Today, 93% of interactions online start with a search engine. This is why search engine optimization (SEO) has emerged as a must-have tool for every company trying to market itself.

If you’re not an SEO expert, you need access to an agency that can help you out. Before you make a hire, it’s important to come to the table with the most pressing questions.

Have these questions in your back pocket whenever you’re trying to hire the best SEO company.

How Can You Help My Brand?

This is the A-1 question you need to have at the ready when speaking to any marketing company. They need to understand who you are and the vision of what you’re trying to accomplish.

Working with an SEO agency that gets you will help you sell your brand to the public.

If you’re a small business owner, you definitely need to invest in your brand. About 64% of small business owners today start their company with no more than $10,000 in capital.

Limited resources mean you need the extra boost in recognition that SEO marketing can bring.

What Keyword Strategies Will You Use?

As you research the best SEO agency, make sure to ask about keyword research and use. Niche keywords can help you gain attention without having to fight as hard for attention.

They should also use top-notch keyword research tools to help you get your site ranked highly. The agency will also have advice on keyword placement, density, and proximity.

Local SEO keywords are valuable, and you’ll need to understand how to use primary and secondary keywords.

Which SEO Marketing Metrics Are Critical?

So much quality SEO involves building a website that gets results. Any expert you hire should have strong web design skills to go with their marketing.

Make sure that the SEO professional is familiar with marketing metrics such as organic traffic, click-through rate (CTR), backlinks, and Domain Authority (DA). They should also have a handle on your site’s responsiveness and speed.

Sites lose 11% of page views with just a 1-second delay.

How Can You Assist With Content?

You can produce some innovative marketing today with content. About 80% of businesses today use blogs as a marketing tool.

When you open a blog, your SEO pro will help you find the best keywords based on your topics. They’ll also work in link-building strategies that can increase your blog’s visibility and Page Authority (PA).

Blogging aside, make sure they have a clear picture of how to help with social media, podcasting, video content, courses, and any other content that can help your brand.

Hire the Best SEO Company You Can Find

The points above are useful when you’re trying to match up with the best SEO company around. Your company can’t reach its full heights without the assistance of some marketing pros.

Use the guidelines above and begin reaching out to a few companies for consultations. Starting the consultations with these questions will get you the results you need.

Check back to learn all about branding, marketing, and all things business ownership.