Comments on: 9 Tips for Hiring a Local SEO Firm

By: Nika Gviniashvili

Nika Gviniashvili — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 12:10:44 +0000

There are great marketing points here, like the team work of experienced SEO company is much more beneficial than hiring somebody to do in house SEO. I think that in general SEO should come from educational approach and not soliciting using foreign cold calls companies.
Nice article..

By: Todd

Todd — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 22:49:26 +0000

I particularly agree with number three. Some reps with definitely say anything to get business.

By: Agussalim

Agussalim — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 03:51:30 +0000

I am a digital marketing, I strongly agree with point 5 and 9. This is a frequent trap in the world of digital marketing newbies. Want fast results, hypnotized by the the promise of seductive advertising will deliver fast results. The digital marketing should read this article before choosing the appropriate SOE.

By: Bob

Bob — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 18:16:43 +0000

This is a great list. Being a one man show in a local market several of these tips hit my hot button but especially the one about people expecting work done before they have actually signed on as a client.

I am going to refer my customers to this list. Nick, would you allow me to post this article on my website at seospidermaster.com as long as I give you full creds and a link back to your site?.

By: Anthony Hill

Anthony Hill — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 17:04:58 +0000

I like that what you’ll saying in that
9 Tips for Hiring a Local SEO Firm and I thank you’ll for them tips …….

Anthony L. Hill
CEO / OWNER

By: Terry

Terry — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:29:22 +0000

Yes, precisely I agree with your thoughts. I hired many cheap firms and some of them who were acting as firms of international repute. unfortunately, i got ripped off by them badly and i had to change all my seo practices

By: Bob Morazzi

Bob Morazzi — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:14:57 +0000

Back in August, I hired a national SEO firm, LocalEdge, owned by Hearst Corp. Since Hearst was involved, I expected to be satisfied.
It was determined by my sales rep, that an optimized Landing Page would be a good way for me to get prospects to my real estate website. I was told that I would be able to edit the landing page, but since August, I have not been able to. I’ve demanded that my contract be cancelled, but am being told that I have to meet a 12 month minimum obligation, before I can request a cancellation.
I have also found similar complaints in online blogs. Is it fair that we are forced to pay for something that does not work?

By: David Lynch

David Lynch — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:14:08 +0000

I agree with the lot from a clients view. But you had me thinking a bit there, also the people that responded to. If they are a good reputable and know what their doing with SEO apart from their clients doing well in the serps what about themselves. After all you have to set an example of how its done by being in the serps yourself.

By: Patti Fousek

Patti Fousek — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 14:58:22 +0000

Hell yes to #7 and 8! I have one client that will not follow any of our advice, then will send us snippy emails because the SEO “just isn’t working”.

Great post, Nick!

By: Dear Potential SEO Clients, Please Don’t…

Dear Potential SEO Clients, Please Don’t… — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 06:02:00 +0000

[...] are a lot of blog posts out there about how to hire an SEO firm (I freely admit that I have written some tips myself!), but most of them deal with what a potential [...]

By: Mike Bayes

Mike Bayes — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 16:30:50 +0000

Good tips. The only one I would add is, ask for three local recent references, and check their rankings. If an SEO can do SEO, their clients should be well ranked.

By: Lisa Frost

Lisa Frost — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 16:06:03 +0000

If only we could get our clients to read your article, rather than all of us SEO’s! Point #2 and #8 is the core of it, IMHO. Every larger firm we’ve come across is usually staffed with sales people that know SEO buzzwords, but not really SEO. But they make the job harder for us dedicated consultants in two ways. First, they distract clients with the glitz and glam that only a larger firm has the resources to put forth. Then once they land the client and end up with lackluster results the client’s are more wary and less reluctant to accept recommendations from us when they eventually come back to us. Thanks for the great insight into the challenges faced by clients and legit SEO firms!

By: Joseph Shivell

Joseph Shivell — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 14:54:12 +0000

Although you gave these as tips for a local firm, they apply when looking for a national firm as well, with the possible exception of #2. Although I disagree with #3, your point about knowing about SEO is a valid one. Even though a sales rep doesn’t do SEO, they should know enough about it to have an intelligent conversation. If you had said, “Beware the sales rep who knows nothing about SEO!”, I would agree wholeheartedly. On a related note, I also agree with #9 – stay way from places that tell you what you want to hear just to take your money!

By: Nyagoslav

Nyagoslav — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 12:33:41 +0000

I completely second your opinion, Nick! Especially regarding 8… It is soooo often that some people just do not trust what you are telling them, because they heard by someone, who read it in some forum and then decided it’s a God’s rule…

Regarding 3. and 9. I also totally agree. Sales rep and extremely low price usually mean either bad service, or cheating. For f…’s sake, if they are an SEO provider they should know how to get plenty of leads online, no? Why should they cold call you?

By: Alec Sharratt

Alec Sharratt — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 10:46:26 +0000

I am a digital marketing executive and I personally like Point 8. the most… IMPLEMENT THE CHANGES!!! I wish I could scream this sometimes. Shocking how many people pay for your advice and then don’t do anything you advise!