Mastering search engines takes a lot of moving parts. To the uninitiated, SEO might feel like it can be handled with some simple keyword research, but there’s so much more to building an effective strategy. That’s why so many businesses rightly feel the need to outsource services to an SEO company – it can be a full-time job in some cases. But what makes a good SEO focused organisation?
Proper SEO requires a pretty comprehensive approach that touches on everything from content creation to website user experience. This article will show you the SEO essentials that you need from any digital marketing agency you work with, so you can outsource or DIY SEO with confidence.
SEO audit services
The best place to start is with where a client’s current SEO profile sits. An audit is designed to set the lay of the land, understanding a website/online presence’s SEO efficacy, while also putting weaknesses and gaps under the spotlight. Proper audits will follow up with accurate, tailored strategies of how a company should best approach SEO going forward.
Technical SEO
Technical SEO is vital for websites looking to perform well, covering all the backend elements that make a strong, engine-favoured online page. The kinds of things covered by technical SEO should include:
- HTML configuration
- Core web vitals (loading times, ease of use, visual stability)
- Mobile friendliness
- URL structuring
- Metadata
- Checking for duplicate content
- Tag manager implementation
- Backlink profile reviews
- Competitor analysis
All of these are aspects that you might take for granted on a high-performing website, but they’re all being managed rigorously behind the scenes – often by a purpose-made SEO company.
SEO website migration services
SEO website migration is the process of moving one website’s information to another in a way that doesn’t negatively impact SEO. It generally takes one or more of four primary forms:
- Domain migration. Changing the domain name of the website.
- URL structure migration. Changing the structure of the website’s URLs.
- Platform/CMS migration. Altering the content system or platform the website is hosted from.
- Server migration. Choosing a new server, whether VPS, shared hosting, dedicated server or cloud hosted.
These processes ensure that website transitions and alterations don’t take too much from SEO value.
SEO content services
Around 7.5 million blogs are posted every day. SEO content services can help make sure that the ones from your business make an impact. Content services aren’t just about blogs – they can also encompass website landing pages, product descriptions, newsletters and just about anything else that can be optimised. Good services will create unique, readable and keyword-rich content in a client’s desired tone of voice.
Link-building & digital PR
Beyond the content that can be built specifically for the client themself, content can also include digital PR and link building services. This means creating content for industry publications and relevant websites, linking back to the client to create authority for specific keywords.
Local SEO
A local SEO specialist agency should be able to target a client’s local area with precision. This means understanding the concerns of the surrounding market and translating them into content and paid advertising content. Over 1.5 billion searches a month feature the term “near me”, so a local focus is essential for a lot of strategies.
eCommerce SEO
ECommerce SEO is focused on increasing the visibility and relevance of online stores, ensuring they can make an impact in their industry. eCom SEO is largely focused on targeting keywords, product page optimisation and writing convincing sales content.
If you’re going to hire an SEO company, you need to be confident that they can offer you all of these parts of the package – otherwise, you might end up missing out on vital pieces of the puzzle.
