Deciding whether or not to hire an SEO company to improve the search engine performance of your company’s website is a big decision. It can help increase your site’s visibility in search and save you time and effort, but it can also cause damage to your site and your company’s reputation. You should research the possible advantages, as well as the damage a careless SEO can do. Some SEO agencies and consultants deliver good, honest work, but others do things that can hurt your website. Knowing what a good SEO does and the warning signs of a bad one makes it easier to choose.
A Variety of Services
Search engine optimizers (SEO) offer a variety of services. Some give a review of content and structure on your existing website, others provide technical advice for developing a website, things like hosting, redirects, error pages, use of JavaScript. They can develop content, manage online business development campaigns, offer keyword research, SEO training, expertise in particular markets and geographies, and help optimize a site for generative AI.
If you’re looking to make a splash with advertising, Google Ads might be an option, but don’t confuse this with search. Advertising with Google has no effect on your site’s presence in its search results. Google doesn’t accept money from any entity to include or rank websites. Appearing in Google’s organic results costs nothing. Free resources like Search Console, the Google Search Central blog, and Google’s discussion forum can help business owners learn how to get discovered in search.
If you run a small local business, chances are you can do a lot of the SEO on your own. Google’s SEO starter guide is a practical overview that covers much of what a professional SEO would do. Even if you decide to hire one later, knowing the techniques helps you spot when they suggest something that isn’t recommended, or worse, strongly discouraged.
If you think you might redesign your website, or if you are about to launch a new site, it’s a great time to bring in an SEO specialist. Earlier rather than later is best: then you and the SEO can make your site search-engine-friendly from the very bottom up. But if you already have a website, a good SEO can probably still help.
Be Sure to Interview Them
Before you hire an SEO to improve your business’s website ranking, be sure to interview them. Ask them to provide examples of their work, as well as success stories from other clients. Find out if they adhere to Google Search Essentials (formerly known as Google’s Webmaster Guidelines). Ask what they think the result is likely to be, and the timeframe. How will they gauge success? You’ll also want to know about their experience in your industry or even in your country or city, and their experience creating international sites. Ask how long they’ve been in business and how they’ll communicate with you. Will they share every change made to your site, explaining recommendations and reasons in detail?
Pay attention to whether the search-engine optimization consultant you meet with cares about you and your business. If not, find someone who does. A good one will ask questions about what makes your business unique, who your competitors are, how search-engine results can help your business, and how customers find your business. Even then, check business references. Ask previous clients whether the work was helpful, whether the service was easy to work with, and whether the result was positive.
Before you sign up for an SEO audit, think carefully about what it actually means. Give them read, but not write, access to Search Console for now. A good audit should offer realistic figures on how much they could improve things, plus an estimate of how much work it will take to do it. If they guarantee that their changes will get you to the top of search results, find another SEO.
As a business owner, you need to have the ability to evaluate the advice you’re receiving from a third-party SEO service. As a general rule, before making any substantial changes to your website based on an audit conducted with a third-party SEO tool, you should compare their recommendations against Google Search’s official documentation. Don’t accept recommendations on face value; always make your own informed decisions, and ask whether they cite official Google documentation as evidence. When it comes to AI experiences on the web, sold as AEO or GEO services, make sure their advice is aligned with the official Google guidance on generative AI features. Verify if their tools follow Google’s guidance.
Warning Sign
Be wary of the search-engine optimization firms, web consultants or agencies that email you out of the blue. Even Google itself gets the spam claiming that, for instance, google.com is not listed in the major search engines and directories. Treat such unsolicited emails about search engines with the same skepticism as burn-fat-at-night diet pills or requests to help move money for deposed dictators.
No one can guarantee a number one ranking on Google. If you hear claims of guaranteed ranking, a special relationship with Google, or a priority submit to Google, then treat that as a warning sign. If a company is secretive or doesn’t explain things clearly, be wary. Ask questions. If an SEO writes deceptive or misleading content for you, Google could remove your site entirely from its index, so keep in mind you’re responsible for anyone you hire. Make sure you know exactly what the company plans to do to help. (If someone has FTP access to your server, they should be happy to describe every change they intend to make.)
You should never have to “link to” an SEO. Avoid an SEO that talks about ”link popularity schemes” or ”submitting your site to thousands of search engines.” They usually do little or nothing to your rankings in major search engines, at least nothing you would welcome.
If you believe an SEO may have deceived you, consider reporting it. In the United States, the Federal Trade Commission addresses complaints involving deceptive or unfair business practices. You can file a complaint online at the FTC website, or call 1-877-FTC-HELP. If the company you’re complaining about is outside the United States, file at econsumer.gov.
Sometimes it does pay to hire a professional, just as it does for many business activities. A good SEO can help a new site, or can improve an existing one. But learn the basics yourself before you hire, ask lots of questions, and don’t be too trusting of the company’s claims. And remember, the decision and the responsibility for what happens to your site will always be yours.
