How to Choose an SEO Vendor

Search Engine Optimization, or SEO as it is commonly called, is a strategy to make your company's name appear at the top of search engines like Google and Yahoo. If your company name shows up in the first three or four entries, there's a good chance the searcher will click the link to your website. Not only does this drive more traffic to your website, it also increases the chances of turning web surfers into paying customers.

The way search engines display search results is no accident. They use a broad range of criteria, some of which is known and some of which is held in secret as their "magic sauce." Additionally, search engines change their formulas from time to time. So even if you claw your way to the top of a search engine, there's no guarantee that you'll stay there.

SEO is a three-legged stool. The first leg involves optimizing your website so it's "search engine friendly." This is everything from the titles you assign to your page to the way you write your content to the names of your images images. The second leg involves links. The more others link to your site, the more you can rise in the ranks. The third leg involves active content: social media, blogs, and other tools that keeps your name and keywords churning through the Internet community.

Given the complexity of SEO, many people turn to companies that specialize in this area to help them put an SEO strategy in place. These companies implement a program to raise you up in the search engine rankings when people type in specific keywords. If you think that SEO would be a good addition to your marketing arsenal, and you want to hire out the job to a third party, consider this criteria as you evaluate a potential SEO vendor.

Check their network. A solid SEO vendor will maintain a strong network of websites that can crosslink to you. If your vendor doesn't have this, proceed with caution.

Give it time. Rising in the search rankings does not happen overnight. It usually takes between 3-6 months for you to move up after you implement an SEO program. Beware of any SEO vendor who tells you they can have you at the top of Google in a month.

Ask for results. A seasoned SEO company should be able to provide you with objective statistical results of their work. That data should chart where their customers began in the rankings and how they improved over time. 

Be careful of a tail. An SEO company will generally charge a flat rate per month, depending on how many keywords you choose. Beware of companies that charge based on a "tail"--that is, they do some SEO work up front and charge you every month thereafter. SEO is an ongoing process that takes a methodical, consistent approach to move you up--and keep you up--in the rankings. Make sure your SEO vendor is doing work for you every month on your website, your links, and your blogs and social media or you might be paying for whole lot of nothing.

Carefully choose keywords. Your SEO vendor should be an expert in helping you choose which keywords and phrases will drive traffic to your site. If your SEO vendor isn't keyword fluent, keep looking.

Red Fender strongly recommends Matthew's Consulting (www.consultmatt.com) for your SEO project. The firm's owner, Matt Dietz, is a published author on the topic of SEO and his firm has helped dozens of companies dramatically improve their search engine rankings. Matt can be reached at info@consultmatt.com or at (503) 757-3203