Nearly every business owner today understands the value of SEO marketing, but very few understand what works and what does not in an SEO strategy. This understanding is vital when you have to choose an SEO company, so that you can separate the good from the bad.

 Warning Signs of a Bad SEO Company

 Someone with a poor or superficial understanding of SEO is bound to make a few cardinal mistakes that are almost always the cause of a failed digital marketing campaign.

 Excessive Focus on Meta Data

 Google and other search engines have developed extremely sophisticated search algorithms over the years. This has diminished their dependence on meta data. While meta description, title and keywords still serve as an indicator, they are no longer an element in search rankings. Poorly informed SEO companies focus too much on meta data because it is easy, and too little on actual content, which is the real game changer.

 Using Dubious Inbound Links

 While link building continues to be a critical part of SEO marketing, search engines are now far too advanced to get impressed with poor quality or dubious back links. Unreliable SEO companies, however, continue to participate in illegitimate link schemes and bulk link buying to achieve short term spikes in search rankings. The end result usually is that Google penalizes the website severely and pushes it far down the search rankings.

 Highlights of a Good SEO Company

 A professional SEO marketing firm will know the importance of White Hat SEO techniques, and will conform to the official Google Webmaster Guidelines to promote your website.

 Content is King

 While on-page and off-page SEO techniques and keyword optimization are critical to your digital marketing success, at the end of the day, content is still the king. Developing original, thoughtful, and credible content that answers the search queries of readers is a hard and never-ending exercise. A dedicated SEO company will take it most seriously for the long-term success of your SEO campaign.

 Building Online Authority

 Google loves strong, authoritative websites, and its search engine algorithm look for various cues to determine this authority. Is your website attracting high quality inbound links from reputable third party sites and blogs? Does some of your content, such as a web page, blog, video, or infographic get widely shared on social media? How much time does an average visitor spend on your site and what is their engagement level? These are core areas of focus for a seasoned SEO marketer.

 Long-Term Partner or a Fly-By-Night Operator

 SEO marketing is an ongoing process. Google continues to update its search algorithms several times a year, and your SEO provider must be nimble-footed enough to upgrade your site in sync with these changes. In any case, search engine optimization is not a one-time task. Even if you achieve the top search rankings on Google, your competitors will overthrow you from that position unless you SEO specialist is constantly working to keep your website on top. 

 Schedule a Consultation with Next Level Marketing Today

At Next Level Marketing, we will analyze your existing website and SEO, identify the weaknesses, and offer you a cohesive SEO strategy to maximize your results. Set up a consultation with us by calling at 1-844-SEM-NEXT or fill out this online form.