If your online business isn’t getting the traction you want, there are a few things you might need to reevaluate. Maybe it’s the products or services you’re offering. Maybe it’s your branding and messaging. Or, what if you have great offerings and branding but your website simply isn’t getting the relevant traffic you need to generate business. In that case, it’s time to consider investing in professional SEO services. In today’s post, we’re going to share the benefits of outsourcing these services as well as what to look for in SEO packages.
Why Do You Need to Invest in SEO?
Before we get into the different types of SEO packages you have to choose from and what they should include, let’s talk about why you want to invest in these services in the first place.
Simply put, by increasing rankings online and in your general area, more people will visit your website and convert into paying customers. This means your investment in SEO results means more people investing in your business. And ultimately, that means more money in your pocket.
But this great ROI goes beyond money. With your SEO services taken care of, you (or your team members) will get a lot of time back for themselves to work on other tasks.
Ready to find out what to look for packages once you’re ready to invest in these services? Here’s where to start.
What Should SEO Collection Include?
Whether you start with a beginner or a pro plan (more on that in a moment), there are basic things all SEO packages should include. Before you hire an SEO agency, be sure their services include these five things.
Auditing and addressing technical issues of a website
SEO packages should include website audits and repairs to address any SEO issues. Some of these issues might include:
- Metadata optimization
- Internal anchor text optimization
- Alt tag optimization
- Canonical tags (checking, implementing or removing)
- Implementation of 301 redirects
- Correction of 404 errors
- Sitemap optimization
- Correction of other front end errors flagged up in Search Console such as mobile compatibility issues or slow loading times
Improving the functionality and user experience of the website, including for mobile user
Functionality and user experience can never be overlooked in an SEO strategy. The easier your website is to use, the longer users will stay on it. Not to mention, Google rewards these user-friendly sites by displaying them higher in search engine results.
(By the way, stuck deciding between SEO and PPC? These are very different things but they both serve important purposes for growing your business online. Read all about the differences, pros, and cons of SEO and PPC in this post)
Implementing on-page & off-page SEO practices
SEO packages will virtually always include on-page SEO services. But for a truly successful and comprehensive SEO strategy, off-page SEO should be included.
On-page SEO practices include all of the things that happen on your website that affect SEO. This includes things like your web copy, title tags, meta descriptions, and headers. Part of on-page SEO includes creating high-quality content for your website. From blogs to webpage copy and other materials, this will play a huge role in your SEO success. Basic SEO plans might not include content creation, but it’s worth leveling up to get this service added on.
On the other hand, off-page SEO refers to the things that happen away from your website. However, they still impact SEO! These things include social media and backlinks (links from other sources back to your site). Great link building is a niche form of online PR and is a crucial SEO strategy. Unfortunately, link building is a strategy that most agencies get very wrong. (If we can pat ourselves on the back for a moment, link building is something we excel at doing at BWM based on the relationships we’ve built!)
Keyword research
There’s no sense ranking for a keyword that doesn’t convert. Higher search rankings for the right keywords will have an enormous impact on the amount of traffic and quality of traffic your website receives. That’s why an SEO package worth its salt should include keyword research.
(Interested in diving deeper into the world of keyword research? Take a look at this post next: How to Use Google Keyword Planner)
Competitive research
Researching your competitors is a major component of SEO. Unfortunately, it’s also one that’s often overlooked. SEO packages that include research help ensure you’re keeping up with the competition. It also allows for spotting opportunities to improve or try something new based on what works for others. Competitor research specific to your industry should be included in SEO services. This includes identifying who currently occupies your target search landscape, and working out what they have done to get there.
Bonus Tip: We’ve talked about what SEO packages should include, but is there anything they shouldn’t include? One of the big warning signs to look for when you’re outsourcing SEO services is anything that sounds unreasonable. SEO agencies can provide you with the results they achieve for other companies, as well as what you can expect from their services. However, specific results can not be guaranteed. If an SEO company tells you the EXACT results you can expect, consider this a red flag.
What’s the Appropriate Plan Level for Your Business?
We’ve covered five of the major things all basic SEO packages should include. We already mentioned that content creation isn’t always in a basic plan. But it is a critical part of your SEO strategy. There are also a number of other services that are included in higher-level packages. This can include things like site heat maps, sales funnel tracking, and A/B variation testing.
When you’re shopping around for SEO packages, you’ll often find they come in three varieties: basic, advanced/professional, and enterprise. While they might be called different things, these three levels tend to indicate how involved the services will be.
For example, if you have a pretty good handle on SEO yourself but you just want the bits and pieces tidied up, a basic plan might be right for you. Or, if you have the budget and resources to get an enterprise plan, this is a great choice for businesses looking for more detailed service and powerful results.
10 Benefits of Purchasing an SEO Package
When you purchase an SEO package from an experienced agency, you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck. SEO isn’t a one-off strategy. Or at least, it shouldn’t be. Your SEO services and package should be tailored to your unique business and goals. When this is done right, you can expect to reap a number of rewards from the benefits of purchasing an SEO package.
Here are ten of them:
- Competitor analysis
- SEO site audit
- Keyword research
- Keyword mapping
- Meta tags optimization
- Internal linking optimization
- Optimizing old content
- Google My Business optimization
- Off-page optimization
- Content analysis
Explore the SEO Packages that are Right For Your Business
Now you’re equipped with an understanding of the benefits of SEO services, as well as what all SEO packages should include. This means it’s time to explore exactly what this can do for your business. Whether you want to increase conversions, boost sales, get more traffic, or any number of goals, it can be done. Blue Water Marketing is a full-service SEO agency with the experience and resources you need for the results you want.
As the top-rated Stuart, Florida, SEO company, we look forward to helping your business get the same impressive outcomes we’ve achieved for other businesses across the country. Ready to get started? Great! Let’s talk. Click here to schedule an SEO discovery call to find out the best way for us to work together.
