SEO Agencies: Your Guide to Successful Online Presence
The digital world is a constantly growing ecosystem where visibility is of crucial importance. SEO agencies play a key role in this. But what exactly does an SEO agency do, and how do you find the right one for your business? Let's dive deeper into this topic.
- What is an SEO agency?
- SEO agency vs. online marketing agency: what suits your concern better?
- What do SEO agencies do?
- What does SEO cost at an agency?
- How do you find an SEO agency?
- And how do you find a
- Why hire an SEO agency?
- What should I pay attention to when choosing?
- On-site or remote?
- Alternatives to SEO agencies: Find the best solution for your business
- Conclusion
What is an SEO agency?
An SEO agency is a company that specializes in improving the online presence of businesses by optimizing their websites for search engines. The main task is to increase the visibility of a website in the search engine results in order to attract more traffic and potential customers.
SEO agency vs. online marketing agency: what suits your concern better?
Instead of a specialized SEO agency, in some projects a more broadly positioned online marketing agency may also be the better choice. An online marketing agency offers a wide range of services in digital marketing, in addition to SEO also SEM (Search Engine Marketing, e.g., Google Ads), Social Media Marketing, Content Marketing, Email Marketing and more. The ultimate choice depends on your business requirements. If you are looking for a comprehensive online marketing strategy, an online marketing agency could be a better fit. If, however, SEO is your main priority and you are looking for in-depth expertise in this area, a specialized SEO agency could be the right choice.
Benefits of an online marketing agency:
- Versatility: They offer a comprehensive range of services that go beyond SEO, so you can coordinate all your online marketing activities under one roof.
- Integrated strategies: The ability to seamlessly integrate various marketing channels can lead to more coherent and effective campaigns.
- Flexibility: Depending on changing needs and trends, the agency can quickly switch between different marketing strategies.
Disadvantages of an online marketing agency:
- Possible dilution of expertise: Since they have a broader range, some agencies may not have the depth of expertise in SEO that a specialized SEO agency can offer.
- Cost: A full-service agency can be more expensive, especially if you use services that you may not necessarily need.
- Less focus: There is the risk that the agency tries to serve too many channels at the same time, which could affect the quality or focus on a particular area.
What do SEO agencies do?
SEO agencies offer a variety of services including keyword research, on-page and off-page optimization, content creation, link building, and many other SEO measures. They work hand in hand with their clients to develop an SEO strategy tailored to the specific goals and needs of the business.
What does SEO cost at an agency?
The costs for an SEO agency can vary greatly and depend on various factors such as the size of the project, the scope of services, and the agency's experience. It is not uncommon for prices to range from a few hundred to several thousand euros per month. Therefore, it is advisable to obtain various offers and clearly define what services are needed.
In addition to the hours to be paid, there are also extra costs, e.g., for content production or link building. Especially with the latter, costs can quickly be in the 4- to 5-digit range.
How do you find an SEO agency?
When looking for an SEO agency, you can, of course, choose the most obvious way: A Google search. It certainly gives you a good feeling when the agency you want to commission also ranks well with their website. However, this is no guarantee of a good or bad agency.
Furthermore, there are special agency referral websites. Some of these are set up like a catalog and you can browse for agencies yourself. On other websites, you specify what exactly you are looking for and what your requirements are, and then get a few suggestions sent.
And how do you find a Good one?
Once you have found an agency, it is still necessary to find out whether this one is also a good one. This can be a challenge, but here are some tips that can help you:
- References and Reviews - Check out the agency's reviews and references. Positive feedback from previous clients can be a good sign.
- Portfolio - A good agency should be able to show you examples of successful projects in search engine optimization.
- Transparency - Look for agencies that are transparent in their work processes and their pricing.
- Individual Consultation - An agency that takes the time to understand your business and develop a customized strategy is often a better choice.
Why hire an SEO agency?
Hiring an SEO agency can help your business improve its online presence (especially rankings on Google), attract more customers and ultimately increase sales. A professional agency has the expertise and resources to optimally position your website and make you competitive in the digital landscape.
What should I pay attention to when choosing?
When selecting the SEO agency, look out for who is specifically working on your project. Although the assignment is often pitched by the management and senior SEO managers, after the contract is concluded, junior employees often take over the operational tasks. So make sure in the offer who is actually working on your project.
You should also critically question the suggested measures: The purchase of backlinks may increase the visibility and rankings of some websites; however, it is an illegal SEO practice that can be criticized by Google. If you are unsure, then get an independent SEO expert for choosing the SEO agency.
Specialized SEO Agencies
There is not only the specialization between online marketing and SEO, but also from search engine optimization towards specialized SEO measures and industries. An agency can thus focus on individual SEO areas (content, SEO tech, off-page) or may have a strong specialization in individual business areas such as finance, e-commerce, B2B, etc.
On-site or remote?
Since Corona at the latest, working from different working places has become normal. An agency does not necessarily have to be on-site. Of course, it's nice if you can build a personal relationship with business partners, but this should not be the deciding factor in your choice of agency. What is much more important is which agency suits your project/your website/your requirements; whether the agency is located in Munich, Berlin or Hamburg does not matter.
Alternatives to SEO agencies: Find the best solution for your business
Deciding how and by whom your company's SEO strategy should be implemented is an important and often challenging task. In addition to SEO agencies, there are also other ways to optimize your web presence and achieve better results in search engines. Below we look at some alternatives to traditional SEO agencies.
SEO Freelancer
Advantages:
- Flexibility: SEO freelancers can be hired flexibly as needed, which is often more cost-effective than a full-time agency.
- Specialized Expertise: Many freelancers are experts in their field and bring a lot of experience.
Disadvantages:
- Limited Resources: An individual entrepreneur may not have the capacities of an agency team.
- Risk of Unreliability: Working with individuals can sometimes entail the risk of unreliability.
Inhouse SEO Management
Advantages:
- Control: With an in-house team, you have full control over your SEO strategy and its implementation.
- Industry knowledge: An internal team understands the specifics of your business better than external service providers.
Disadvantages:
- Higher startup costs: Setting up an internal team can result in high initial costs, including recruiting and training personnel.
- Limited expertise: It can be a challenge to put together a team with the necessary expertise.
SEO Training
Advantages:
- Capacity Building: Through training, you can expand the skills of your existing team in the field of search engine optimization.
- Long-term Investment: The training of internal employees is a long-term investment in the skills and resources of your company.
Disadvantages:
- Time-intensive: Training can take up a lot of time, which could otherwise be used for the implementation of SEO strategies.
- Success not guaranteed: Even after training, your team may not reach the expert level of experienced SEO professionals.
Self-study and tools
Advantages:
- Cost-effective: There are many free resources and tools available online that you can use to self-educate in SEO.
- Self-determination: You can learn at your own pace and select the strategies that best suit your business.
Disadvantages:
- Steep learning curve: SEO is a complex field with a steep learning curve, especially for beginners.
- Time-consuming: Self-study can take a lot of time that you could otherwise invest in your business.
While SEO agencies can offer a high level of expertise and resources, they are not the only option for businesses looking to improve their online presence. Alternatives such as working with SEO freelancers, developing in-house SEO management, or investing in SEO training can also be effective depending on your specific needs and resources. The key is to choose the option that best suits your business and your goals.
Conclusion
Search engine optimization is a complex process that requires expertise and experience. Whether it's On-page optimization, link building or content creation, SEO agencies are the experts that can help you achieve your goals. Remember that a good SEO agency should be transparent, experienced, and customer-focused. Investing in Search engine optimization can prove to be very rewarding in the long term by improving the visibility and ranking of your website, leading to an increased number of customers.
In a world where online presence is of paramount importance, hiring an SEO agency can be the key to success. Take the time to find the right agency for your business and set yourself on the path to successful online presence.
Manuel Weiss is the Head of Inbound Marketing at OMR Reviews. Previously, he worked for 4 years as the Head of SEO at ABOUT YOU and has also been self-employed as an SEO Freelancer since 2013.
