Top 10 Tips on How To Hire the Right Local SEO Agency in 2021

With so much competition in the digital world, effective search engine optimization (SEO) is more than just a benefit to growth-oriented businesses—it’s become a downright necessity. And at one point or another, most organizations will find themselves in need of the expertise found only in a local SEO agency.

But the question is, how do you know what to look for when hiring a local SEO agency? How can you be sure you’re investing in proven expertise, not just in salesmanship? And how can you find the right agency for you when there are so many choices out there?

That’s exactly what we’re going to be looking at in this guide.

Inside, you’ll find 10 tips to hiring the right local SEO agency for your business (and equally importantly, how to avoid the wrong ones). Plus, after the tips, we’re also going to answer some of the most common questions about working with an SEO agency, like how to do it and whether it’s actually worth it (of course it is!).

Alright, let’s dive in.

Table of Contents

1. Know How to Spot Over-Promising
2. Get Clear on Their Strategies & Tactics
3. Always Check Reviews & References
4. Come into It with Clear Goals in Mind
5. Understand Reasonable (and Unreasonable) Timelines
6. Demand Full Transparency
7. Build Up Your Own Basic SEO Knowledge
8. Ask for a Technical & Search Audit Up Front
9. Look for Agencies That WANT to Learn About Your Business
10. SEO Consultant vs. SEO Agency – Know Which One Your Business Needs

1. Know How to Spot Over-Promising When Hiring an SEO Agency

One of the biggest red flags to be on the watch when hiring a local SEO agency is over-promising.

If someone’s guaranteeing first-page results in just a few weeks, stop, turn around, and run in the opposite direction. Because in all likelihood, there’s either no way they’re going to be able to achieve those results, or they’re using black-hat SEO strategies that’ll eventually get your site flagged and penalized by search engines.

See, search engine optimization is a complex process. Doing it well takes demonstrated expertise, nuanced strategy, and sometimes a whole lot of patience. And even then, there is no way to guarantee top-tier results.

In fact, these misaligned expectations are precisely why a lot of businesses end up leaving their SEO provider for another.

SEO educator Backlinko found that about 35% of small businesses have worked with 2 SEO providers over the past year alone. On top of that, about 10% have worked with 3 or more.

Source

So instead of choosing a St. Louis local SEO agency based on empty guarantees (and eventually looking for a new agency), seek out one that uses a well-structured SEO plan to provide incremental yet meaningful growth.

2. Get Clear on Their Strategies & Tactics

As you’re trying to find the best St. Louis SEO agency for your business, you’re going to want to be sure you always understand the specific tactics each agency will use to meet your goals.

You may be thinking, “Why should I care how they do it? As long as they get the results, I’m happy.”

There are actually a couple of reasons.

First, knowing how an agency plans on implementing its SEO strategy can help you spot red flags early on.

For example, say your prospective agency plans on hitting a specific keyword using content farming. This strategy involves creating high quantity, low-quality articles based on that keyword to help boost search engine rank.

However, most search engines have already put in place new algorithms to combat strategies like content farming. And in fact, Google’s algorithm has been discounting such low-quality pages since 2011’s Panda update.

But beyond knowing which strategies simply won’t work, getting clear on an agency’s tactics will also help identify harmful strategies.

For instance, some SEO agencies engage in what’s known as “black-hat” strategies. Now, these strategies may improve your ranking for a little while. But eventually, they’re bound to be detected by search engines, which will then actually penalize your website, causing a drop in your rankings.

One such strategy is using private blog networks (PBNs). These networks are made up of content producers that buy up expired high-authority domains. They then link back to their client’s pages and use the authority that carried over to boost their client’s ranking.

Here’s an example of a PBN.

Source

And as it turns out, if your site gets caught using PBNs, you can get hit with some severe ranking penalties.

So be sure you’re informed on what tactics your agency will use to help you rank.

3. Always Check Reviews & References

This one is so important it’s worth repeating.

Always check reviews and references when hiring them.

Reviews and referrals are some of the most effective social proof an agency providing SEO services can use to convince prospects to sign on.

In fact, about 28% of SEO agencies are found by clients through referrals alone.

Source

That being said, if you are referred or are weighing whether or not to hire a local SEO agency, in particular, try to find specifics about working with them.

Were they able to achieve the goals they set out in the beginning?

Did they educate their clients and set them up for future success?

How well did they integrate with the client’s team?

While general reviews like “Great company!” or “Helped my business!” can help you get a feel for an agency, they certainly won’t give you any insight on the particulars you need to know to make an informed decision.

So pay particular attention to reviews that dive into the specifics.

4. Come into It with Clear Goals in Mind

The purpose of search engine optimization is to bring more organic traffic to your website. And organic traffic is way more relevant than other traffic types (meaning more conversions per visit).

Just have a look.

Source

That’s one reason why you need a local SEO agency now.

That being said, even great results don’t mean much if you don’t have clear goals and KPIs to track those results.

What specific goals are you looking to achieve by hiring an SEO agency?

Do you want to…

• Achieve an X% increase in relevant organic traffic?
• Strengthen your domain authority?
• Improve your page speed?
• Reduce your bounce rate?
• Update your website, so it’s responsive to mobile device users?
• Grow visitor time on page to X minutes?
• Increase the number of leads through the website?

Try to develop some specific goals for your pages before you begin interviewing different St. Louis SEO agencies.

That way, you can see precisely which goals each agency can help you achieve and how.

5. Understand Reasonable (and Unreasonable) Timelines

While implementing solid SEO strategies can do wonders for your rankings, doing so takes time.

And unfortunately, that time is often longer than what most clients expect.

For instance, while some strategies can be implemented relatively quickly (1-2 months), clients working with even the best St. Louis SEO agencies should expect to see tangible results after 4-6 months.

As such, if you’re expecting brand-new SEO efforts to pay off in just a few months, you’re bound to be disappointed.

Some measures take a lot of time and human resources to achieve than you might think.

But beyond that, high-quality content actually takes time to start ranking on search engines.

For instance, SEO tools company Ahrefs studied the results of over 2 million keywords and found a pretty clear trend between Google ranking and the age of the page.

Check it out below.

Source

This trend is partly because the longer a page is active, the more likely it’ll be linked to other sources, thus increasing its quality score.

And if you’ll notice, the average age of the #1 position result is over 2.5 years old!

So be sure to have realistic expectations when you’re looking to hire an SEO agency. Because as with anything else in life, good things come to those who wait.

6. Demand Full Transparency

No SEO agency worth their salt should ever keep their tactics or their link sources a secret from clients.

Here’s why:

• You deserve to know what you’re paying for – If an agency is withholding information or refuses to provide itemized billing, that’s usually a sign of shady practices and overbilling.
• Lack of transparency could be putting you at risk – If an agency doesn’t tell you how they plan on getting results for your business, they are likely using black-hat tactics that could result in significant penalties for your site.
• You can’t track what you can’t see. If an agency doesn’t provide you with clear KPIs and results in reporting, you can’t calculate your ROI and determine if this agency is actually working towards getting you results.

And most importantly, if you’re working with the best St. Louis SEO agency, they’re going to want to be as transparent with you as possible.

So don’t settle for anything less than 100% transparency.

7. Build Up Your Own Basic SEO Knowledge

Before you start the SEO agency interview process, you must brush up on your own understanding of search engine optimization.

As SEO grows increasingly nuanced and complex, many businesses are left without a solid understanding of what SEO really is.

For instance, one survey found that more than 1 out of 3 businesses had little to no understanding of how Google rankings work.

Source

So when you’re preparing to interview, give your knowledge a boost by learning about SEO fundamentals. What are some of the key terms, and what do they mean? What can reasonably be accomplished using strategic SEO? And what types of strategies do the best St. Louis SEO agencies use to achieve those accomplishments?

With at least a basic understanding of SEO’s guiding principles, you can rest easy knowing the SEO agencies you’re interviewing won’t be talking circles around you or bogging you down in incomprehensible jargon.

After you have a general understanding, try to dive a bit deeper by learning about some of the biggest SEO trends happening these days.

By keeping your finger on the pulse of SEO news, you’ll be able to ask more relevant questions and weed out non-experts right from the get-go.

8. Ask for a Technical & Search Audit Up Front

When you’re seriously considering working with a specific SEO agency, getting a comprehensive technical and search audit should be priority #1.

An SEO agency can always talk a big game. But the audit is where they put their money where their mouth is. It’s where they can show you what they know and how they plan to help.

Now, you may have performed your own site audit in the past. But with an SEO agency, you should expect much more comprehensive results.

Each of your audits should also contain the following elements:

• Prioritized list for fixes proposed by the agency
• The suggested improvement for each issue
• Estimate on the investment required (both time and money) to fix the issue
• Estimated positive business impact (e.g., “increase organic visitors by X%”)
• A detailed plan of how to iterate and improve on the implementation or how to experiment and fail fast should the results not meet expectations.

Lastly, your audit should contain 2 different focuses: technical and search.

Technical audits, as you’d expect, take a look at the more technical side of SEO. They should review your site for issues related to:

• Internal linking
• Crawlability
• URL parameters
• Server connectivity
• Response codes
• Performance optimizations

Search audits, on the other hand, will review how your business is ranking for both branded (e.g., “Nike running shoes”) and unbranded (e.g., “running shoes”) keywords.

This audit should include elements like:

• Competitor analysis
• Updating obsolete content
• Improving internal linking
• Improving onsite page optimization (e.g. meta tags, core, and supported keywords)
• Generating buzz via social media or other channels

Be sure your prospective SEO agency provides these elements in its technical audit if you want to know you’re working with the best.

9. Look for Agencies That WANT to Learn About Your Business

Business owners these days are busy.

Really busy.

In fact, Fundera found that most small business owners are 1 out of 3 than the rest of the working population.

Source

As a result, you might be tempted to side with the agency with the shortest onboarding process.

After all, that means less work for you, right?

However, your SEO agency needs to know as much about your business as possible to get the best possible results.

To create a viable and successful SEO strategy, they’ll need to learn about your…

• Long-term and short-term goals
• Ideal customers
• Closest competitors
• Backend processes
• And more

This information will help them create a plan that’s custom-tailored to your unique business. And the more custom-tailored the plan, the better the results are bound to be.

So as you’re going through hiring an SEO agency, be sure to look out for agencies that actually want to learn more about your business.

Those are the keepers.

10. SEO Consultant vs. SEO Agency – Know Which One Your Business Needs

Last but certainly not least, you’ll want to know the difference between an agency and a consultant when trying to find a St. Louis technical SEO agency for your business.

An SEO agency is usually made up of a large team of multi-talented individuals. On the other hand, a consultant is typically a single individual who may outsource some of the legwork to other individuals.

Now, an agency and a consultant each have their own pros and cons. Here’s a quick breakdown to help you understand the differences.

SEO Agency:

• Pros

1. Implementation is much faster.
2. Reporting is more robust.
3. Complexity is less of a problem.
4. A greater breadth of expertise
5. Being established shows a history of proven results.

• Cons

1. Higher overhead sometimes leads to higher costs.
2. Usually limited to business hours only.

Consultants:

• Pros

1. More agile
2. Typically work outside of business hours.
3. Low overhead may lead to lower costs.

• Cons

1. Likely less established, so the results are questionable.
2. Unable to handle larger, more complex projects
3. Reporting is less comprehensive, which could lead to ROI calculation problems.
4. Can be an expert, an amateur, and anything in between
5. Slower implementation

So if you’re weighing an SEO consultant vs. an SEO agency, be sure to think hard about what’s right for your organization first and foremost.

How Do I Hire an SEO Agency?

Now that you’ve read through the tips on finding the right SEO agency for your business, let’s look at a quick bird’s eye view of the process from start to finish.

Follow the steps below to find the best St. Louis SEO agency for your business.

1. Build Up Your Own Basic SEO Understanding – This will help you weed out non-experts and identify those who know what they’re talking about.
2. Develop Clear & Reasonable Expectations – Create quantifiable goals you’d like to achieve while working with an SEO agency. Establish reasonable timelines for those goals too.
3. Start Your Search – Find companies with a strong web presence, complete transparency, an interest in learning about your business, and a plethora of helpful reviews and case studies from past clients.
4. Ask for Audits from the Most Qualified Candidates – This will give you a step-by-step breakdown of what the SEO agency plans to achieve while working with your business.
5. Make a Decision – Again, focus on agencies that value transparency, realistic results, and proven, white-hat strategies.

Is an SEO Company Worth It?

Simply put, heck yes.

There are plenty of other benefits to hiring an SEO agency but let’s look at it regarding return on investment (ROI).

When it comes to ROI, SEO returns $22.24 for every $1 invested.

Source

In fact, SEO’s ROI is beaten out only by a single marketing channel, email.

That’s because investing in a partnership with an SEO company can do wonders for boosting your digital visibility.

And in contrast to internet display advertising or paying for keyword ads, SEO helps boost organic traffic. So instead of customers finding your company through ads, they’re finding it because it’s ranking on search engines.

This last point is critical.

Advertisements have become almost an annoyance for some browsers these days. And as a result, many people simply ignore them together.

In fact, Hubspot found that nearly 80% of users completely ignore paid ads in search results. It’s no wonder that organic SEO leads perform about 5.66 times better than those from paid search ads.

Plus, more than 36% of consumers recognize links that are paid advertisements but don’t click them.

And finally, SEO is compounding. The more optimized your content is, the better your domain authority becomes. As a result, your efforts bring in better outcomes at an exponential rate rather than a linear one as with paid ads.

So yes, working with the right St. Louis SEO agency is certainly worth it.

How Expensive Is SEO?

The short answer is it depends.

Working with a top-level SEO company to execute a local SEO campaign will likely require at least $500 per month to manage your Google My Business listing, add citations, etc.

For national or international campaigns, with respect to a fully managed SEO plan, you’re likely looking at something closer to $2500-$5000 per month, all depending on your revenue goals.

That being said, you also want to be careful about going with cheaper options.

Cheaper SEO agencies can end up using shady practices that will not only give you lackluster results; they may also cause search engines to penalize your site, hurting your rankings for years to come.

How Can I Check My SEO Ranking?

So, you’re almost sold on hiring the best St. Louis SEO agency to help boost your visibility.

But first, you want to know how your site’s SEO ranks as it is.

So what do you do?

Well, there are a few ways you can go about it.

First, you can use several free SEO audit tools that are out there.

These tools often give a quick overview of your most basic SEO elements and how they rank. And while they don’t cost anything to use, they’ll actually provide a solid foundation of what your true SEO ranking is.

Some great tools to check out are:

• Google Analytics
• Search Console
• Data Studio
• MozCast
• Ahrefs

But if you really want to get a comprehensive picture of your site’s SEO ranking, you’ll need to get a proper SEO audit.

These audits will provide you with a smattering of SEO information that’ll help determine your ranking. Information like:

• Domain Authority = search engine marketing score that gives a measure of how successful your site is.
• Local Listings = # of local listings for your business which makes your business visible on the internet.
• Reviews & Ratings = # of reviews and the total star rating from review engines like Google, and others.
• Google My Business = allows you to promote your business profile and website on Google local search and maps.
• On-Site SEO = the practice of optimizing elements on your website in order to rank higher and earn more traffic.
• Social Channels = consistent activity (social signals) across social channels like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.
• And more

Ready to Boost Your Ranking?

Finding and hiring the best St. Louis SEO agency can be challenging. There are a lot of choices out there, some shadier than others.

But if you want to rest easy knowing you’re partnering with an established, results-driven SEO agency that’s been serving the St. Louis community for over a decade, we can help.

Just schedule your free consultation with us right now to get started.

Say goodbye to your SEO agency hiring woes. And hello to better rankings, more relevant traffic, and higher conversion rates with Studio C5.