When it comes to marketing, you know you need a killer SEO strategy. After all, more traffic to your website means more customers. But building organic traffic takes time, technical expertise, and consistently great content. Thankfully, Charlotte is home to some of the best SEO agencies in the Southeast, and with their help, you can get your business on the first page of the search engine results page.
Before you jump into a partnership with an SEO agency, there are a few things to keep in mind. You’ll want to come to the table with a clear picture of how SEO will fit in with your business’s marketing goals so you can make an informed decision about which digital marketing agency is right for you. So without further ado, here are five things to consider before hiring an SEO agency.
- What are your marketing goals?
SEO is a crucial part of your digital marketing strategy—but it shouldn’t be the only weapon in your arsenal. Think about your marketing goals more broadly so you can be ready to communicate your needs clearly when you meet with your marketing agency. Here are a few questions digital marketing companies may ask you:
- Do you have a social media strategy?
- Have you considered paid ads?
- Are you targeting customers in Charlotte, or are you trying to connect with a wider audience?
- Who is your ideal customer?
- How are customers finding you right now?
By preparing answers to these questions, you’ll be ready for a fruitful conversation with prospective marketing agencies and get the most out of your marketing budget.
- What expertise can you offer your readers?
SEO used to be as simple as strategically slipping keywords into your web content. But with Google’s latest Helpful Content update, those days are over. Now, it’s critical to offer something of genuine value to your readers. After all, they’re coming to your website with questions, and it’s mutually beneficial for you to position your website as a reputable source for answers. That means you need unique, high-quality, well-researched content. After all, you are an expert in your field—make sure you leverage that expertise and let it drive your SEO strategy.
- Is your website ready for increased traffic?
When you have a killer SEO strategy, you’d be surprised by how quickly you can build website traffic (especially when paired with PPC marketing). But if your website isn’t ready, all that traffic isn’t going to drive conversions. Make sure your website is built out with beautiful copy, clear and plentiful calls-to-action, and a functional sales funnel. Charlotte is booming right now, and no matter what industry you’re in, you can bet you have a few competitors who are picking up “bounced” customers. If you’re concerned that your website isn’t quite done enough, talk to your digital marketing agency about other services they offer. They can probably help you maximize your SEO investment with conversion rate optimization, website development, technical SEO, and more.
- How much of your marketing budget can you allocate to SEO?
As with most things, you get what you pay for—and SEO is no different. The digital marketing world is full of cheap content, and while that may be helpful in generating a trickle of traffic, Google and other search engines don’t prioritize low-quality content anymore. So if you don’t have the budget for daily or weekly blog posts, consider investing in quality rather than quantity. Your SEO agency will help you build an efficient content calendar that consistently brings visitors to your website—even without tons of articles and blog posts. And as your business grows, you can scale up your SEO budget to allow for more frequent posts.
- Is your SEO agency Charlotte-based?
In 2022, there are tons of digital marketing agencies across the world that offer SEO services at every price point. But it’s worth considering a nearby SEO agency in Charlotte. Not only do local agencies like Wedgewood Marketing have a better understanding of the Charlotte market, we can help connect you with Charlotte’s best creatives for other aspects of your marketing strategy.
As your business grows, so will your marketing needs. And keeping it close to home with a Charlotte-based agency means your marketing team will always have their finger on the pulse of what’s happening here in the Carolinas. Not only is that great for your SEO strategy, it’s an important part of honing your brand voice.
Final Thoughts
Search engine optimization is a huge undertaking—not only do you need a bulletproof content strategy, you’ve got to think about technical SEO, local SEO, and your overall marketing strategy. But by answering these questions, you can maximize the utility of your marketing budget and bring high-quality traffic to your website. Here at Wedgewood Marketing, we help Charlotte businesses build their digital footprint—and their bottom line. If you’re ready to scale your business with a comprehensive SEO strategy, take advantage of our free audit today.
