By Clint Sanchez · Published · Updated · 1 min read
Quick answer
To tell if an SEO company is any good, run four checks. Look at its own website, because a firm that cannot make its own site professional or rank it will not rank yours. Search the keywords related to its business and see if it appears on page one. Search the company name and read the reviews for a pattern of happy or burned clients. Then ask friends who have used the firm.
Key takeaways
- An SEO company that sells rankings should be easy to find on Google; many are not.
- A shoddy, unprofessional website is the first red flag, since the firm's own site is its clearest sample of work.
- Search keywords related to the company's business; a good firm ranks on page one for at least some of them.
- Reviews found by searching the company name show if past clients were happy or burned.
- Word of mouth from friends who used the firm is the final check before hiring.
Google them. If they’re a good company, they should be easy to find. After all, if they’re selling SEO services, they should rank pretty well on Google, right?
You would think.
Unfortunately, we see it every day. Companies that claim to be the best at SEO but can’t even rank their own website on page one of Google. Or, worse yet, companies that don’t even appear on Google!
When looking for an SEO company, you must do your homework and make sure they are a reputable firm with a good track record. Here are a few tips on how to research an SEO company:
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1) Check their website.
This may seem like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many companies claim to be SEO experts but have shoddy, unprofessional websites. If their own site can’t rank, how will they get yours to the top?
2) See where they rank
Do a quick Google search of keywords related to their business. If they’re as good as they say, they should be ranking on the first page for at least some of those keywords. If they’re nowhere to be found, that’s a big red flag.
3) Read their reviews
When you search for their company name, see what comes up. Are there a lot of positive reviews from happy clients? Or are there mostly negative reviews from people they have burned in the past?
4) Ask around
Talk to your friends and see if anyone has used their services before. If they have, ask if they were happy with the results.
By following these simple tips, you can make sure that you’re hiring a reputable, experienced SEO company that can deliver on its promise to get your website ranking high on Google.
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About the author
Founder & Lead Developer · Denham Springs, LA
Clint has built and marketed websites for 26 years, since founding BlakSheep Creative in 2000. He is also a 29-year firefighter and a 23-year member of IAFF Local 557, which is where the bias toward plain answers over sales copy comes from.
- Veteran-owned
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- IAFF Local 557
Common questions about seo
Why should an SEO company rank for its own keywords?
What if the SEO company has no reviews?
Can a company with a bad website still be good at SEO?
How do I check where an SEO agency ranks?
What should I ask someone who has used the company?
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