What Is an SEO Company and What Does It Do?

What Is an SEO Company?

When you search for “SEO company” on Google, you will get millions of results. But what exactly is an SEO company, and what does it do?

Simply put, an SEO company is a business that provides search engine optimization services to help websites improve their visibility on search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. SEO companies specialize in optimizing websites to rank higher in search results pages, driving more organic traffic and leads to the site.

The primary goal of an SEO company is to help businesses increase their online visibility, drive more traffic, and ultimately generate more revenue. They accomplish this by implementing a range of on-page and off-page optimization techniques that align with the latest search engine algorithms and best practices.

Before we dive into what an SEO company does, let’s first define what SEO is.

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What Is SEO?

SEO, or search engine optimization, is the practice of optimizing your website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) for specific keywords and phrases. In simpler terms, SEO helps your website appear at the top of Google’s search results when people search for terms related to your business.

Search engines like Google use complex algorithms to determine the relevance and authority of a website for a particular search query. By optimizing your website for SEO, you can improve your website’s relevance and authority, which can ultimately help your website rank higher in search results.

There are many different elements that go into optimizing your website for SEO, including on-page optimization, off-page optimization, and technical optimization. On-page optimization includes optimizing your website’s content, title tags, meta descriptions, and other on-page elements to make them more search engine-friendly. Off-page optimization involves building high-quality backlinks to your website from other authoritative websites to increase your website’s credibility and authority. Technical optimization includes optimizing your website’s structure, site speed, mobile-friendliness, and security to improve user experience and search engine crawlability.

Benefits of SEO

One of the main benefits of SEO is that it can drive targeted, high-quality traffic to your website. Unlike other forms of digital marketing, such as paid advertising, SEO targets people who are already actively searching for products or services like yours, making them more likely to convert into customers.

According to a study by BrightEdge, organic search drives 53% of website traffic, making it one of the most important sources of traffic for businesses. Moreover, 91.5% of search traffic goes to websites on the first page of Google’s search results, underscoring the importance of ranking high in search results.

While SEO can be a complex and time-consuming process, the benefits of ranking high in search results are undeniable. In the next section, we’ll discuss what an SEO company can do to help you improve your website’s search engine rankings and drive more traffic to your site.

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What Does an SEO Company Do?

Some of the most common services offered by an SEO company include:

1. Keyword research: An SEO company identifies the most relevant keywords and phrases for a business, then optimizes the website’s content to target those keywords.
2. On-page optimization: This includes optimizing page titles, descriptions, content, images, and URLs to improve the website’s relevance and authority for targeted keywords. On-page optimization also includes improving the structure of your website to make it more user-friendly and search engine-friendly.
3. Technical SEO: SEO companies ensure that a website is technically optimized to perform well on search engines. This includes optimizing page speed, mobile-friendliness, and fixing technical errors and security issues that may prevent a website from ranking well.
4. Link building: SEO companies build links to a website from other high-quality and authoritative websites, which signals to search engines that your website is reputable and authoritative.
5. Content creation: An SEO company may create relevant and engaging content, such as blog posts, infographics, and videos, to appeal to your target audience, satisfy their search intent, and build links to a website.
6. Analytics and reporting: SEO companies track website traffic, rankings, and other key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness of their SEO campaigns and report progress to clients.

It’s worth noting that the specific services offered by an SEO company may vary depending on the business’s goals, industry, and budget. However, the overall goal of an SEO company is to improve a website’s visibility and rankings on search engines.

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Should You Hire an SEO Company?

Now that you have a basic understanding of what an SEO company does, you may be wondering if hiring one is the right move for your business. The answer is not as straightforward as you may think. While SEO can provide immense benefits, it can also be a time-consuming and complicated process. Here are some important factors to consider before making a decision.

Time, resources, and expertise

SEO requires a significant amount of time, resources, and expertise to be successful. Do you have the necessary bandwidth to manage your SEO efforts alongside your other business responsibilities? Do you have the right tools and knowledge to conduct keyword research, create quality content, and build backlinks? If the answer is no, then it may be time to consider hiring an SEO company.

Budget for the required SEO tools

SEO tools can be costly, and the more advanced the tools, the higher the price. If you are planning to manage your SEO efforts in-house, you need to have a budget for SEO tools. If you don’t have the budget, you may be missing out on valuable data and insights that can help you optimize your website.

The top SEO Tools include:

• Ahrefs
• SEMrush
• Moz
• Conductor

Budget to hire an SEO Company

The cost of hiring an SEO company varies depending on the agency, the scope of work, and the level of expertise required. If you decide to hire an SEO company, make sure you have a realistic budget in mind. Keep in mind that the cost of hiring an SEO company is an investment in your business’s growth and long-term success.

Do you need Immediate leads?

SEO is a long-term strategy, and it can take months to see tangible results. If you need immediate conversions, such as sales or leads, SEO may not be the best option. Paid advertising or other marketing strategies may be more effective in the short term.

Ultimately, the decision to hire an SEO company depends on your business’s unique needs and circumstances. If you’re not sure if an SEO company is right for you, consider scheduling a free consultation with an SEO agency to discuss your options.

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What Should You Expect from a Reputable SEO Company

When you decide to hire an SEO company, it’s important to understand what to expect from a reputable one. Here are a few things you should expect from a reputable SEO company:

1. Clear Understanding of What You Are Getting

Before the project kicks off, a reputable SEO company will clearly outline the goals for the project, and define what they will be delivering and in what timeframe. Ultimately, they should create a very clear picture of what success will look like for your business.

2. In-Depth Understanding of Your Business

A reputable SEO company will take the time to understand your business, including your target audience, products or services, and competition. This understanding will help them develop a tailored SEO strategy that aligns with your business goals.

3. An Audit of Your Website

A reputable SEO company will perform a comprehensive audit of your website to identify areas that need improvement. This audit should cover everything from technical SEO issues to on-page optimization and content quality.

4. Customized SEO Strategy

Once the audit is completed, a reputable SEO company will create a customized SEO strategy based on your business goals, target audience, and industry. The strategy should outline the steps that the company will take to improve your website’s visibility and ranking on search engines.

5. Keyword Ranking Improvements

One of the primary goals of this customized SEO strategy is to improve your website’s keyword rankings. The SEO company should perform extensive keyword research to identify the most relevant and profitable keywords for your business and optimize your website accordingly.

6. Clear Communication

A reputable SEO company should have open lines of communication with its clients. The company should provide regular updates on the progress of your SEO campaign and be available to answer any questions you may have.

7. Ongoing SEO Reports

These regular updates should include providing ongoing reports to track your website’s progress, including keyword rankings, traffic, and conversion rates. This data will help you understand the effectiveness of your SEO strategy and make informed decisions for future improvements.

8. Results!

Most of all, a reputable SEO company should deliver results. This includes:

1. Increase in Organic Traffic: A reputable SEO company should be able to increase your website’s organic traffic over time through various strategies, including on-page optimization, link building, and content creation.
2. Targeting the Correct Customers: An SEO company should be able to target the correct customers for your business by optimizing your website for local search and other relevant search queries.
3. Increase Time-On-Site: A reputable SEO company should focus on improving your website’s user experience to increase time-on-site and reduce bounce rates. This can be achieved through strategies such as improving website speed, mobile-friendliness, and content quality.
4. Improve Organic Conversions: A reputable SEO company should focus on improving your website’s organic conversions by optimizing your website’s conversion paths, calls-to-action, and landing pages.

Ultimately, by hiring a reputable SEO company, you can expect to see improved visibility and ranking for your website, increased organic traffic, and ultimately, more leads and sales for your business.

It’s important to note that SEO is a long-term process and results may take time to achieve. A reputable SEO company will provide realistic expectations and be transparent about the timeframes for seeing results.

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What Makes an SEO Company Trustworthy and Reliable?

Not all SEO companies are created equal. Some companies engage in shady tactics while others promise quick outlandish results that they never deliver on. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. When it comes to choosing an SEO company to work with, it’s important to do your research and make sure that you’re partnering with a trustworthy and reliable firm. Here are a few key characteristics to look for:

1. Transparency: A trustworthy SEO company should be transparent about its practices, techniques, and results. They should be able to clearly explain their strategy for improving your website’s search engine rankings and provide regular updates on their progress.
2. Experience: Look for an SEO company with a proven track record of success. Check their portfolio and case studies to see if they have experience working with businesses similar to yours and have helped them achieve their SEO goals.
3. Communication: Communication is key in any business relationship, and this is especially true when working with an SEO company. A trustworthy firm should be responsive to your inquiries and keep you informed about what they’re doing to improve your website’s search engine rankings.
4. Ethical practices: Avoid companies that use black hat SEO techniques such as keyword stuffing, hidden text, or spammy backlinks. These practices can lead to penalties from search engines and harm your website’s reputation in the long run.
5. Reviews and ratings: Do some research and read reviews and ratings from other businesses that have worked with the SEO company you’re considering. This can give you an idea of their reputation and the quality of their services.
6. Recommendations: Recommendations from trusted sources such as friends, colleagues, or other businesses in your industry can also help you identify a trustworthy SEO company.

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Alternatives to Hiring an SEO Company

While SEO companies can be a great solution for many businesses, they are not always the best fit for everyone — especially if you have budget constraints. Fortunately, there are a variety of alternatives that businesses can consider to improve their online visibility and attract more organic traffic. Here are some of the top alternatives to an SEO company.

Hire an SEO Freelancer

Another option is to hire a freelance SEO consultant. This can be a more affordable option than hiring an entire company, and can also give you more flexibility and one-on-one attention. However, it’s important to thoroughly vet potential consultants to ensure they have the necessary expertise and experience.

In-House SEO

If you have a dedicated marketing team or staff member with SEO expertise, you may consider bringing SEO in-house. This can give you more control over your SEO strategy and implementation, and can also be more cost-effective in the long run. However, it’s important to ensure that your in-house team stays up-to-date with the latest SEO trends and best practices.

PPC Advertising

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising can be a good alternative to SEO for businesses that want to see immediate results. With PPC, you pay to have your ads displayed at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs) for specific keywords. While this can be more expensive than SEO in the long run, it can be a good way to get quick visibility and drive traffic to your site.

DIY SEO

And of course, you could do it yourself.

As a business owner living in the modern digital world, SEO is something I definitely recommend at least learning about. While SEO can be complex, there are many resources available online that can help you learn and implement SEO strategies on your own. Even if you hire an agency or freelancer or have someone in your company handling the nuts and bolts of SEO, arming yourself with the basic skills and knowledge of SEO will serve your business for the long haul. DIY SEO can be a good option for businesses with limited budgets, or for those who want more control over their SEO efforts. However, it’s important to note that SEO is an ongoing process that requires constant effort and attention.

Here are some practical steps of what a local business owner can do in their DIY SEO efforts.

1. Conduct Keyword Research: Conducting keyword research is crucial for any SEO strategy. It helps you identify the search terms and phrases that your target audience uses when searching for products or services like yours. You can use free tools like Google Keyword Planner or paid tools like Ahrefs to research keywords. Once you have identified the keywords, you can optimize your website content around those keywords.
2. Optimize On-Page Elements: On-page optimization involves optimizing the elements on your website that are visible to users and search engines. This includes optimizing your title tags, meta descriptions, header tags, and image alt tags. By including your target keywords in these elements, you can help search engines understand what your website is about and improve your chances of ranking higher in search results.
3. Build High-Quality Backlinks: Backlinks are links from other websites that point to your website. Having high-quality backlinks can improve your website’s authority and increase your chances of ranking higher in search results. You can build backlinks by creating valuable content that other websites want to link to, guest posting on other websites, or reaching out to businesses in your community and requesting a backlink.
4. Claim and Optimize Your Google My Business Listing: Google My Business is a free tool that allows businesses to manage their online presence across Google, including search and maps. By claiming and optimizing your Google My Business listing, you can improve your chances of appearing in Google’s local search results. Make sure your business information is accurate, add photos, and encourage customers to leave reviews.
5. Use Social Media: By creating and sharing valuable content on social media, you can increase your brand visibility and drive traffic to your website. You can also use social media to engage with your audience and build relationships with potential customers.

Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to hire an SEO company comes down to your business’s unique needs and goals. If you’re committed to a long-term strategy and want to see sustainable growth for your business, an SEO company can be a valuable partner.

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Does Your Long Island Local Business Need an SEO Company?

Book a No-Strings Attached Consultation.

SEO requires time, patience, and constant monitoring — and as a local business owner, you want to stand out in a crowded Long Island market. My web design and digital marketing company is a reputable, trustworthy, and expert SEO company on Long Island that has helped tons of local businesses to be found online. We can do the same for you and your local business. Book a free SEO consultation call with me directly where I’ll assess your business’s online presence and show you how we can help increase your website traffic, generate leads, and boost your rankings on Google.