Search engine optimization is a critical element of any company’s online presence. Businesses hoping to make sales online or to stand out among countless other businesses offering similar products and services can genuinely benefit from a successful SEO campaign.
However, some SEO companies, perhaps claiming to be the best SEO company in Kansas City, like to make empty promises such as “rank on page one in 30 days” or “your sales will increase by 50% or more.” SEO is a business––and a big business for many. For every honest SEO company out there, there are probably three who intend to take your money without any serious concerns about how it helps your business succeed.
What Are “Good” SEO Results?
Remember that SEO is a means to an end, not an end in itself. If you invest in an expensive Kansas City SEO campaign that produces little to no increase in sales, who cares if you rank number one or two in a search query?
Dishonest SEO agencies will select keywords for your business that seem valuable but have little to no benefit. Imagine that you are a mechanic in Kansas City, and your SEO agency suggests the keyword “pickup truck mechanic in Kansas City.” Any SEO agency or freelancer should be able to make your shop rank quickly for this keyword, but only because almost no one is using these search terms. When your website begins to rank on page one for this query, you might think your agency is doing a good job. (They aren’t.)
On the other hand, the simpler term, “mechanic in Kansas City,” will be both more difficult to rank for and much more helpful toward increasing sales for your shop––because people are searching for a “mechanic in Kansas City.” It might take as much as six months or even a year to put your website on page one of search queries, but it should be much more effective long term at bringing in new clients.
In other words, search engine optimization for useless keywords provides no benefit to your business. “Good” SEO results can only be defined as results that lead to an increase in web traffic and sales.
What Matters in Search Engine Optimization?
SEO specialists often speak as if the goal of search engine optimization is to have their client’s website rank at the top of a Google search query for particular keywords. This sounds correct––but it isn’t. The best SEO company in Kansas City will make your website rank at the top of Google search queries for the right keywords. The “right” keywords can only be defined as “the keywords that lead to an increase in traffic to your website and sales for your business.”
Red Flags When Hiring an SEO Agency
- They guarantee fast and easy results, such as ranking on page one within thirty days. An experienced SEO agency might be able to produce results in less than a month, but they know better than to guarantee those results. Because so many variables are involved, search engine optimization is not an exact science. These variables include, at minimum, unpredictable changes to Google’s algorithms and your competitors’ ever-changing SEO strategies.
- They don’t want to explain what they do or why they chose particular keywords. The best SEO company in Kansas City (or anywhere else) should have no problem explaining the basics of SEO and keyword selection to you. They should also be able to explain it without using too much technical jargon. Keywords should be relevant to your business, not overly specific, and show evidence of web traffic (people should already be regularly using the term in searches).
Slow Results Don’t Necessary Signal an SEO Failure
Remember that the ‘O’ in ‘SEO’ stands for “optimization.” Optimization in any field is a process. Engineers spend years developing new technology and often go through hundreds of revisions until they produce a quality product. SEO shouldn’t take years, but it doesn’t happen overnight, either.
As a client, you should be looking for steady progress. If optimal results don’t happen immediately, that doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong. Don’t dump your SEO agency after three months if all your keywords aren’t ranking on page one. Do speak to your agency if progress seems to have plateaued or regressed. Ask them what changes they are implementing to correct for the lack of growth. SEO is a long-term process that should produce long-term benefits for your business. Patience is imperative, but don’t be afraid to ask questions or request that your agency modify an obviously unsuccessful strategy.
What Matters in an SEO Strategy?
As mentioned above, high-ranking keywords don’t necessarily signal a successful SEO strategy. The best SEO company in Kansas City will seek to:
- Increase web traffic to your company’s website.
- Produce quality content for your website.
- Increase Google’s perception of your website’s “authority.”
- Increase the position of your website in valuable search queries.
- Optimize the technical aspects of your website (speed, design, indexing, etc.)
If the only evidence you have of SEO efforts for your website is an increase in position on search queries, your investment in SEO may not be worthwhile. The primary indicator of a successful SEO campaign is an increase in traffic to your website. If traffic is up, but sales are not, don’t be too quick to judge your SEO agency. You may have a website problem (or a problem with your product).
At Social: Managed, we want to see your business succeed, and we have the knowledge and experience to make it happen!
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Social: Managed isn’t just another SEO company in Kansas City or digital marketing agency in Kansas City. We can help you with SEO, copywriting, digital marketing, and social media. We are also an excellent option if you need a new website. At Social: Managed, we do it all.
If you want to improve your online presence, call our team of experts today at (866) 324-9700, or contact us online. We look forward to working with you!
