When a business hires the wrong SEO partner, it’s going to waste a lot of money for months before anyone realizes something is amiss. Local SEO is easy to see from the outside – just a few keywords, a Google Business Profile, some reviews – but there are details that are more important than most business owners realize. If a provider skips any of these steps, a business can be invisible in local search, and continue to receive monthly invoices. Most owners are not aware of this until one player begins to appear at the top of the rankings on the map and they don’t. When you’re looking for the best local seo services Fort Lauderdale businesses prefer, it’s important to know how to tell the difference between a good provider and one who is only doing what’s expected. Here are 10 common pitfalls to avoid when hiring local SEO services and how to avoid them.
1. Choosing Based on Price Alone
The lowest bidder is not the best option. Local SEO requires time, research, and a constant effort, so a low rate typically means they are taking shortcuts somewhere, whether it’s thin content, not getting citations, or a template approach that is used for all clients.
Don’t simply look at just the number, compare quotes instead. A better, more costly price with definite deliverables is better than a cheaper price with nebulous promises.
It is also important to consider what will happen beyond the initial months. Some providers promise a lot and deliver a little when it comes to work, hoping to please the client with a high bid. Some providers give you a lot of effort before signing a contract and minus that effort after the contract and sign. That’s avoided by having a clear scope of on-going work.
2. Not Checking Past Results or Case Studies
Anyone can say that they have results. Only a handful of providers can provide actual numbers for their clients before and after the project is implemented, and most often, that is in a different industry or location.
Request examples. One provider that has the ability to show you a true example of what has changed, and how long it took, is a lot safer to go with than one that just leads you to general discussion on rankings.
3. Ignoring Google Business Profile Optimization
Some providers just work on the website and don’t give a shit about the Google Business Profile. In local search, that profile can be more important than your website because that’s what is displayed first in map results.
It’s important to ensure that categories, service areas, hours, photos and posts are part of the plan and not an afterthought that are just said once when they’re onboarding.
Also consider how they will deal with duplicate and outdated listings that may have been set up by a previous owner or agency. Untidy old profiles can quietly vie with the right profile if no one tidies them up.
4. Overlooking Reviews and Reputation Management
Call rankings are not enough to motivate someone to call a business. Reviews do a lot of that convincing and a provider that doesn’t consider review strategy is letting an easy win slip away.
A good local SEO strategy involves a review request process and includes responding to reviews, not simply an “important” mention somewhere in a proposal.
5. Focusing Only on Rankings, Not Leads or Calls
If there is no call or form submission, or foot traffic in the direction of the keyword, it’s worthless. Some providers include rankings reports as they can easily be displayed, but not necessarily linked to actual business impact.
Inquire about the measures of success. A job that requires you to call or direct someone to find the answer is saying much more than a job that requires you to fill out a form with keywords.
The ranking also may change because of factors other than work being performed, such as fluctuation in seasonality of demand or because a competitor stops their campaign. Focusing on the impact rather than just jobs means that the conversation is always focused on what’s important to the business.
6. Not Asking About Reporting and Communication
If you have a provider who goes uncontactable for several months and provides a generic report at the end you don’t have enough to determine if they are actually making a difference. Clear and regular updates are important, particularly at the outset when it is easy to spot a problem before it is too expensive.
Before signing any agreement, ask how often they will be calling you, and the typical report.
7. Skipping the Contract Details
Most of the stuff that people don’t consider until it’s time to cancel: what happens to the citations and listings if the contract is terminated; who gets the content after the contract is concluded; etc.
Don’t take anything for granted when reading a contract; have it read to you. Clear terms are a warning sign in and of themselves.
8. Ignoring Local Citations and NAP Consistency
Name, address, and phone number is known as NAP, and ensuring consistency of those details throughout directories, listings, and on the website is one of the more tedious aspects of local SEO, but it’s still very important. A provider that does not do this may have information all over the internet that is contradictory, confusing to customers, and confusing to search engines.
Inquire about whether they build and clean citations, and if they will search for duplicate or previously listed citations that may occur.
9. Not Verifying Industry Experience
A provider that has primarily served restaurants may not be familiar with the buying process of a law firm or even a medical practice. Local SEO strategy evolves according to the vertical, the competition and the actual search method of the people looking for that vertical of business.
Don’t just ask about their local SEO experience, ask about their experience in your niche. It is important as much as choosing the right digital marketing agency for businesses in your particular niche.
10. Expecting Instant Results
It can take several months for local SEO to work its magic, sometimes longer in heavily competitive markets, and will take time to establish. If a provider can guarantee rankings in a short timeframe, they’re either lying or they are about to skimp on the quality and they’re just waiting to catch up with you.
Have reasonable expectations from the beginning. A provider that tells you the amount of time it will take is more likely to be telling the truth than a provider with unrealistic promises.
Request a general time frame that is divided up into phases, such as changes in the first month compared to the sixth. If a provider can’t provide an explanation of that breakdown, then they likely haven’t thought it through either.
Choosing the Right Provider Takes a Bit of Homework
These are all common mistakes which are easy to avoid if you know to watch out for them. Most reduce to a few straightforward queries before signing, and verifying that the answers are what is actually presented in the work, later.
Don’t rush to sign with the first provider that offers a pitch. Don’t be afraid to walk away from a pitch that sounds great, but doesn’t deliver after some questions. The right provider will embrace those questions rather than ignore them.
