Local search engine optimization (SEO) plays a crucial role in your business’s success. It helps your business stand out and rank high in local search results.
Whether you’re running a business with a physical store or through an online website, you can benefit from local SEO. To reap such benefits, you need to hire a local SEO expert.
Professionals offering local SEO services ensure that your website is up-to-date and optimized. They’ll also use their broad expertise, experience, and continuing education to use proven and effective SEO tactics that will guarantee the success of your marketing efforts.
However, with the countless local SEO experts in the market, it’s not easy to choose the right and best one for your unique needs. Before you hire any expert specializing in local SEO, here are the questions you need to ask:
What SEO Strategies Do You Offer?
Before working with any local SEO experts, you should always ask them for the specifics. Keep in mind that there are different approaches to SEO, and knowing what SEO strategies they offer can make a difference.
Reliable local SEO service providers are willing to explain the steps they plan to implement and the best-suited strategies to optimize your online marketing campaigns. Plus, they’ll gladly share with you the details that you need to know to understand every kind of SEO strategy.
What Metrics Do You Use?
It’s another essential question to ask because it’ll help you determine whether a particular local SEO expert is a good fit for your company’s needs. The best SEO experts clearly explain the metrics they’re using for a local SEO strategy and how they’re using them to achieve your business goals.
Know what you want from your SEO campaigns and look for experts who can provide and measure that. Several experts use metrics, like keywords for brand awareness and website promotion.
How Long Have You Been Providing Local SEO Services?
Not all local SEO experts are made equal. While some are newbies in the industry, others are already veterans in providing local SEO services.
Although there’s nothing wrong with working with a new service provider, hiring experts who have been in the industry for several years is more beneficial. With their expertise and years of experience, you can be sure that they know the right approach for every business that requires local SEO services.
Are You Updated On The Search Engine Algorithm’s Changes?
Search engines regularly release algorithm updates that may change how businesses approach their SEO strategies. In order for local SEO experts to deliver results, they should remain updated on such changes. Otherwise, their tactics may not work effectively.
This question can also help you distinguish between amateur and experienced professionals in local SEO. If possible, hire somebody who’s aware of the newest algorithm updates. Then ask if they changed their approach and how they reacted to the updates.
Do You Guarantee Rankings?
If you aim to increase your search engine rankings, always ask if your preferred local SEO experts guarantee rankings. If their answer is yes, it’s better to look for other service providers since rankings can’t be guaranteed. No service providers will be able to know the algorithm’s secret and have a special relationship with the search engines.
Furthermore, with the algorithm changes and ranking factors, ranking is never stable. Search results may vary based on every person’s device, location, and search history. Even though you look at the averages, it’s natural for rankings to fluctuate daily.
The most reliable local SEO service providers will inform you that there’s no secret recipe for SEO marketing. However, they’ll let you know what kinds of results you may expect. Therefore, you should look for experts that do their best to meet your local SEO needs rather than guarantee rankings.
How Long Will It Be To See Results?
Effective SEO doesn’t deliver instant results. Although it takes time, it shouldn’t prevent a legit local SEO expert from providing a time frame for results. Generally, you must expect to see results from reliable SEO tactics within six months.
The results may depend on some factors as well, like your website’s overall performance. For example, fixing technical errors may net legit SEO gains in a short period. On the other hand, if your website is free from any technical problems and is already well-structured, you don’t need to wait longer for measurable changes.
If your local SEO expert promises instant results, don’t hesitate to ask why. If they can’t come up with an answer, be wary because they might be using spammy or outdated methods that may result in getting your website penalized.
Bottom Line
When hiring local SEO experts, you don’t always need to choose the most popular in the industry. If possible, hire professionals who truly know and understand how to meet your needs and deal with your SEO challenges. By asking the above questions, you’ll be able to evaluate the best local SEO expert who deserves the job and can deliver long-term success.
