Local SEO agencies are on the rise and all of them seem to be promising the same thing: amazing results for very low fees. This may seem attractive to most, but like most things, you get what you pay for. So how do you know who to hire? What red flags should you look for during your research? If you want to attract new visitors to your website, you need to have it optimized. Driving targeted and “free” traffic to your website that converts is every business’ goal. To accomplish this, many websites and business owners turn to local SEO experts to meet their traffic needs. Unfortunately, these “experts” can be far from it and may often do more damage than good. Lucky for you, we have compiled a list of 5 tips to keep in mind before hiring an SEO agency.

What Is Their Research Process?

Research is the backbone of SEO. Any SEO agency worth spending money on will put emphasis on research. When discussing business with a potential agency, be sure to ask them about their research process. Another thing to pay attention to is whether the representative is spending more time talking about their services or your needs. Each campaign is unique and should be directed to your company, its goals, and your targeted consumers.

They Can Talk The Talk, But Can They Walk The Walk?

Results speak for themselves. It is very easy to purchase a domain and tell the internet that you’re the best around. Just because you say you’re the “#1 SEO Agency in Greenville” doesn’t mean much. Be sure to ask for results and have them show you a case study. Any SEO agency who denies sharing results and samples should not be trusted.

Check Their Ranking and Traffic

According to several recent studies, 18% of organic clicks go to the #1 position on Google, 10% of organic clicks fo to the #2 position, and 7% of organic clicks go to the #3 position of Google. While keyword ranking isn’t everything, it is obviously pretty important. If the agency pursuing you does not rank on the first page of Google for of the services they provide, that is probably a local SEO agency you should avoid.

Will They Be Truthful With You?

Local SEO can be very tricky. There is no magic formula, so there are times when traffic will fluctuate. Whether is is the time of year or a shift in a particular industry, your traffic will continue to go up and down and a good SEO agency will learn and adjust to cater to your needs. That is why it is important to hire an agency that will be honest with you about the ups and downs. Look out for an agency who promises you’ll never lose a ranking position because they can’t make that promise honestly.

Learn More About Their Process

The process matters. There are a number of ways to gain the systems to get fast results but the issue is this only works for a short time. Google and other major search engines are constantly evolving and your trick won’t last for long. A good agency will play within the rules and focus on growing your site as organically as possible.Choosing the right Local SEO Agency for your business can be a hard decision. Luckily Red Shark Digital is here for you and we know exactly what we are doing! For more information on local SEO and what we can do for you, take a look around our site, you won't regret it.