How to Find the Best SEO Agency

In the world of digital marketing, implementing an effective SEO strategy is essential to improve the visibility of your website and help it reach top positions in search results.

After all, what’s the point of having a website if no one visits it or if you have to spend thousands of euros every month on ads to generate traffic?

For this reason, it’s often wise to enlist a specialized agency to develop an action plan after a thorough analysis phase.

This article will guide you in finding the best SEO agency and inform you about the key points to consider.

1/ Search for the best SEO agencies in France for you.

There are many SEO agencies in France, particularly in Paris, Montpellier, Annecy, and Marseille. To find the best one, start by creating a list of the most reputable agencies. You can consult online rankings or ask for recommendations from your professional network.

One way is to type the query “SEO Agency” or “SEO Consultancy” on Google and see which agencies appear first. Of course, this doesn’t necessarily mean they will be a perfect fit for you, as a large agency might assign a junior staff member to your project or not spend enough time on your case if they don’t consider it strategic for them.

Similarly, a freelance consultant could be a good option, but it’s crucial to ensure they have solid experience and access to essential paid tools such as Semrush, Sixtrixt, Ahrefs, Majestic SEO, ChatGPT Plus, and its paid plugins, not just limited free or trial versions.

Success depends on having the right tools and knowing how to use them.

2/ Examine the proposed SEO strategy.

A good agency should be able to offer you a customized SEO strategy for your website, taking into account the specifics of your industry and your objectives. Make sure the agency is up-to-date with the latest best practices for your website’s organic search ranking and has the necessary SEO tools to carry out their mission.

For example, check on their website that meta descriptions are properly filled in using the free Chrome plugin SEO Meta. This will allow you to verify that the basic good SEO practices are applied by the service provider you are considering.

3/ Request a free pre-SEO audit.

Before committing to an agency, ask them to perform a free pre-SEO audit of your website. This will give you a clear idea of the areas that need improvement and help you determine if the agency is competent enough to assist you in achieving your long-term goals.

You can also use this opportunity to compare the relevance of the SEO agencies’ analyses and assess the quality of their deliverables, their ability to be educational and comprehensive in their advice and recommendations, and the tools they use for the pre-audit.

Ask about the tools used for each observation in the free pre-SEO audit and don’t hesitate to ask questions if you don’t understand.

In our opinion, the pre-audit should not be charged, and this will show you the agency’s willingness to invest time in you.

4/ Check references and testimonials.

Research the past experiences of the SEO agencies you are considering. Consult client testimonials and ask for references to ensure they have successfully worked on similar projects to yours.

Visit their Google My Business listing and see how many reviews they have and whether they are positive.

If the agency you’re considering doesn’t have a Google My Business listing, question their expertise since it is one of the essential practices for local SEO in 2023!

5/ Compare prices and services.

SEO agencies can offer a wide range of prices. It’s important to compare offers based on your budget and needs. Don’t hesitate to ask for detailed quotes to get a clear idea of the services included in each package.

Also, ask about how articles are written, their length, and how many revision/modification phases are included.

Inquire about the backlink acquisition strategy, how they are sourced, the average authority score targeted, and whether the articles will be approved by you.

Ask about the reporting you’ll receive, whether you’ll have monthly follow-ups that include, for example, visibility score tracking, newly acquired keywords, position changes on keywords, traffic per optimized blog article, and so on.

Indeed, the quality of services can vary significantly from one agency to another. Request to see deliverables (such as your SEO launch plan, a semantic audit, and a production plan outlining all actions taken on behalf of a client, for example).

The quality of service greatly influences the price offered. Be aware that a genuine SEO approach has a cost, and a discounted service often hides subpar performance. There are no miracles in SEO; it’s a marathon and a long-term effort that requires consistency and regularity.

6/ Assess the skills of SEO consultants.

The skills of SEO consultants are a key factor in ensuring the success of your SEO strategy. Make sure the agency has a team of experienced consultants capable of supporting you throughout the implementation of your project.

Verify that the consultants are truly trained in SEO, are members of organizations like SEOCamp, and have access to essential tools and time to do their job well.

Make sure the SEO consultants managing your case are attentive to your needs and concerns, and avoid any agency that guarantees short-term results or promises to make you number one on a specific term quickly. SEO is a complex subject, and aside from keywords with no search volume and, therefore, no serious competition, it’s impossible for a reputable agency to promise short-term results.

In summary, to find the best SEO agency for your website, it’s crucial to consider several factors, such as the agency’s reputation, proposed strategy, experience of the SEO consultants, and the price-to-quality ratio.

By paying attention to these points, you will be able to choose the agency that can effectively support you in achieving your online visibility goals.

Olivier Maurin

CEO of SearchBooster.