A good search engine optimization (SEO) strategy will help make your website more visible and discoverable to search users. The more times and the higher positions your website content appears in front of people, the more traffic and conversions (e.g., sales) you can expect. 

SEO can be an extremely rewarding investment, as it can attract users who are interested in your site in the long term. 

SEO and SEM: What’s the Difference?

SEO aims to get your website content to rank as high as possible in the organic, i.e. unpaid, search engine results. With SEO, you don’t have to pay Google or any other search engine a penny to rank your content higher than your competitors. To SEO, you optimize your site with keywords and content that your ideal customers will search for frequently. 

In contrast, search engine marketing (SEM) nowadays refers to the “buying” of paid search results. The essence of SEM is that you pay the search engines to display your ads in prominent positions on search results pages – higher than organic results. This is usually called PPC pricing, so you only pay the search engine when someone clicks on your ads. 

Make no mistake; it’s not always the advertiser willing to pay the most for that prominent position that will come to the top. Google and other search engines select and rank paid results based on several criteria. 

SEO or SEM: Which Is better?

Both SEO and SEM help make your content more visible on search engine results pages. Both strategies can attract more visitors and potential customers to your website. 

One disadvantage of SEO is that it requires a lot of patience, especially on a new site. However, you don’t have to wait long to just appear in the results – with a good strategy, you can see results in just a few weeks. 

With SEM, you can appear in the top positions almost immediately, but these ads disappear as soon as you stop funding the campaign. 

SEO is, therefore, an investment that can pay off much better than online advertising. Of course, search engine optimization is not something that can be mastered overnight, which is why it is better to entrust the tasks to an SEO agency. 

How Can an SEO Agency Help Your Company? 

So why should you hire an SEO agency to handle your search engine optimization? 

Save TimeSEO is an extremely time-consuming task. If you’re just learning about search engine optimization, you can expect a lot of trial and error. Ask yourself this question – do you have time to do the following? 

• Putting together a complete SEO strategy
• Keyword research
• Producing (regular) keyword-optimized content
• Metadata optimization
• Analyzing your current SEO campaign and using the lessons learned
• Researching constantly changing SEO trends and algorithm updates 

If not, an SEO agency can take a lot of the burden off your shoulders. While the SEO company is concerned with getting your website to the top of the search results, you can spend your time-saving time on your company, your products, and your customers. 

Save Money

Maintaining your SEO team comes with a range of hidden costs. For example, you’ll have to pay upfront for various SEO software and training (remember, the world of SEO is constantly changing). You can forget about all of these expenses by outsourcing your optimization tasks to an external SEO agency. 

Expert Knowledge

An SEO agency has dedicated specialists who specialize in keyword research, content creation, web design, web development and other optimization tasks. These professionals use the latest techniques and are up to date with the latest trends to ensure the best possible results for your business. 

Professional Experience

Some SEO agencies have been in the field for decades, so they have a wealth of professional experience to draw on when working with you. A veteran agency knows what types of companies need what types of SEO tactics, but they also understand that no two companies are the same and how important it is to develop unique strategies.

What Can You Expect From a Good SEO Agency?

An ideal SEO agency for you will have extensive experience in the industry you represent. They should also have content creators, web developers, and specialists who will compile relevant reports at agreed intervals. 

In broad terms, here’s what you can expect from a good SEO agency: 

• State-of-the-art keyword research and analysis based on your customers, competitors and ROI goals
• Tailor your SEO strategy according to your target audience and key performance indicators
• Targeting conversion-ready site visitors at every stage of the sales funnel
• Conduct on-page and technical SEO audits
• Analysis of existing content
• Acquire new, quality backlinks to strengthen your site’s authority 

Your SEO agency should also be up to date with the latest algorithm updates. They should also regularly check your site and correct any errors or omissions. 

How To Find the Perfect SEO Agency for Your business 

SEO n can offer great results for your business, so it’s worth looking into as part of your online marketing strategy. 

If you want to entrust an SEO agency with the tasks involved, you need to look for a company that: 

• Is well-versed in various SEO strategies and methods
• Keeps up to date with the latest keyword trends
• Is familiar with search engine behavior
• Can demonstrate a track record of working successfully with other companies 

The steps below will help you find the right SEO agency for you: 

Do Research 

You can find tons of SEO agencies on the internet, so it’s important to research several of them thoroughly before contacting them. Consider the criteria listed above to help you make a good choice.

Ask for Recommendations

If you know other companies, ask them which SEO agency they have worked with and if they would recommend that team to you as a satisfied client. 

Read Case Studies and Testimonials 

See what previous clients have to say about the agency. This will help you decide if they would be an ideal partner for your business and if they can deliver the results you need. 

Find Out How Experienced They Are

An experienced agency is usually a better choice than a brand-new company. Ask if they have worked with companies of a similar size or nature. 

Ask About Their SEO Methods 

Ask specific questions about the agency’s SEO methods, such as: 

• What tactics do they use? What makes these tactics personalized for each client?
• What are their most significant accomplishments to date?
• How do they calculate the ROI of SEO?
• What tools and technologies do they use?
• What reports do they offer, and what metrics do they include? How often?

Consider Their Prices 

While the price may not be the most important consideration when choosing an SEO agency, only worth considering if you have a limited budget. You should never go for the cheapest option straight away – ask for quotes from several companies and compare them (always taking into account what they offer in return for that price, of course). The aim is to find the best value for money. 

Is It Worth Hiring a Single SEO Specialist Instead of a Whole Agency? 

Hiring a single, independent SEO specialist is usually much cheaper than hiring a full agency. The tighter budget tempts many people to choose this option, but is it worth it? What is the real cost of SEO professionals? 

Experience in Several Areas 

SEO agencies charge more for their services because they can offer their clients so much more than a single professional. 

For example, an agency can not only develop and implement a complete SEO strategy (keyword research, content creation, analysis, etc.), but also a complete online marketing strategy. 

No single person can do the same amount of work in the same amount of time as a well-coordinated, well-oiled agency team. 

Knowledge of Your Industry 

Freelance SEO consultants and freelancers may not know enough about your industry or its specifics to produce impressive results for your company. 

An agency usually has several experts who have been working in search engine optimization within a particular industry for many years. 

You Get What You Pay For 

The low price of a freelance SEO consultant is often a sign of the low quality of service. Furthermore, such self-employed SEO professionals often use free, rudimentary tools or questionable SEO tactics to achieve the desired results. 

Penalties Assigned by Search Engines 

If the SEO professional in question employs tactics that violate Google’s policies, your site can easily become the target of penalties that can severely damage your rankings. 

To be on the safe side, it is much better to look for an SEO agency with a proven track record and a rich portfolio of previous collaborations.

Summary

Of course, funding an SEO agency is not cheap, but it is worth the investment as it will get your website to the desired goal, and you will be a more successful website owner.