It can be difficult for marketing companies to track all of the tactics in which they are investing, not to mention how each of those tactics is performing. For many, SEO can seem like it is almost a magical force, worked on by a marketing firm or a B2B SEO Company that does a lot of “stuff” that will either work or not work. How do you know if what they are doing really is working or not?
What to Look For in Your SEO Services
The first sign that the partner who is working on your SEO is doing a good job is that they present you with an actual strategy. The strategy should incorporate the keywords on which they are going to focus, and these keywords should be relevant to your business. The strategy should also show an awareness of your competitors and should show evidence that your website was audited. Believe it or not, factors like how fast your site loads can impact SEO performance, and a strong SEO company will know that.
Companies who provide B2B SEO Services will understand that the Google Algorithm is constantly changing, so even though you may be ranked in the top position on Google for a keyword one day, you may fall one or two or even more positions by the next day. That means they will be able to pivot quickly and will not be overly loyal to the strategy they created. They should be prepared to let you know why they think a keyword stopped performing well, and they should have a suggested fix (or two).
In addition to seeking important aspects of SEO work, you will also want to be able to track on your own how the SEO is performing. Here are some easy ways to take the temperature of your website’s performance.
An Increase or Decrease in Website Forms
A great way to track your website performance is to use forms to track qualified traffic. These forms can be used to schedule demos, schedule appointments, or ask a question. Your SEO company partner should assist you in coming up with where these forms should reside and how to track them, but if your number of forms increases or decreases dramatically, that is an easy way to tell how your website is performing.
Keyword Ranking
This is another easy way to tell how your SEO is working. A simple Google search will tell the tale. It is important to note results often differ between a desktop search and a smart phone search. Again, your B2B SEO Company should regularly provide you with reports summarizing how your website is performing in its entirety, including organic traffic, number of sessions, and how long visitors are staying on your site.
Beating the Competition
When you are looking at your own keyword performance in Google searches, you can also take a peek at how your competition is doing. Have they fallen off the first page? Are you ahead of them in Google maps? This is another easy way to tell how your SEO is performing for you.
You Shouldn’t HAVE to Know SEO
If you are working with a high-quality B2B SEO company, you should not have to monitor these things yourself, although most companies cannot resist the temptation. The best SEO partners will keep you posted regularly, especially if there are issues they are working on that they feel you need to know about. If you are doing most of the work it’s time to find a new partner for your B2B SEO Services.
