Last post Part 1 of Interviewing Your Potential SEO Company covered the issues of experience of the prospective team and the process used by the SEO company to attain stated objectives. This weeks Part 2 covers the area of partnership between the prospective SEO company and your business. These questions are designed to help determine whether the company is going to take an active interest in the success of your business or just punch the clock and charge the monthly search engine optimization fees.

On the partnership:

• How often will we communicate” The specific schedule for briefings is’nt as important as determining that communications between parties is both open and encouraged. Reporting should be done monthly to monitor progress while other communications can take place as events warrant. The biggest warning sign here would be a Don’t call us, well call you type of response. If you get that, head for the door.
• What is our timeline and how will we define success” An SEO company with experience and integrity will be able to provide estimates on your timeline but will never guarantee a result. Should the company you’re interviewing respond with a front page guarantee within a certain time, they are simply telling you what you want hear in order to make the sale. Success can be defined in a number of ways including a ranking on the front page of the search engines for defined keywords. While this may be the most popular measure, there are other metrics for calculating success which may be more important such as a positive return on the investment for search engine optimization, regardless of page ranking.
• Can you help build my business beyond your SEO efforts” This is big one. Working with a company that can bring new ideas to the table for your business can make a huge difference in your bottom line. This ability and willingness of a company to provide advice and guidance is probably the biggest difference between a relationship with a vendor and one with a partner.

Search engine optimization is a process conducted in a competitive environment with an ever-changing landscape. The best SEO companies won’t be afraid to tell you that. Ask the questions listed above and last week and listen to the answers. The separation between the companies that can deliver and those that cant will become very clear.

Once the decision has been made to hire an SEO company, the next and most important step is to ensure that you’re hiring the right one. Once the search for an SEO company begins, it becomes quickly apparent that the general message from each company is very similar on three points:

1. Getting to page one on the search engines
2. How fast its going to happen
3. The cost of making it happen

To ensure that you are going to be working with an SEO company that can deliver the goods, its important to dive deeper into each companys level of experience, how their process works, and whether their process has been successful for other clients. The following questions, divided into Part 1 and next weeks Part 2, should provide some answers to help you clarify which company will be the best to suit your needs, drive targeted traffic to your site, and improve the conversion rates from your sites visitors.On experience and the process:

• How long have you been in business” Hiring a new company always carries its share of risks ranging from how well funded they are to their in-house skill sets. Don’t let a discounted price distract you from these key issues. Insist on multiple years in business with a broad client list.
• Tell me about your SEO process If the process doesn’t start with extensive research on keywords and the competitive environment, run away. A process that doesnt define its starting point through thorough research is not going to reach its objectives. A company that bases its SEO work on initial research will be able to define the fastest and most cost effective path to success.
• Can you show me some of your successes” Front page success with targeted traffic and conversions is what youre looking for and if the company has done it with others you’re on the right track. Take it one step further and see if you can talk to the companies which have had successful campaigns run for them.
• How many employees do you have” Avoid one or two man shops whenever possible. Regardless of the talent level, the risk here is that, should they get more work than they can handle or a larger client, your project will end up being outsourced or put on the back burner.
• Have you done search engine optimization for anyone else in my industry” Industry specific experience may not be critical as most SEO work follows similar paths. If they are working with other businesses in the same industry, determine whether there will be any conflict issues, especially if both businesses are competing in the same local area.

There are two old clichs which apply directly to SEO; You get what you pay for, and Actions speak louder than words. To be sure youre working with an SEO that will deliver, don’t be fooled by discounted prices and make sure that each companys actions have yielded success.