Any business that is not operating in the digital sphere is not just missing a trick, it is missing the biggest trick of the all. The internet might not be the only place where things are happening, but it is certainly the place where things are moving. To not have an internet presence is burying your head in the sand. Businesses need to be on the internet, and, perhaps even more importantly than that, the internet presence needs to be easily discoverable by potential clients and partners. How to ensure that is the case is one of the most competitive challenges in the digisphere, but one of the key answers is search engine optimization. So, if you are in the process of looking for a partner to help you with your SEO, here are a few tips to assist you with finding the right people for the job.

This is the obvious test - if you want to know who the best SEO company in your area is, then use the internet and see who fares the best when searching for something like ‘best SEO in Melbourne’. That is a pretty fool-proof way of testing. You are certainly not going to ask the company whose website is on the third page of a Google search to do your SEO. If they can’t secure front page status for themselves, they certainly won’t do much better for you. When searching make sure that the test is based on organic search results and not paid search – any idiot can pay to appear top of the page!

Ask around amongst friends and family who have an internet presence and see what they have done. Personal references are always good. It is also good to base comparisons on things like price. For instance, you might be strapped for cash and be prepared to settle for a lower fee in exchange for a front first page listing but not a first-place listing. This might be a compromise that you are willing to make but remember that the higher you end up on the rankings the more clicks you will receive. 

When engaging with a potential SEO partner ask them to supply you with case studies of work that they have done. The example mentioned at the start of the article is still probably the best case-study possible but remember that this is a competitive space and the company who is top this week might not necessarily be top next week. What will help you the decision is a case study that can show how work that they have done in the past benefitted and improved the search ranking and ensuing traffic for another partner 

There are plenty of search engines, but the truth is that Google is the one that really matters. Google has far and away the biggest share of the internet search market, so it is imperative that the people you partner with are Google experts. Ask them for their Google qualifications and certifications.