When 70-80% of consumers actively ignore paid advertisements, ranking highly in organic search results is vital to your business.

SEO isn’t magic. It takes time and dedication, which means it may be smart to hire someone else to take care of it for you. But how do you know who to hire or where to start?

Here are 15 tips to help you choose the right professional SEO firm for your business.

1. Understand There Isn’t a Fix-All Method

Before you seek an SEO firm, it’s important to know that there is no “secret sauce” for SEO marketing.

A low-quality SEO consultant will tell you they have secret optimization techniques that beat the algorithms. This isn’t true.

If you ask a potential firm how they drive results and they say it’s a proprietary method, run away. SEO is an open field and there are various techniques marketers use to improve search rankings. If a company’s method is veiled in secrecy, consider it a red flag.

2. Don’t Trust Google

This might seem like an oxymoron, but don’t automatically trust the first result on Google when looking for a high-quality SEO consultant.

A good SEO company will rank well if they know how to do their job. But the best SEO companies are so overwhelmed by doing good work that they don’t need to worry about optimizing their websites.

Great SEO firms have loyal clients that refer even more loyal clients to them, so they don’t spend resources to gain new clients if they don’t have to.

Many companies that rank well are focusing their energy on ranking well because they don’t have clients. Not that there aren’t any good SEO companies ranking well on Google, but don’t blindly trust Google without doing your own research first.

3. Establish Your Goals First

Before deciding who to hire, know what you’re after. Establish clear goals and share them with the SEO firm in your consultation.

You can’t just say “I want to increase traffic to my website.” Here are examples of good goals:

• We need to boost revenue through new sales and hope SEO will drive those sales.
• We want to promote email sign-ups by offering free trials.
• We want to improve the reputation of our brand by pushing bad reviews down and bringing good reviews up.

The more easily you can measure metrics for it, the better the goal.

4. Define an SEO Budget

Know how much you want to spend before you go after any certain SEO company.

Ask about specials and package deals early on to determine whether a firm’s services are within your budget. Most will be willing to piecemeal their services to work with you.

When selecting a package, always defer to the goal you made in the beginning.

5. Make a List of Options

From your budget and a list of goals, come up with 3-4 good options to choose from. Then, have conversations with each consultant or firm to determine which is the right one for your business.

Good sources for this include personal and professional networks, similar (non-competitive) companies, and industry insiders.

6. Ask Good Questions

Never go into a consultation without a list of relevant questions. They will help guide the conversation and determine whether the firm is a good fit.

Here are some helpful questions to ask:

• How will you improve our search engine rankings?
• Can you share information on past clients and their results?
• Will we have to commit any internal resources?
• How will you keep me informed during the process?

Write out these questions as you make your list of goals and bring them with you to the consultation.

7. Consider In-House SEO

In the middle of your search for an SEO firm, you might have the urge to bring SEO in-house. Your employees know your business better than any consultant ever will. And if your communication is good, it might be worth a shot.

Or, you can always try the consulting thing for a while and determine whether your team can do it. Contract their services for a year, then let your in-house team handle it.

8. Ask for Advice

If you have your heart set on an SEO firm that you can’t afford, ask if they can advise you on the work. Then someone in-house (or someone new you’ve hired) can work under them as an apprentice to learn.

If you go this route, you’ll have an in-house employee coached by the experts, which may be the best of both worlds.

9. Know When to Let It Go

SEO is difficult and extremely competitive. Over 75% of people never click past page one of the results on Google. As such, you need to decide if spending time and money on SEO is worth it.

You may not see much value going from page six to page two. Unless you want to commit and give it your all, SEO may be something you focus on when you have more resources down the road.

10. Ask for Testimonials

If you’re looking for unbiased opinions about an SEO firm, look for reviews. Reading through testimonials and unsolicited online reviews is a great way to find a reputable firm.

Find these reviews by searching for them on Yelp and Glassdoor. Some agencies will provide references and case studies if you ask. Case studies will show you what the company is capable of.

A great firm should have no problem putting you in direct contact with a former client so you can talk with them about their experience. If the company says no to this, it’s not a good sign.

11. Don’t Go Local “Just Because”

Yes, supporting local businesses is always a good thing, but not always with SEO.

SEO can be performed remotely from anywhere. There are many options to choose from, so you’re not stuck with your local SEO agency.

Just be careful about choosing SEO companies in foreign countries. Unless your target audience lives in that country, that may not be a good move.

12. Watch out for Questionable Practices

Be on the lookout for black hat SEO practices. Companies that use “shady” hacks to improve their search results can cause damage to your rankings that take years to recover from. This damage is because Google punishes sites that they catch using these practices.

If an SEO firm makes unrealistic guarantees about results, look elsewhere. Some practices to look out for are:

• Buying links from low-quality, random websites
• Using a program to generate web pages
• Scraping content from other sources
• Using fake press releases to spam links

If you’ve used any of these techniques, let your SEO expert know. They can help you clean up your website so you don’t have a run-in with Google.

And just to be safe, don’t enter a business agreement with anyone who wants to keep copyrights to the metadata they create, edit, or analyze for your website. If you give them this right, they can legally bar you from your site if you leave them for a competitor.

13. Check out Digital Marketing Agencies

Don’t forget to include digital marketing agencies in your search for an SEO firm.

SEO can work seamlessly with pay-per-click advertising, social media marketing, and conversion rate optimization. Some companies offer all of these services at once. If you’re focusing on SEO alone, you may miss these companies that will help you meet your business goals.

14. Familiarize Yourself with Common SEO Tools

Don’t blindly trust anyone you have a consultation with. Before hiring an SEO company, familiarize yourself with common SEO tools and tactics.

Some tools are better than others, so do your research. This way, when you ask what they’re using, you’ll understand their knowledge of SEO. Plus, the more tools they use, the more capabilities they have—this is a win for you.

15. Pay Attention to Their Proposed Timeline

SEO is an ongoing activity that takes patience and time to implement and achieve success. Be wary of any company that promises success with an unrealistic timeline.

A reasonable SEO timeline will outline the firm’s plan from beginning to end. The timeline will probably range from several weeks to months. Make sure they know what you expect as well, so you can work together with a common goal in mind.

It’s Time to Hire a Professional SEO Firm

Now that you’re equipped with these tips, do you feel prepared to hire a professional SEO firm?

You can’t go wrong if you set realistic goals, follow a budget, and ask the right questions before signing any contracts.

If you want to learn more tips for SEO beginners, check out the rest of our site.

When you’re looking to create campaigns for your advertising it makes sense to look to the big boys.

After all, what better way to pattern yourself than after companies with good marketing.

You don’t even need a comparable budget to get there.

So, if you’re wondering what tried and tested methods of marketing are available then read on and we’ll show you some of the proven ways that companies have gotten ahead.

1.Brand Consistency

Delivering a repeated, consistent message across all platforms is something used by brands to get ahead.

Think of it this way: you’d know it’s a Coke commercial when you watch it even if the bottle wasn’t labeled. They’ve built an empire on repeating the same message in slightly different ways for decades.

You may not have the reach of Coke, but if you do it right then customers will think of you whenever the emotional association pops up. It’s a long road, but it’s a proven way to build something which lasts for years to come.

2. Telling Stories

Storytelling is all the rage these days. Many brands miss the mark, however, by telling a story simply for the sake of telling one.

Don’t take a page out of the book of recipe websites that tell you long, rambling stories before getting to the point.

Instead, you need to work in your brand and product naturally over the course of any given piece of marketing. Tell your viewers a story they’ll love right from the beginning and you’re well on your way to forming a lasting impression in their minds.

3. Content Marketing

Intertwined with storytelling is the idea of content marketing.

Many people make the mistake of thinking of their content as simply a means to one simple end: their search engine optimization.

That’s a huge mistake. Instead, you can use your content marketing to intertwine more high-concept ideas for your products and services.

SEO is still important but content marketing can be used across platforms to deliver your message to those reading, watching, and generally enjoying your content.

And that’s the key: content marketing should always be enjoyable to go through. It’s not about slipping a sales letter into an article and snagging higher Google ranks. It’s about people viewing your company as a content creator, in addition to selling your products.

4. Staying Mobile

A huge percentage of your viewers are going to be using phones or tablets to view your marketing.

That means a tight focus on mobile marketing is key to ensuring you’re ahead of the competition.

It’s not just about reactive web themes either. Focus on how people use their phones. Are you targeting the sorts of questions a person might actually ask their phone when making a search?

Does your website load cleanly on mobile? Are ads interfering with the user’s experience?

Design things with mobile devices in mind for the best end result.

Emulate Companies With Good Marketing

Copying companies with good marketing isn’t hard. Think about the things that you know for sure about the big brands that most of us use in our daily lives and scale them down to suit your own business model.

The sky’s the limit and you don’t need to split test every idea that comes to mind when you can just steal a page from the big boys.

So, consider, how can you modify your marketing today to bring it in line with industry titans?

For more informative reads, bookmark our site, and share this post if you found it useful.

Religion and spirituality have taken their hits in recent decades as church attendance dwindles and it becomes more difficult than ever to connect on a real and meaningful level.

Only 50% of Americans report being affiliated or belonging to a specific religion. So how do you get people into the pews and faith in people’s hearts?

Keep reading for church marketing ideas to help fill your church pews and inspire your parishioners.

Answers to Life’s Questions

Individuals usually turn to their higher power and look for God when they are searching for answers to life’s big questions.

Why are we here? What is the purpose of life? Why do bad things happen if there is a God that loves us?

It is often a tragedy or a crisis in life that will have people seeking out the comfort and support of their Creator. Seeking answers after a loved one dies or a personal trial causes strife in their life.

Offering answers and comfort in times of need is a way to gain a personal and intimate connection with those who attend.

Many individuals have never stepped foot in a church or even opened the Bible, they aren’t aware of the incredible comfort and blessings that a spiritual relationship with God can bring to one’s life.

Marketing material that opens the minds and hearts to realize that God is truly their Creator and wants to empower and bless them in the lives they’ve been given will help tempt the curiosity of those looking for answers.

Children and Youth Program

Some of the most successful church programs are geared toward children and youth. Creating a strong and positive youth program can not only attract children to your church but also get parents in the door.

Aside from times of tragedy, children are often the catalyst for adults questioning their own spiritual and religious path. Those who want to provide their children and teens with a strong basis of faith and spiritual guidance will be searching for a church that focuses on and nurtures youth.

Marketing material that promotes your youth programs and speaks directly to the needs and concerns of children in the world today can help pique the interest of children and their guardians.

Children with a strong spiritual and religious understanding and belief are less likely to face many of the problems of society such as addiction, crime, and depression.

In fact, youth with strong spiritual beliefs are 60% less likely to suffer from depression and those that do struggle with it tend to go in remission and find comfort more quickly than those with no religious or spiritual belief.

Church Marketing Ideas for Community Events

There are many community events held throughout the year that you could take advantage of to connect with the people in your neighborhood.

Whether it’s a Christmas carnival or a summer festival, you can always set up a booth or even just have members handing out pamphlets and saying hello. Making a personal connection is important if you want someone to feel comfortable walking into your church for the first time.

Community events can help the members of your congregation make connections with others and personally invite individuals to church activities and Sunday services.

Church Activities and Community Service

One of the best ways to endear your church and your members to the community is to show them some love.

It used to be that the local church was the social and physical gathering place for communities. It was also where the community would turn when there was a need in the neighborhood.

A kind act of service not only improves life for the ones who receive and give the act of kindness but also anyone who witnesses it. Kindness is contagious and you can actually start a revolution of Christlike love by setting an example for the community.

Any act of service you give is an opportunity to connect with individuals and to invite them to your church services and activities.

Social Media Church Marketing Ideas

In today’s world if you want to connect with someone and attract attention, the best place to do it in cyberspace.

Taking advantage of social media and the power of the internet can give your church a worldwide audience. Social media pages for your church can help you engage with thousands of God’s children at the same time.

You can use social media as a great way to attract visitors to your church website where you can tell them about the activities and coming events at your church.

It’s not hard or expensive to create a website or to gain followers and if you are entertaining and informative enough you could even go viral and have millions heading to your website to see more.

If your church doesn’t have a website yet don’t worry it’s easy to do with a church website builder.

Compassion and Christlike Love

One of the most effective ways to get people in the pews of your church is to truly practice what you preach.

Most of the people who walk away from their religion or church do so because of the people in the pews next to them judging them, not because they all of a sudden don’t believe anymore.

If you want to fill your pews you need to do outreach and show love to those who are there every week and those who haven’t been in years. Find a way to show them Christlike love.

If your members are living the gospel and truly trying to live a Christlike life, that power of heaven will do more to get people in the doors than any marketing campaign you could ever hold.

Just look at the Christmas campaign to Light the World where members of the church are encouraged to perform acts of service and love for others in their family, church, community and world.

The internet helps them create a united and inspired effort to love others. They get people in the pews because they loved them first.

Church Marketing Ideas That Inspire

Your church marketing ideas can inspire more than just a few in your neighborhood. Done right you can inspire the world.

Be sure to bookmark our site for easy access to all our inspirational tips.

Did you know that Facebook continues to be the most cost-effective advertising investment you can make?

It is cheaper than almost every other source of advertising.

Plus, the targeting options are more precise than the rest.

But just as with every other form of advertising, there are certain dos and don’ts with which you should familiarize yourself before taking this smart step.

The Dos and Don’ts for Better Facebook Ads

Nothing challenges your credibility quite like a shoddy ad.

Obviously, you want to drive traffic to your site and not away.

So when you’re developing your Facebook ad, keep in mind a few simple actions to take (and NOT to take):

DO Include a Clear Call-to-Action

What is the purpose of your message? And what do you want your audience to do?

You need to know the answers to these two questions if you’re going to develop a concise call-to-action.

Furthermore, be sure that the overall concept and message of your ad is developed with your audience in mind. You should have a clear understanding of who your target audience is so your call-to-action will be desirable and relatable to them.

Otherwise, you probably won’t get many clicks.

DO Proofread, Then Proofread Again 

One set of eyes is never enough.

In fact, when it comes to proofreading, there can really never be too many cooks in the kitchen.

Your Facebook audience consists of hundreds, if not thousands or even millions, of viewers. So it’s absolutely crucial that you check your ad for typos, proper capitalization, grammatical/punctuation errors, and any other mistakes.

So it’s clear that incorporating a clear CTA and proofreading are two relatively basic actions to take to build the foundation of your Facebook ad.

But what are a couple of things you should avoid?

DO NOT Overstuff with Info

You don’t have the luxury of your viewer’s time.

Your Facebook ad’s message and call-to-action must be simple enough for a viewer to comprehend within seconds. You need to put it right out there.

Keep it simple. Be sure that your headline includes the name of your business and what you’re offering. Then any accompanying message needs to be consistent with your headline.

And don’t forget to add an image. Speaking of which…

DO NOT Grab Just Any Image

It should go without saying that your image must be relevant. But make it a point to select images that will catch the viewer’s eye too. Remember, you only have seconds to work with here.

Find a way to incorporate your brand through colors, or by cleverly integrating your logo.

Having the perfect image is also really helpful if you’re planning to use Facebook dynamic ads –  which are targeted Facebook ads that show one or more of your relevant products to people who have visited your website.

And finally, when it comes to choosing your ad’s image, you want something clear and with high resolution. There should also be no more than 20% text.

Boost Your Sales

We hope that this article about the dos and don’ts of Facebook ads helps you on your journey toward generating more revenue.

And for more inspiring articles about all things marketing, keep checking back with our regularly updated blog!