Looking to grow your ecommerce store with sustainable organic traffic?
Partnering with the right SEO agency can be the difference between online success and failure. Frankly, most businesses don’t know what to look for when choosing an SEO partner.
But when you do find the right person…
- Your rankings will improve.
- Traffic will start to flow.
- Sales will follow.
Pick the wrong partner, though… and you’ll burn months (if not years) and thousands of dollars spinning your wheels.
So, let’s make sure you’re choosing the right SEO partner from the start.
Table of Contents
- Why Long-Term SEO Matters More Than Quick Fixes
- Choosing What To Look For In An SEO Agency
- Tips For Building A Successful Partnership Strategy
- Warning Signs To Avoid Cheap SEO Flattery
- How To Make Your Partnership Successful Long-Term
Why Long-Term SEO Matters More Than Quick Fixes
Buying into short-term SEO promises is easy.
SEO companies are popping up left and right selling fake black hat SEO services.
Fast SEO wins promise to boost your rankings quickly with little effort on your part.
But here’s the thing…
Unless you’re doing shady tactics yourself, search engine optimization takes time. Google rewards consistent websites that publish great content over time.
Ranking #1 on Google doesn’t happen overnight.
According to Conductor, key industries see organic search drive 33% of overall website traffic.
That’s right. Nearly 1/3 of all website traffic is coming from organic search.
And for ecommerce stores, organic search is the lifeblood of your business.
You can’t make sales without shoppers finding your store online.
When searching for an agency partner for ecommerce digital marketing, make sure you work with a trusted SEO marketing agency in Michigan that you can rely on.
At Pure Visibility, we know exactly what works in search.
And more importantly, what doesn’t work.
Building your organic search presence is a long-term strategy.
Something you should be investing in for years to come.
Paid ads stop generating traffic the second you stop paying.
Organic SEO builds an asset that keeps delivering results month after month.
Even years after the initial SEO legwork is done.
Choosing What To Look For In An SEO Agency
Not all SEO agencies are created equal.
Sure, there are dozens (if not hundreds) of agencies that promise great results.
But how can you be sure your money is being well spent?
Let’s take a look at some of the things you should consider when choosing your SEO agency partner.
Transparency Is Key
The best SEO agencies have nothing to hide.
They openly share their strategies and tactics with clients.
Great agencies won’t make you sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA).
Avoid agencies that:
- Make you sign NDAs
- Claim to have secret guaranteed ranking methods
- Don’t offer regular SEO reporting
- Use complicated SEO buzzwords you don’t understand
According to Resourcera, 48% of marketers switch SEO agencies due to lack of transparency.
That’s right. Nearly half of all business relationships between clients and SEO agencies end because of a lack of transparency.
You should expect your SEO partner to be open about their strategies.
If they won’t tell you what they’re doing, how can you trust them?
Relevant Experience
Your SEO agency should ideally have experience helping ecommerce stores rank in Google.
SEO is universal. The same principals apply whether you have a flower shop in Cleveland or an online apparel store.
But imagine you’re searching for a contractor to build a garage. Would you hire someone who’s never poured a foundation before?
It’d be foolish.
The same logic applies when searching for SEO help.
An agency with experience growing ecommerce websites will be more beneficial to you than a rookie agency.
Manage Your Expectations
It takes time to see results from your SEO efforts.
Ranking on page one is the goal. But asking your SEO partner to get you there in 30 days is unrealistic.
Any SEO agency that promises quick ranking wins is likely using black hat SEO tactics.
You want white hat SEO.
SEO takes time. But…
You can expect to see improvements within the first 3-6 months. Significant growth should be seen around 6-12 months. And you’ll continue to see compounded results as time goes on.
Tips For Building A Successful Partnership Strategy
Now that you’ve hired the right SEO partner. It’s time to set yourself up for long-term success.
Here are a few tips to build a rock-solid SEO partnership:
Set Clear Goals
What does your ideal success look like?
More traffic?
Higher converting traffic?
Better rankings for your targeted keywords?
Know what you want from the get-go.
Open your partnership with specific goals like:
- Target keyword rankings
- % increase in organic traffic
- % improvements in conversion rates
- Revenue from organic search
Keep Communication Lines Open
Schedule regular meetings with your SEO agency.
Go over the progress they’ve made.
Talk about what’s working. And what isn’t.
Great agency partnerships involve two-way communication.
Don’t just throw money at your agency and expect great results.
Trust The Process
It won’t feel like things are improving right away.
SEO is a marathon, not a sprint.
Google won’t reward your website overnight.
But as long as you’re trusting your SEO agency and they’re following solid SEO principals your business will see major improvements.
Just give it time.
Warning Signs To Avoid Cheap SEO Flattery
If you’ve been in the online business world for very long.
You’ve probably been told at some point that you “need” SEO.
Search engine optimization is important. But does your business really need it?
Let’s look at a few red flags your business may not need SEO.
Your Business Is Too Small
If you’re a local brick-and-mortar only business you may not need SEO.
Sure, SEO can help you rank for location-based keywords like “campers near me”.
But if you don’t sell online your local presence may be enough.
Speak with your local directories to ensure your storefront is accurate.
Operations like Google My Business, Bing Places, and Yelp will help you establish and maintain a strong local presence.
Sales Aren’t Your Goal
Maybe you want more website traffic?
But traffic isn’t your main goal. You just want to build your brand.
SEO won’t solve your problem.
Search engines are great at sending users to websites that want to convert traffic.
SEO is built around intent. If you’re just looking to “get found online” by people who don’t want to buy from you, SEO isn’t for you.
How To Make Your Partnership Successful Long-Term
Investing in SEO is a long-term commitment.
You’re not just paying month to month for services.
You should view your SEO partner as you would any other valuable business relationship.
Here’s how to build a successful partnership that lasts…
Invest time into the relationship. Your SEO agency should know your business inside and out.
The more they know about you. The better they can serve you.
Be patient, but don’t be afraid to ask questions. If you don’t see promised results within your set time frame, speak with your partner about it.
You want to hold them accountable. But also give your SEO strategy time to work.
Understand SEO is always evolving. Google is constantly changing it’s algorithm.
Sometimes multiple times per day.
You and your SEO partner should be prepared to evolve as these changes occur.
Wrapping Things Up
Partnering with the right SEO agency is one of the best long-term investments you can make for your online business.
The right SEO partner will help you:
- Build sustainable organic traffic.
- Rank higher in Google for your targeted keywords.
- See a higher ROI than nearly every other marketing channel.
- Gain a competitive advantage that only grows stronger with time.
Just remember to do your research when finding the right SEO partner for you.
To recap everything we talked about:
- Stay away from agencies that lack transparency.
- Choose an agency with experience growing similar businesses to yours.
- Set clear expectations and goals for your business.
- Keep communication lines open.
- Trust your SEO agency and their process.
Businesses that win at SEO understand there are no shortcuts.
They’re in it for the long-haul.
And that’s what you should be doing too.
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