The One and Only Thing You Need in an SEO Agency

You’re an in-house SEO professional who, after years of demonstrating your expertise, was promoted up the ranks to run the SEO department.

Now, in addition to overseeing strategy, you’re being pulled in a million different directions. On top of that, you’re tasked with building a great SEO team. One that is on par with your standards of SEO.

But corporate doesn’t allow for an entire team of SEO directors. So you hire people with a handful of years under their belt and a lot of potential. The problem is, that things continue to get busier. It’s hard to develop staff and stay on top of projects.

And when things get tricky — for example, if you’re trying to solve a really complex SEO problem, or you’re facing uncharted territory (such as COVID-19) — you may find that your staff can take you only so far. And you’ve been out of the weeds for enough years that you realize your company needs some outside expertise.

• What’s your “state of SEO”
• Experience makes the difference
• FAQ: How can I ensure my SEO team has the necessary SEO expertise to succeed? 

What’s Your “State of SEO”

According to the State of SEO 2019 report by Zazzle, 19 percent of companies reduced their SEO budget due to a skills shortage. The number who felt they were “naive” about SEO grew by 8% since 2018. Those who considered themselves “expert” fell by nearly 30% compared to 2018.

A situation like that is the reason you turn to an SEO vendor. But the issue again becomes an experience.

SEO agencies have a similar problem to in-house SEO teams: they’re often founded by one or more experts. In order to grow, they have to build teams and take themselves out of the hands-on work.

But they also have to make the business profitable, and labor costs are the largest cost. As a result, many agencies have scaled using entry-level professionals. However, this strategy is not sustainable when the clients know more about SEO than the “SEO managers” on their accounts.

Experience Makes the Difference

A few years back, we decided that we weren’t going to have junior-level SEO and PPC professionals on our teams anymore. That is not a normal decision for an agency to make.

It wasn’t an easy process, but we changed the way we source talent. We also expanded our job openings to experts all across the U.S., not just locally.

This allows us to hire the best of the best. As a result, our production team has an average of 10+ years of experience in their craft.

And this is the thing you need to look for when hiring an agency: Experience. Experience is what sets agencies apart.

It allows us to solve the toughest SEO problems out there for our clients when no other solutions exist in-house. And that’s what’s needed now more than ever.

There are many guides out there on how to hire an SEO vendor. Google gives its basic guidelines here with questions to ask. We’ve written in the past about some questions to explore here, including SEO interview questions we ask our own candidates for hire.

But the bottom line is that you do not want to know more than the agency you’re hiring. This is especially true in today’s climate when so much is changing in the world around us. Businesses need the best SEO strategies to survive online.

If you are in this situation, where the one and only thing you need in an agency is expert-level experience, contact us today for a free consultation.

FAQ: How can I ensure my SEO team has the necessary SEO expertise to succeed?

Maintaining a competitive edge requires having an SEO team equipped with all of the expertise. Building such a team takes time, but a steady effort should ensure your SEO team possesses all required skills and expertise.

1. Careful Recruitment:  

Begin by recruiting individuals who have a strong foundation in SEO. Look for candidates with a proven track record, certifications, and a deep understanding of SEO principles. Experience and past successes in optimizing websites for search engines should be top criteria during the hiring process.

2. Continuous Training:

Invest in continuous training programs to keep your team updated with the latest SEO trends and algorithm changes. Platforms like Moz, SEMrush, and Google offer valuable courses and certifications that can enhance your team’s expertise.

3. Regular Workshops and Knowledge Sharing:

Organize regular workshops and knowledge-sharing sessions within your team. Encourage team members to share their experiences and insights. This not only promotes a learning culture but also fosters collaboration and creativity.

4. Access to SEO Tools:

Provide your team with access to premium SEO tools and analytics platforms. Tools like Ahrefs, Screaming Frog, and Google Analytics are invaluable for optimizing websites effectively. Investing in such tools demonstrates your commitment to equipping your team for success.

5. Performance Metrics: 

Establish clear performance metrics to evaluate your team’s effectiveness. Monitor key SEO KPIs such as organic traffic growth, keyword ranking improvements, and conversion rates. Regularly review these metrics to identify areas for improvement.

6. Industry Networking:  

Encourage your team to participate in industry events, webinars, and forums. Networking with other SEO professionals can provide valuable insights and broaden their knowledge base.

7. Collaboration with Other Departments: 

Facilitate collaboration between your SEO team and other departments like content marketing, web development, and design. A holistic approach to digital marketing ensures that SEO efforts are aligned with overall business goals.

8. Mentorship:  

Assign experienced mentors to junior team members. Mentorship accelerates the learning process and ensures that knowledge is passed down effectively within your team.

9. Case Studies and Experiments:  

Encourage your team to conduct SEO experiments and document the results. These case studies can serve as valuable learning resources and help refine your team’s strategies.

10. Feedback and Adaptation:  

Create an environment where feedback is encouraged. Regularly seek input from your team members on ways to improve processes and identify areas where additional expertise may be needed.

Building and managing an effective SEO team requires ongoing commitment. Follow these steps to make sure that your team possesses all of the knowledge required for digital marketing success.

How to Ensure Your SEO Team Has the Necessary SEO Expertise to Succeed

1. Start by carefully recruiting individuals with a strong SEO foundation, emphasizing experience and past successes.
2. Invest in continuous training programs, including certifications from platforms like Moz and SEMrush.
3. Organize regular workshops and knowledge-sharing sessions within your team to foster a learning culture.
4. Provide access to premium SEO tools such as Ahrefs, Screaming Frog, and Google Analytics.
5. Establish performance metrics like organic traffic growth and keyword ranking improvements to evaluate your team’s effectiveness.
6. Encourage industry networking through participation in events, webinars, and forums.
7. Facilitate collaboration between your SEO team and other departments within your organization.
8. Implement mentorship programs to accelerate learning for junior team members.
9. Encourage your team to conduct SEO experiments and document results for valuable case studies.
10. Create an environment that encourages feedback and continuous improvement in your SEO processes.

By following these steps, you can empower your SEO team with the necessary expertise to excel in the ever-evolving field of search engine optimization.

Bruce Clay is founder and president of Bruce Clay Inc., a global digital marketing firm providing search engine optimization, pay-per-click, social media marketing, SEO-friendly web architecture, and SEO tools and education. Connect with him on LinkedIn or through the BruceClay.com website.

See Bruce's author page for links to connect on social media.