1. Pricing:  Let’s get this out of the way up front - While pricing of SEO services can greatly vary, from what I’ve seen and in our practice, you get exactly what you pay for. When you engage a SEO resource, you’re paying for two things – their time and      expertise. Money does NOT buy you “guaranteed high rankings.” MarketNet, for example, has over 20 years of combined SEO experience on-staff that have serviced industries such as retail, wholesale, pharmaceutical, travel, government, and many more.



   2. Custom Program Availability:  No two clients are alike.  As you speak with different firms that offer SEO services, you should expect to receive a proposal that is tailored to your objectives, your online conversion metrics, and your overall business. While one client may need help obtaining increased visibility in the proper Internet directories and search engines, others will have a need for very specific link-building programs to enter a new marketplace. Again, each client is different. If you come across an SEO firm that asks very few questions before handing you a proposal, turn tail and move on to the next one. A solid agency / SEO resource will spend time with you to clearly understand your online objectives, conversion metrics, and web site history that can be pertinent to go-forward approaches.



   3. Deliverables:  As you look at a firm to act as a SEO resource for your site, there are certain deliverables that should come out of any “true” engagement:


         a. Baseline Report – A comprehensive analysis of your current positioning, a site overview, competitive landscape overview, and a strategic plan to move forward with SEO.
         b. Monthly Reports – Though SEOs are generally working on an account weekly (sometimes daily) to keep a pulse on your performance, you should also expect a comprehensive monthly document that details performance against the baseline metrics, a deep “What’s Changed” (positive or negative) section so that you can gauge program effectiveness, a list of activities completed in the prior month, and next steps with strategic and ongoing recommendations.



   4. Mutual Understanding Of YOUR Business:  All web sites have conversion metrics that can be identified and reported. A conversion can be as simple as a visitor going to your site, or much deeper interaction, such as direct sales garnered from SEO efforts, content downloads, form submission, email sign-up activity, etc. As you sit down with a firm that will potentially handle your SEO needs, insure that all parties are in agreement on what can and will be tracked from a conversion perspective. Without these conversions, without targeted goals in mind, one cannot accurately gauge overall performance. Your SEO resource should be looked at as a true extension of your business, as they need to know what you’re doing online and offline as far as promotions go (to note traffic spikes and look for targeted opportunities).



   5. It All Starts With Your Site and It’s Content:  To quote the infamous Ric Flair –“To be the man, you gotta BEAT the man.” The exact same idea holds true in online success, and specifically search engine optimization and marketing. Ranking highly within a search engine is not about tricks and “magic” – it’s about being THE subject matter expert in your field. Much of web site’s positioning on search engines is derived from two factors – digestible content for the search engine spiders (and your audience of course) as well as the number of inbound links. The strongest SEO programs will assist you with on-site issues, as well as TARGETED link building opportunities (some paid, some free). But again, it all boils down to your content.



   6. Realistic Expectations: Targeted link-building efforts are a way to boost your site’s rankings in the various search engines as you work on longer term strategies such as on-site issues and solid site content. Many search marketing efforts can take 60-90 days before the true value of the activities is realized. And what you CAN’T do is start a program, kick-off initial activities, and then return to status quo (with no SEO resources). This is a huge mistake that many companies looking to outsource SEO miss – it’s an ONGOING process.



As you review SEO firms, be mindful of the following:

    * Low-price, “big talk”
    * Promised rankings improvement (no reputable SEO will guarantee any rankings – only best practices)
    * Customer retention rates
    * Additional services that can compliment SEO work for a comprehensive 360-degree online marketing program

Matthew Brown
Ecommerce
MarketNet