc. Don’t automatically assume that a smaller search engine optimization outfit is incapable of handling your needs. In some cases, small is actually better. With larger SEO companies, you may end up looking more like a number than a business in need;
Meeting your budgetary needs – As a small business owner, there’s a good chance that you’re working off of a tight budget on a regular basis. If that proves to be the case, how can you then afford to plunk down money to those in the SEO business to promote your brand? Simply put, find the financial resources. While you could do SEO on your own, those that do it for a living have not only the experience, but the resources to bring your brand the attention it needs and deserves. From determining the best keywords for your marketing content to using their social media expertise and connections, SEO consultants can mean a world of difference for your brand. Your budget needs are in fact important, but allocating the needed money to give your brand the promotion it needs will prove dividends over the long haul;
Don’t be left high and dry – Finally, just as your consumers want their money’s worth from your business, the same holds true when you go with an SEO provider. Have a written contract in-hand with any SEO consultant you work with. Clearly define what your expectations are, deadlines for delivering such work, and what will be necessary in terms of follow-up work on their end and yours for that matter. You should make it clear what your budgetary limits are, that way an SEO provider can do their best to deliver results within the scope of your financial means.

If you’re a small business that is looking to grow your brand in 2016 and beyond, you no doubt have search engine optimization needs.

Finding the right SEO consultant is the first one.