How to Find a Good Local SEO Company (or Expert) – YouTube

Avoiding Local SEO Scams

Many small business owners seek help with local SEO and Google My Business rankings.
However, the SEO industry can attract scammers who exploit business owners’ lack of knowledge.
These scammers aim to make quick money by selling ineffective SEO services.
This situation makes business owners wary of engaging with local SEO professionals.

To avoid these scammers, be aware of certain red flags.
Anyone who guarantees a number one spot or first-page ranking on Google is likely lying.
It’s impossible to guarantee rankings because no one controls Google’s algorithm.
Similarly, be cautious of services that offer thousands of directory citations for a very low price.

While some citations in key directories are helpful, creating thousands is unnecessary.
Another dubious tactic is Google Map stacking, which involves building a custom Google Map with multiple pins and directions to your business.
This tactic is often offered at a low price, but it is ineffective.
Avoid cheap services that guarantee results, as there are no shortcuts to good local SEO.

Defining Your SEO Goals

Before hiring an SEO agency or freelancer, define what you want them to do for your business.
Many clients want to rank number one for broad keywords, which may not be the most effective goal.
Consider that customers may be unwilling to travel long distances, even if you rank high for a general term.
Instead, aim for realistic goals, such as ranking for relevant keywords close to your business location.

Rankings are just one indication of success.
The ultimate goal is to increase your bottom line and generate more customers through organic traffic.
Identify which services or products are most profitable for your business and prioritize those in your SEO strategy.
For example, a dentist might prioritize dental implants if they are a significant revenue source.

A good SEO agency or freelancer will ask about your goals before working with you.
Once you’ve agreed on your goals, discuss how they plan to achieve them and their methods.
The goals should be used to measure success and determine if you’re getting value for money.
The agency should then conduct an in-depth analysis of your current performance.

The Importance of an SEO Audit

A comprehensive audit is essential to improving a local business’s online visibility.
The audit should assess your existing visibility, organic traffic, and progress toward your goals.
This audit helps to determine how far you might be from reaching the targets you want to hit.
The audit should involve examining website traffic, conversions, and top keywords over the past year.

The audit should also analyze your Google My Business listing performance across Google Maps.
A thorough audit will collect information on over a hundred data points and SEO signals, highlighting areas that need improvement.
It will also compare your key ranking signals with those of your competitors.
The agency should check all content pages to identify what is working and what isn’t, as well as any duplicate or redundant pages.

A keyword analysis should identify keywords that your competitors are ranking for but you are not.
The audit results should be used to create a roadmap, prioritized by category, to improve your online visibility.
This type of audit can take several days to complete.
Following the audit, the agency should provide regular reports to track progress.

Finding the Right SEO Agency

Word of mouth is an effective way to find a good local SEO agency.
Ask other business owners if they work with an agency and if they are satisfied with their services.
Avoid searching for “best local SEO agency near me” on Google, as those websites may be optimized to attract unaware clients.
Instead, search for a keyword in your industry and see which businesses rank at the top.

Contact those businesses and ask if they work with an SEO agency and if they would recommend them.
Check online reviews to assess an agency’s reputation.
While reviews can be manipulated, they still provide a good indication of quality.
Once you’ve narrowed down your search, contact the agencies and engage with them directly.

You can quickly assess their competence based on the information discussed in this video.
Before signing a contract, ask for audit samples, report samples, and case studies.
Ensure the agency specializes in local SEO, as it differs from generic SEO.
Be prepared to invest in quality services, as local SEO is time and labor-intensive.

Budget and Involvement

Most reputable SEO professionals charge a minimum of $600 to $800 per month.
Ideally, find an agency that doesn’t require a long-term contract, as this indicates confidence in their skills.
Working without a contract can also keep the agency motivated.
Remember that your involvement is crucial for successful local SEO.

Agencies may need you to provide local content, such as pictures or written material.
At the very least, you should review the content they create.
In some cases, shooting videos may also be beneficial.
Local websites and Google listings optimizations require local content.

A good local SEO agency will want you to take pictures and maybe write some content.
Or at the very least, they will want you to review the content they write.
In some cases they may even ask you to shoot some videos.
The cooperation between you and the SEO agency is key to achieving the desired results.