Outsourcing a SEO program

By Bob Garcia, Director WebPosition by WebTrends
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is an ongoing effort. The variables that influence search visibility and rankings are constantly changing: Search engines update their rules. Competitors constantly optimize their pages to improve their rankings. New players enter.
Without a SEO solution to keep you constantly "updated" on changes that could affect your rankings positively or negatively, you could lose highly targeted web traffic to your competitors. Your SEO solution can come in different forms such as using a software tool (like WebPosition Gold), using an outside vendor for your SEO efforts, or a combination of the former.
Several times a week we receive calls from firms who are looking for help with their search engine marketing efforts. Their reasons vary from, "I'm just too busy to stay on top everything" to "The competition is heating up online and I want to maximize the return on my SEO efforts." Before you charge ahead, you should take a few moments to more narrowly define your objectives and requirements.
Establishing your top priority and the time frame for achieving it should help determine your course of action and what type of search engine marketing help you need. For example, are you looking to:
1) Get an immediate bump in temporary traffic?2) Temporarily direct traffic to particular pages/areas of your website?3) Build a longer-term, lower-cost, sustainable source of traffic?4) Do all of the above?
Your answer to this question will help determine the proper solution. Temporary or tactical needs such as immediate traffic bumps or promoting specific areas of your website might favor solutions such as PPC or Paid Inclusion. If, on the other hand, your time horizon is longer or more strategic, an organic SEO resource is your best bet.
Although we strongly advocate balancing your off-line and on-line marketing activities, for purposes of this article, we will focus on how to optimally select an SEO resource to help optimize your organic search engine rankings.
Why focus on organic? Organic search listings generate an estimated six of seven commercially natured search referrals. JupiterResearch estimates organic indexes generate 87 percent of commercial referrals from search engines. Click here for more insight into search marketing.
As I'm sure you are aware, true search engine optimization takes many factors into consideration and a SEO consultant should be able to demonstrate their competence with:
Keyword research and selection
Writing and language skills
Linking strategies and tactics
HTML and website design skills
Tracking and reporting
If you're looking for a SEO business partner, finding a partner who has the required knowledge and successful track record in SEO should be your top priority. Beyond demonstrating deep SEO domain expertise, you should also ask any SEO company:
Where to locate SEO consultants?
1) Professional directories provided Industry organizations: SEMPO or SEOConsultants.com
2) Your business network - reach out to your professional network, partner companies and customers who may be outsourcing their SEO effort. Maybe your advertising firm, accountant, or attorney is aware of SEO companies.
What else should I focus on in finding a SEO company?
1) ROI! - Unless your sole objective is branding, ROI, return on investment, should be the top metric you are looking to achieve. Investigate the SEO company's methodology for tracking, reporting and delivering a real ROI. Keep in mind that optimizing your organic rank will take time. Generally speaking, allow 60-90 days for the results of a SEO program to appear.
2) Rapport and communication style - Since you will hopefully build a long-term relationship with your SEO partner, it's important that the SEO company can communicate effectively and in a timely manner.
3) Full disclosure - Ensure that they are willing and supportive of keeping you "in-the-know" on their SEO practices. Don't risk your brand and search engine marketing by being punished by suspect SEO tactics that some SEO companies unfortunately do employ.
4) Client references - Don't just take their word for it. Do some extra homework by interviewing at lest 3 existing clients to ensure you're talking to a reputable, professional outfit.
Additionally, you should learn as much as is reasonably possible about the SEO companies you are considering, including, but not limited to:
Amount of time they have been in the business,
Team size and profiles of key team members that will be working on your account,
Vertical industry expertise, if any,
SEO business focus: organic, paid or both, and
Tracking and reporting including types of reporting, e.g. ROI, and willingness to provide access to data and reports.
What will it cost?
Unfortunately, there is no typical fee structure or average cost we believe is defendable enough to present. Fee structures can vary from hourly to retainers to project/deliverable based models. Additionally, the underlying costs will be based on your requirements, geographic/market conditions, the reputation/notoriety of the SEO company, and how effectively you negotiated.
How to get the ball moving?
Step 1) Develop a RFP, request for proposal that includes your requirements and any other valuable context about what you're looking for. Using a RFP process provides a great tool so you can have a consistent and objective way of evaluating potential SEO partners.
Step 2) After researching and interviewing prospective SEO partners, develop a shortlist of 3-5 potential SEO companies. Share the RFP and inform them of a deadline.
Step 3) Evaluate the responses and decide which firms to focus on.
Step 4) Get references from the 1-3 SEO firms that are in contention.
Step 5) Have a final interview and decide.
Step 6) Stay involved! Continually evaluate the partner's SEO performance through the use of tools like WebPosition Gold to monitor your SEO performance independently, so you can objectively monitor that you're maximizing your ROI on your outsourced SEO activities.
Outside and in parallel with your SEO search, you should consider the following before outsourcing your SEO program as you want to ensure you can hit the ground running when you secure the services of a SEO partner:
1. Determine who will be making your website changes
2. Get organizational buy-in and interdepartmental commitment to the project
3. Establish your communication expectations for account management and geographic preferences for the outsourced SEO partner.
Lastly, a word of caution about "guarantees," as SEO work is really more of an art than a science and so many factors contribute to the effectiveness of search engine ranking that may be outside of the SEO company's control. Visit Google's article on SEO for their insights into the business.