By Maria Jones
Those who assume that SEO is something that only big businesses need to deal with will be surprised to learn that around three-quarters of small businesses have invested in search engine optimization. However, over 60% of small businesses tend to try and manage the SEO process with internal resources that end up being wasted. An increasing number of savvy businesses are waking up to the need of hiring SEO experts, however, their limited domain knowledge prevents them from asking the right questions that would help them to evaluate their merits.
How Will The SEO Initiative Be Launched?
By asking this you will immediately be able to gauge the expert’s real competence. Ideally, the answer should factor in considerations like plans for scaling up the business, the budget available for the SEO exercise, the extent of previous SEO efforts, the architecture of the website, and relevance of the content, etc. The strategy proposed should not only demonstrate familiarity with advanced SEO concepts and techniques but also whether it matches the business’s goals and requirements.
How Will the SEO Strategy and Changes Be Shared With the Business?
It is not only necessary that the local BaltimoreSEO company expert understands the requirements and aligns the SEO with the business’s needs but also able to explain clearly in non-technical language the changes have been done to the owners and staff, who may not have the requisite domain knowledge. Unless this is done, participation in SEO will never become a company-wide affair, and you may have people working at cross-purposes.
Will the SEO Take Into Account the Social Media Activities of the Business?
Search engines are increasingly including social media pages in their SERPs, especially as increasingly the concepts of SEO are being applied on the posts. Social media engagement is a very effective way of building customer loyalty, and traffic from one source to another can be generated if the SEO specialist can combine the power of both through cross-platform SEO.
Is There Any Guarantee of Getting Included in Google’s Page 1 of Search Results?
Having your website displayed on the first page of Google is difficult but not impossible. There are multiple factors that need to be reckoned with before any answer is given. It is quite unlikely that a new site without having any authority by way of backlinks from reputed sources would make it to the first page just on the basis of keywords. However, if the business occupies a niche that does not see too much competition and is regarded as successful, it is quite possible for the backlinks to be acquired quickly that would help to propel it to the top rankings.
Entrepreneurs should always keep in mind that typically SEO initiatives can take sustained efforts over time to show visible results. Even with the best of techniques and tools, an SEO specialist cannot be expected to work magic and get you on Page 1 of Google overnight. What is really important, however, is the SEO practitioner is familiar with the developing trends and is able to react quickly.
Maria Jones heads a local Baltimore SEO company that has considerable experience in fine-tuning SEO for startups. A prolific speaker and blogger on emerging trends in SEO, Maria is also a keen philatelist.
