There are several reputable SEO agencies within Australia’s boundaries. Still, you can have issues choosing the best one for your small local business, especially if you are a new business starter.
A quick reminder, this article is a complete guide for small local business owners in Australia who are seeking to upgrade their business by putting it on the first page of search results. Many Australian entrepreneurs know where to turn to when they need to build a solid and active online presence, but how to go about hiring an SEO agency seems overwhelming for them.
This article contains a step-by-step guide on navigating through the process of handing over your business to a seasoned SEO agency in Australia without complications.
Step 1: Get a seed list
The endless list of SEO agencies in Australia can be an advantage at this stage. It won’t take you much time to get a complete seed list of top-notch agencies within the country.
Creating a seed list is the beginning of a search for SEO agencies. A seed list is a detailed collection of agencies that you are planning to partner with your business.
Meanwhile, there are two ways to create your seed list:
- Searching the internet. Creating a seed list does not mean you will start walking around looking for signposts of SEO agencies. The internet is there to give you a comprehensive list of local agencies in Australia. Though those ‘best SEO agency in Australia’ lists are compiled based on their different opinions, some of them can still give you what you want.
- Creating your list. This step involves a more deliberate search than relying on the seed lists online. Using this option, you will have to track down SEO agencies specific to your business instead of using a random list.
To create your seed list, you must first determine what you want most in an agency that will handle your business. Are you more concerned about proximity? Or you take affordability as a priority? Your decisions will determine the names of the agencies you will compile on your seed list. Without a doubt, this option will help you make a better list and help your find the right agency.
Step 2: Check the agency’s website thoroughly.
After you successfully compiled a list of your preferred SEO agencies, the next thing is to check each agency’s website.
Checking an agency’s website is not as easy as you think. You will need to check every page on the website to critically evaluate the capacity of the agency you are about to hire. As a business owner, time might not be on your to scrutinize every detail in all the web pages. Hence, you can focus on the essential website pages, such as the Homepage, About Us page, Testimonial Page, and Blog (if available).
- Homepage. The homepage is where the agency presents itself to potential clients. Read through to discover the capacities of the agency. A homepage projects the image of the organization. So, an old, unorganized homepage suggests that you erase the agency’s name from your list.
- About us page. The page tells you everything you need to know about the company, including its date of establishment, the headquarters’ location, the administrative personnel’s names, the agency’s vision, and mission statement.
The ‘About Us’ page also contains the track record of major projects the agency has handled in the past years and their current affiliations, whether local or international.
- Testimonial page. This page shows the reviews (both good and bad) from old clients who have experienced the agency’s expertise. While the 5-star reviews can get you excited and motivate you to choose the agency, I advise that you focus more on the negative reviews to know which area the agency is underperforming.
- Blog. The agency you are about to hire must have a blog. The idea is that an agency might not deliver the best SEO service to clients if they don’t apply it to what they are doing.
Check the agency’s blog carefully to examine the topics and the content’s quality. Also, note how often they post on the blog and check the last date of their post. If the blog is outdated and lacks good content, it’s a red flag that you should decline. learn more about SEO Agency by clicking here.
Step 3: Test the agency’s capacity in SEO.
You can test the capacity of the agency’s SEO using some free online tools such as MOZ’s Open Site Explorer and Ahrefs. They can help you leak some secrets though you will get limited results if you are using a free account. You can also evaluate the capacity of an SEO agency using Google.
Evaluate the agency’s strength by first conducting a brand name search, then proceed to major and minor keyword search. If the SEO agency comes up with major and minor keywords, and the brand name ranks well, search results. You are good to go.
Step 4: Contact the agency
If you are satisfied with all your tests, the next thing is to contact your prospective agency. There are several ways to reach your preferred SEO agency.
You can visit their website’s contact page to fetch the phone numbers and the company’s email address.
Contacting an agency through email might seem slow, but it has a few advantages over making direct phone calls. First, it gives you the advantage to sit down and organize what you want to say formally. Business owners who like to plan everything they do would prefer emails.
Another benefit of contacting an agency through email is that you will have the record, which can help you in a future dispute. However, if you are the type that values instant feedback, you can contact the agency through phone calls.
Step 5: Meet the agency in person.
You wouldn’t want to start and close a contract with an SEO agency on the phone. So, you have to schedule a follow-up meeting to put everything on track in person. Now is the time to ask important questions to know what they have to offer. A few of the blunt questions you should ask include:
- How will you improve my business website’ ranking?
- How do you plan to stay in touch for updates?
- How often do you report changes?
- How do you manage algorithm changes?
You can also ask other questions about how the agency can help your business grow.
