Guide to choosing the right SEO agency in Houston

Your brand’s visibility and reputation are paramount, especially when it comes to Google searches. If your product or service doesn’t appear on the first page of results, it practically doesn’t exist. However, there are almost as many ways to search the internet as people globally. That’s why you have to apply SEO strategies that work on longtail searches, not just the main keywords of your business.

Choosing the best SEO agency in Houston that will be in charge of positioning your website is a decision that cannot be taken without careful consideration. The success of your business will depend on it to a great extent, for that reason, they must clearly understand the peculiarities of your business.

Currently, there are a lot of Houston web design companies that work with different strategies, methodologies, and approaches. That’s why the first question you should ask yourself is: How can I find a reliable Houston SEO agency?

One of the main distinctions between agencies is their competence and experience in the local market. Furthermore, the ranking algorithm of websites is constantly changing, so they require specific and updated knowledge within that field to achieve optimal results. This mainly involves understanding the fundamental rules of search engine optimization and how to improve the positioning of websites. 

For that reason, the agency you select must have the necessary skills for the different areas such as: website auditing, SEO copywriting, designing customized SEO strategies, and the other actions for the positioning of your company. 

8 Keys to choosing the right SEO agency

Ranking higher on Google takes time and it’s a lot of work. Working with the best web design companies is the optimal way to achieve results, so we will focus on that; you can check out our marketing insights for DIY tips. Here are 8 critical features that companies must have:

1. Specialized professional team

What makes a good SEO team? One or more specialists in content creation, SEO copywriters, UX designers that understand conversion and a front end web developer that understands page optimization.

When contacting an agency, besides getting a proposal and viewing their portfolio, you have to make sure that you talk to a specialist. This will help you to determine if their knowledge of the subject is significant and how well they know your industry. Again, understanding the market you operate in is very important, because they will know what makes your target audience take the next step.

2. Integral positioning services

SEO is much more than the use of keywords to improve the positioning of your website. A good strategy has to be comprehensive and complete. It must include essential elements such as on-page optimization, content creation, quality link building, and many other aspects.

Choose an SEO agency that offers you all these aspects for getting better results.

3. SEO analysis and audits

Following what was mentioned in the previous point, an online SEO strategy can consist of several phases in which different tools and services are required. Site audits are critical in assessing how well your website can be crawled, indexed and discovered. That is why when choosing an SEO agency, they must offer these services:

• SEO positioning
• SEM positioning
• Consulting
• Link building
• The creation of online content
• Web analytics
• Web audits
• Results monitoring

4. Quick response to requests

The time the company takes in responding is a factor you should consider when making your decision. It may seem like a secondary factor, but the company’s agility can indicate the agency’s efficiency. In addition, being able to contact them and getting help from a specialist right away is always helpful.

This is a competitive digital landscape, with ever-changing rules and algorithms, so it will be necessary for you to maintain close contact with the agency.

5. Interest in your expectations

Knowing what your customers expect from your brand is vital before working on your strategy. That’s why you have to choose an SEO agency that listens to your needs and advises you accordingly.

On the other hand, look for honest professionals who can communicate where your project is going and why your expectations may be unrealistic. For example, if your competitors have been spending tens of thousands of dollars over several years in their marketing efforts, it would be unrealistic to outrank them within three months with a few hundred dollars.

6. Clear and professional communication

Look at the way they communicate. Are they able to explain themselves and the process quite well? Do you understand what they are proposing? Are they sharing how they will be working?

Good communication includes their strategies, their scheduling and how they share monthly reports. We even recommend inquiring about their SEO tools, and what is their true value over other options in the market.

7. Clear budget and easy to understand contract

Suppose the relationship with the agency is not clear from the beginning. In that case, you may not feel comfortable working with them in the future. From the beginning, the conditions and actions have to be clear between both parties.

From the first meeting, you have to raise the main sensitive points—for example, the methodology, the initial steps, the way of payment, the expected results, etc. Everything you think is essential when choosing an SEO agency must be clearly outlined in the contract.

8. Good references from other work

No matter how small or large an agency is, every good agency has clients who recommend it. These good reviews can help guide you when choosing an SEO agency. Tip: look for verifiable references from credible clients!

Things to avoid when choosing your SEO agency

• Exaggerated promises: No agency can guarantee the first position in Google, and even less in the short term. So, if they promise the moon, run!
  
• Charging for keywords: SEO by “weight” does not work, and the evolution of search engines is more oriented towards semantic and general searches. So, look for agencies that offer a complete service and not by keyword.
  
• Dubious policies: Many agencies use black hat SEO, unethical positioning techniques, or are even forbidden by search engines, but this always backfires in the long run. In particular, beware of agencies that promise to generate free inbound links. These are all red flags.
  
• Too low prices: Quality SEO takes a lot of time, knowledge, and resources, so cheap is expensive in the long run.
  
• Unprovable results: A good SEO agency should always be transparent with what they are doing, so if they are not, beware!

Ensure the success of your business with the right SEO Agency

With these tips, you should hopefully have enough information to choose the right agency that you can entrust with your company’s SEO.

The best web design companies in Houston assert that effective SEO is an ongoing, collective, and specialized process that improves your business’s visibility on the Internet. You are the person who knows the most about your business, and the agency is the one who knows everything about SEO; collaborating together is key to developing the most effective marketing strategies.