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Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a necessity now for any company engaged in digital marketing. It is a good option for your company to invest in SEO experts, but the budget for an SEO consultant in Singapore can be costly. How can you be sure that you are dealing with the right one?

1.Define your SEO goals

As with any venture, you need to define your goals. When you approach SEO agencies, it is better to do more than just listen to their offers–you also need to let them know what you want to achieve. Ask for a plan of action that the SEO agency can present to reach your stated goals.

At the onset, you should ask for a straightforward response–do you need a totally new website or can you just improve your SEO practices with a consultant? The SEO industry in Singapore is competitive, so most of them are under pressure to deliver results.

2.Identify the techniques they utilize

The proof of the pudding is in the eating, and for SEO agencies, there are metrics to check on the success rate of their technique. There are client confidentiality clauses in play, but checking on their keyword rankings, organic traffic, backlinks, organic click-through-rate are some key indicators.

3.Budget

Your online presence will be more valuable to your company as the years go by. It is best to invest wisely, especially if you are on a tight budget. Your SEO agency should be clear on what they can deliver based on your offer, but you must not compromise credibility for performance.

It is important to take note that Google hands out penalties to companies that do not comply with their guidelines. The last thing you need is to get a damaged reputation online, since the losses could far outweigh the initial cost.

4.Innovating and Adapting with New Tools

Since SEO is constantly evolving, the SEO agencies should be dynamic and adaptable. There will always be new challenges, and if your SEO consultant is a one-trick pony, they could easily be left behind. SEO is similar to Singapore’s culture of being unafraid to face changes and challenges, and ready to make the necessary adjustments. If it means that they have to innovate or learn on the fly, then they should be able to do pull it off.

5.Realistic Guarantees

Before engaging the services of Search Engine Optimization agencies, you should also familiarize yourself with what it is so you can make realistic expectations. Otherwise, you may be given guarantees by a sweet-talking consultant–guarantees that would be impossible to deliver.

SEO is not a static practice, and while there are best practices in the industry, they are always fluctuating, being revised around ever-changing algorithms. Look for an SEO agency’s consistency throughout the years, that is the best you can have, as no agency can predict exact Search engine result page (SERP) rankings.

6.Transparency and Credibility

Credibility is very important in SEO, and many of the algorithms has promoted the quality and relevance of content when they consider the rankings. SEO experts should be transparent about their track record. If they claim to have a perfect track record, it may be another case of an exaggerated guarantee.

SEO is an evolving science and a consultant should be open to admit that they had some misses. It is better to appreciate the honesty.

7.Think beyond SEO

You are looking for an SEO agency because SEO is important–but it is still a means to an end. Good SEO agencies understand that the ultimate goal is to increase site visits and engagements that lead to revenue. This is why they should be willing to think outside the box for solutions that contribute to the big picture. Check on the agency’s conversion rate to gain more insight into this.

8.Look for Customized Solutions, Not Just Generic Methods

Your SEO agency is your partner–that means you collaborate and communicate. It is not supposed to be a one-shot job, especially for the fluid, ever-changing algorithms used by search engines.

Each company has its own specific needs and goals, and in this industry, there is no “one-size fits all” solution. Your SEO agency should be responsive to your needs and be ready to make adjustments.