In the world of SEO, the winds are changing. 2012 saw the introduction of the new Panda and Penguin updates from Google, which brought with them a paradigm shift in the way local SEO companies now have to think about their work.
While this may sound daunting, it is actually a prime opportunity for savvy, forward-thinking firms to take advantage of the new wave of optimization strategies that revolve around “content marketing.” This new approach is grounded in the fact that search engines love new content…and so do consumers! However, not any and all content will do. We’re talking quality, unique, helpful and relevant content that addresses the needs and answers the questions of searchers.
If your local SEO company hasn’t talked with your business about the importance of content marketing, then they are doing you a disservice. Of course, SEO firms still have a goal of researching relevant, achievable keywords and developing multiple strategies for getting your site ranked for those words, but if lots of content production isn’t a part of those strategies, then they’re on the wrong track.
What Local SEO Companies May Not Be Telling You
There’s no “easy fix” or “shortcut” for a quality SEO strategy.
Getting words ranked takes time and effort. It’s a process – and that’s something any good SEO company should be upfront about right from the beginning.
Not every keyword is worth pursuing.
Because each word you try to go after will take hours worth of time writing about and properly optimizing your site for, your selected keyword list should be based on expert research. If you’ve been working with your SEO company for more than a year, you should expect to have them say to you at some point or another: “Honestly, this keyword is not worth targeting at this time.” That’s an honest SEO firm.
There’s no proof without the pages and the numbers.
What do we mean by this? Well, if your local SEO company is promising you great results for certain words, then you should proof of their work on your site. They should be able to show you new site pages or new blog pages that they are developing content for around that keyword. Also, they should always be able to provide you with a detailed report that shows your progress for each word in search engines results. Don’t hesitate to ask for the proof! If they’ve been working, they won’t mind showing off the product of their labor.
The bottom line is, you have a right to know what you’re paying for. Make sure your SEO company is utilizing content marketing strategies and that they can show you the proof of their efforts.
