SEO is a vital part of your website strategy, so why not let a professional help? Keep reading to learn about why you should hire a Seattle SEO Agency.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is important for your website, but should you handle it in-house or outsource it Seattle SEO Agency? And will local help with SEO accomplish more than a remote, Internet-based SEO agency can?  This article will help explain why you should work with a professional Seattle SEO rather than try to do it all yourself or outsource the work overseas. It will also tell you why using a local agency that provides SEO services is your best option in the long run.

Why Use an SEO Agency in Seattle?

Coming up with an SEO strategy or fine-tuning your current strategy takes hard work and determination. It takes time, practice and expertise to get it right. And in business, where mistakes can be costly, it’s best to trust a professional with proven success in the industry.

In this SEO article, we will address why you should use a professional SEO marketing firm rather than shouldering the burden yourself.

Your Time Matters and So Do Results

Let’s face it, it takes a lot of work to run a successful business.

Your time is already stretched thin taking care of day-to-day tasks as well as executing big-picture strategies, following up with leads and rolling out new ideas. Adding digital marketing to the bottom of your to-do list can feel overwhelming, especially with the steep learning curve in understanding the competitive space of SEO.  

Your Team Lacks Experience in Search Optimization

A common reason people feel overwhelmed with trying to undertake an SEO campaign is that they don’t have much experience with digital marketing. There’s a learning curve to any endeavor, and SEO is no different. It takes time and diligent effort to create a winning online presence.

You may not have any SEO experts at your company. If you assign someone in-house to learn about online marketing strategies, they will need to spend time researching and amassing knowledge.  Getting someone up to full speed, even someone who is a seasoned marketer can be a daunting task.  

If you hire a full-time employee with expertise, you have to sift through resumes and sit through interviews. That costs you money and takes up time, as well. And if you don’t know much about SEO, how can you be sure the person you hire does?  Everyone claims to do SEO, but do they have the stats and proof to show you?  It is very easy to be manipulated by so-called Seattle SEO experts who don’t really know what they’re doing.

With a local Seattle SEO agency, they can show you their track record, case studies and success rate before you decide to hire.

Mistakes Can Be Costly

Without the right experience and expertise, in-house SEO efforts can actually hurt your rankings on search engines.

Search engines penalize businesses who use the wrong kinds of links on their site, for example. But your team may not know this without having experience using SEO tools.

Another common mistake is using Flash images and backgrounds on your website. Flash has been a target for hackers and can make your page load slowly, not to mention cause frustration for those using an Apple device.   It also does not help with search rankings, so it’s better not to use Flash at all.  But would you know this if you weren’t involved in online marketing on a daily basis?  Probably no unless you were an expert at all things marketing in Seattle.

If your site gets hacked, that can waste time and money. And 39 percent of people will leave a website if it takes too long to load. If people leave your website before they see what you can offer, the losses will continue to stack up.

A poorly-designed mobile website can also hurt your reputation and your bottom line. If you don’t have expertise in mobile-friendly pages, it’s hard to design them well. If your mobile site is hard to navigate or looks confusing, that creates a poor user experience too.  It’s really unfortunate that your business can suffer because of it.

Search Rankings Can Suffer Greatly

Another common mistake is keyword stuffing. Keyword stuffing is including too many keywords on your page in an effort to gain a higher ranking in search engines. The trend before Google updated their algorithm a few years back was to write a who list of keywords in the footer of your page to help rank your site.  Unfortunately, sites are now penalized for this and it can actually hurt your search rankings.

These and other mistakes that people can make when they don’t have expertise in SEO will cost your business considerable time and money in the long run.

SEO companies, on the other hand, can protect you from these pitfalls. They can also help you manage algorithm updates and other changes you may not anticipate.  Why not save yourself a headache and turn to someone with the time and experience you need to succeed?

SEO Agencies in Seattle Should Have Proven Results

You should only trust a Seattle SEO agency with proven results. They should have years of experience under their belt and customer success stories to share with you. Ultimately, your SEO success depends on theirs, so be sure you’re hiring a pro.

And just because they’re expensive or have clients with recognizable names, doesn’t mean they are good.  Your business needs results, and to get results, you need a company that knows what they are doing and how to consistently move you up in search rankings with white-hat techniques.

For a sample of the satisfied customers that Olive Group has worked with during our 13-year history as a company, visit our portfolio here.

Why Go Local: SEO in Seattle

Is in-person, local help with SEO better than outsourcing to an online agency?

The answer is yes!  Especially with some of the world’s best SEO experts right here in your backyard!  We’ll discuss the reasons in the sections below.

Face-Time is an Important Part in Understanding Your Business Needs

Have you ever outsourced a product or service over the Internet and had a poor customer service experience? Unlike employees that you can contact during working hours and talk with face-to-face, it can be hard to communicate with people abroad. Schedules and time zone differences can make it difficult to get answers to your questions or to change project requirements when you have outsourced help.  Communicating via email, video conferencing, phone calls and more can be a challenge, especially if something goes wrong or emotions get involved.

The nice thing about a local marketing and SEO agency in Seattle is that you’re always a call or visit away. You don’t have to sit on the phone, waiting to speak to a customer service rep for an hour to answer a simple question. No more worrying about time zones, International calling fees or not having a clue who you’re talking to on the other end.  

Why Olive Group is a Good Option

With Olive Group SEO, we’re based right here in the Seattle area, you get face-to-face and local phone time when you need it most. We can even set up a meeting over coffee to discuss how we can serve you best.  And best of all, we can provide data that backs up our claims to being a viable, competitive option for Seattle SEO agencies.

Ask the Locals – Those Are The Ones Not Carrying Umbrellas When It’s Raining!

There’s another upside to dealing with a company that specializes in SEO in Seattle. You can talk to their local customers about their experiences before you buy. 

With online companies, it can be hard to find out if they’re trustworthy, easy to work with and competent. With a local company, you can ask for referrals in your area that have worked with them and receive real feedback and recommendations.

That takes a lot of the guesswork out of hiring the right person for the job. Just ask other local businesses who’ve trusted your new agency to fulfill their promises.  Ask them what they think.  You might be surprised what you learn!

If you’re looking for guidance in finding Seattle SEO Agency, Olive Group can help!  And if we aren’t the right fit, we can find you find an agency that is!

Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you get started and increase your chances of Seattle SEO success!