Search engine optimization (SEO) has come a long way over the last 20 years. The modern SEO services provider bears very little resemblance to the SEO consultant of the late 1990s. Ongoing evolution within the online search world has seen to that. For business owners, the challenge is finding a provider that offers the right services.
So what services should a good SEO company offer? For that, we turn to Salt Lake City’s Webtek Digital Marketing. With a second office in Austin, TX, Webtek works with companies of all sizes involved in multiple industries. Here are the key services they say a good provider should offer:
1. Traditional SEO
Even though SEO has evolved considerably over the last two decades, some of its more basic principles remain intact. They represent the starting point for any kind of SEO service. These traditional services include things like:
- Keyword Research – Keywords remain the fundamental source of information search engines rely on to rank pages. With that in mind, keyword research is the foundation of any successful SEO program.
- Link Building – Some say link building is not as important as it once was. While there is room for debate on that point, links still do matter to some degree. Link building remains a traditional SEO service that should not be ignored.
- Analytics – SEO service providers still rely on analytics to determine performance. The right analytics tell providers what works and what doesn’t for a particular client.
Traditional SEO is not dead. Providers now combine it with other services to maximize a company’s online exposure, thereby improving reach and driving revenues.
2. Local SEO
Very few companies start out hitting the international market from the very beginning. With the exception of e-commerce, almost all successful businesses begin as local companies serving local customers. And in some industries, like hospitality and food service, a local focus is permanent. This suggests that a good SEO provider specializes in local SEO services.
3. Website Design
As SEO has evolved, it has gradually come to rely more on website design techniques that take advantage of what it has to offer. A perfect example of this is responsive design. Because search engines consider a website’s responsiveness as a ranking factor, sites have to be designed accordingly.
This explains why companies like Webtek do not focus exclusively on SEO itself. They also offer web design services alongside tried-and-true SEO practices.
4. Content Creation and Marketing
Every website – whether it is a company site, government site, or social media platform – presents content. Without content there is no site. Furthermore, content plays a significant role in SEO. So much so that a good SEO provider doesn’t think twice about offering content creation and marketing services. Creating content and marketing with it is part and parcel of successful SEO.
5. Social Media Marketing
Speaking of social media, it represents one of the most prolific marketing tools in modern history. Not taking advantage of it is akin to throwing away one of the most valuable digital resources around. A good SEO provider that understands its business offers social media marketing as a service. It can be utilized by itself or in concert with other SEO services.
Modern SEO goes way beyond selecting a few keywords and working to make sure they appear on a website. Successful SEO is a comprehensive collection of tools and strategies that, when executed properly, increase a website’s visibility across all the major search engines. With increased visibility comes more traffic and more opportunities to turn casual visitors into paying customers. That’s what it’s all about.
