Questions to ask a Local SEO Consultant

Posted by admin on Oct 3rd, 2010 in featured articles, local search | 0 comments

You want your business to have the best chance online; hiring a local SEO consultant can help promote the success of your website.  It’s time to consider hiring a local SEO consultant when you are in the planning stages of a new site or redesign. Hiring a local SEO consultant in the planning stage of your website is critical because it ensures your site will be built upon SEO principles. You might ask, how do I hire a local SEO consultant? What type of skills should I look for before hiring? There a few questions to ask and warnings to be aware of as you research and interview local SEO consultants for your business. Nearly four in 10 U.S. Internet users (37 percent) who conducted an online local business search in 2009 ended up visiting the store in person, according to TMP Directional Marketing and comScore.

Once you find one that looks good, research
Traditional offline businesses looking to market their services online will find the guidance of a local SEO consultant valuable as they reach audiences they never knew existed. When you find someone that looks like a great fit, research them! Look around and see who has used them before. Do they primarily work for franchises or independent business owners? Do they have a good track record for finishing projects on time, if at all? Can you find them referenced on other websites, especially in your own local area?  Can you find any information on them, besides press release websites? A good local SEO consultant will be an asset to your business; driving more traffic to your site and eventually through your doors.

Are they right for you?
You want to look at samples and previous clients they’ve had. Have they worked with your type of business? Communication is key to the success of your working relationship. Do you prefer emails of status reports, Skype calls or phone calls? If you’re more comfortable with face to face meetings than weekly email reports, you should let them know. You will need to go over what work has been done during the week, so you understand the progress of your site. Do they work alone, or do they have a team who specialize in each area to work on your project? If you have working knowledge of SEO yourself it would be help to even ask “How” will a consultant deliver their promises to you.

When you first contact them, be clear and concise about your needs. Don’t be afraid to ask your potential consultant questions. Ask them if your expectations are realistic, and what kind of growth you can expect in your business. If you’re a three person shop selling clothes, you won’t be able to handle 5,000 extra customers every day. Ask them if their services are offered as package deals or a la carte. Knowing what you’re paying for is half the battle!

Take Away

A few questions to ask a local SEO consultant include:

• What is your experience as a local SEO consultant?
• How long have you been in business?
• Do you have client testimonials?
• Can you provide me with examples of your work?
• Do you follow the Google Webmaster Guidelines?
• Is there a project plan and deliverable dates?
• What are your most important SEO techniques?
• How can I expect to communicate with you?
• Will you share with me all the changes you make to my site, and provide
  detailed information about your recommendations and the reasoning behind them?
• When will I see results and how are they measured?