A Deep Dive Into the Benefits of Paid SEO Services
An effective SEO strategy requires an in-depth understanding of analytics and marketing, plus the right tools to create insights on what’s working and what isn’t. For many companies, this work can be a massive undertaking in addition to their existing operations. That’s why many organizations instead work with paid SEO services, relying on the expertise, tools, and industry knowledge an agency can offer. Unsure if an agency partnership is right for you? In this article, we’ll discuss what SEO agencies are, their benefits, and what to look for when searching for an agency.
What is Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?
First, a quick refresher on what exactly is SEO. As its name suggests, SEO focuses on improving the rank of your organization’s pages in search engine results, such as Google. Search engines are vital to a business’s marketing strategy in today’s increasingly digital marketplace. SEO analytics engine Semrush reports that 5.9 million Google searches occur every minute, accounting for nearly 92% of all global search engine usage. Furthermore, top organic Google search results have a 22.4% higher click-through rate than the competition. By optimizing content, links, and website structure, businesses can improve their ranking in search results, garnering more traffic and visibility for their brand.
However, it’s important to note that SEO is part science and part art. In other words, without the right expertise and finesse, the same tactics that can improve your site’s ranking can also hurt your SEO if done incorrectly. For example, updating content based on keyword research improves results, but keyword stuffing can hurt them because it violates Google’s spam policies. Any links added to a site to manipulate the rankings, like low-quality or hidden links, are also considered link spam.
The Benefits of Having an SEO Agency
With so many factors to consider, starting or refreshing an SEO project can feel overwhelming. Technology is constantly evolving, and so is user behavior online. Partnering with an agency might be a good choice as they handle the bulk of SEO keyword research, planning, and execution so your teams can focus on their primary work. Here are some key benefits to working with an agency.
SEO Services: Affordability
Hiring a role dedicated only to SEO isn’t financially feasible for some organizations, especially small businesses. Understandably, they want to maximize their value, setting resources toward other parts of scaling their business. Depending on the agency, fee structures can vary based on business size or are project-specific based on scopes of work instead of annual salaries. At TenStrat, for example, we utilize a performance marketing model, so our clients pay based on meeting a specific goal, such as sales, leads, site interactions, or other objectives.
SEO Services: Tool Flexibility
In addition to making room in the budget for a new hire, tools are another potential cost to consider. This includes the time to train employees on using them and the time it takes to search for vendors and install the necessary tools. Many SEO tools, like Google Analytics, are free, but some key features may only be available for paid customers. A modern SEO agency will immediately have tools ready for your business, including industry-leading platforms that may be cost-prohibitive for some. Your team will take advantage of all the benefits of a full SEO tool suite without adding to your on-site technology ecosystem.
SEO Services: Fast Time to Value
Instead of taking the time to hire and onboard a new member of your marketing team, SEO agencies offer scalability. As mentioned above, no tool training is needed, and all agency employees are already seasoned in assessing and improving SEO rankings. Agencies can hit the ground running when you sign the contract.
SEO Services Offered by Agencies
An SEO agency works like any other marketing agency in that a dedicated team of experts will focus on improving your website’s rankings to meet your business objectives. Some examples of SEO services include:
- Improving your organization’s credibility.
- Increasing your ranking on search engine results.
- Providing valuable insights into user behavior.
- Assessing your website’s current SEO status and areas for improvement.
- Researching relevant keywords to boost rankings.
- Identifying targeted traffic.
- Optimizing your website for mobile compatibility.
What to Look for in an Agency
Think of finding an SEO agency like any potential partnership: What are your must-haves and dealbreakers? Some qualities we recommend assessing include the following:
- Experience – How many combined years of expertise does the team bring? Do they have experience in your specific industry? What’s the company’s reputation?
- Client reviews – Are clients satisfied with their services?
- Tools and methodology – How will the team accomplish your goals? Are they using industry-standard applications? Do they find creative solutions to problems?
- Mission – Is digital marketing the agency’s primary focus, or do they offer a broad spectrum of services? Depending on your needs, either option could be great!
- Location – If you’re on East Coast time, for example, is it realistic to have a weekly sync with a team based in Australia?
Get Started With TenStrat
Partnering with an SEO agency can be a significant differentiator for your business. TenStrat is a Performance Marketing agency passionate about driving rapid growth through a data-driven approach. With over 30 years of combined Digital Marketing experience, we bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise working with start-ups to Fortune 500s. We trust in data and analytics to help us hypothesize, prioritize, and test innovative growth strategies. Contact us today to learn more.
