Best SEO Companies: 2020 List of Top SEO Agencies

Here's what to look for from an SEO company:

• Experience within your industry/vertical: This is not always necessary but can be helpful.
• Proven results: A reputable SEO company should have no problem providing examples of their work, case studies, etc.
• Ability to provide other related services: OuterBox offers web design, development, PPC services, etc., all under one roof. It can be quite beneficial to have one company handle all of these services.
• Client testimonials: Any reputable company should have no problem providing a few positive testimonials from existing clients.
• A well-designed website: Look for an SEO company with some existing SEO rankings of their own. Ask the SEO company you are considering to tell you about their SEO efforts on their company website.

In the example above, you'll see the OuterBox website brings in organic traffic worth over $300,000 per month and has been on a consistent upward trend.

What does a successful SEO campaign look like?

Many bad SEO companies will try to paint a pretty picture that simply doesn't exist while you wait for tangible results. If your SEO company is constantly giving you excuses, remember that SEO is about your ROI. This is what you should see from a successful SEO campaign:

• Increased Keyword Rankings: Are your target keywords improving?
• Increased Organic Traffic: Does the analytics show a significant increase in organic traffic as a result of those keyword ranking improvements?
• Increased Organic Conversions: Is the increase in organic traffic qualified? If so, you better see a significant increase in organic conversions!
• Increased Organic Sales & Revenue: If your site is eCommerce, your ultimate ROI can be broken down to organic revenue. If your total organic revenue isn't improving at a rate that can justify your monthly SEO spend, it's likely time to reconsider.

Watch "How to Measure Your SEO Campaign Success":

What a Successful SEO Campaign Doesn't Look Like

• Immediate #1 rankings: Beware! For valuable keywords, you aren't going to see immediate results. SEO takes time, so immediate results are typically temporary and will likely end up hurting your website down the road if nefarious tactics were used to achieve said rankings. For instant results in search engines like Google, PPC advertising is the answer. Learn about Paid Search Management services from OuterBox.
• Irrelevant Keyword Ranking Improvements: Watch out for companies that string you along by improving rankings and traffic for low-competition, slightly irrelevant keywords. Be sure to approve a master keyword list of terms that the SEO company will work to improve. They should provide monthly search volumes and other pertinent data to help you make an informed decision.
• Declining organic traffic and conversions: At the end of the day, if your organic traffic and conversions/sales/revenue are not increasing, your SEO campaign may not be working as you hoped. Of course, SEO is a long-term strategy, and it does often take several months to start seeing positive results.

As SEO experts, what does our proven search marketing process look like?

It all begins with planning. SEO companies who jump into optimizing title tags, content, products, or any part of the website before doing proper research and planning, could be doing more harm than good.

After completing these tasks, our expert SEO team has a much better idea of what an ongoing campaign will need to consist of to be a successful endeavor. We will work to determine the "low hanging fruit", or changes that can be made to the website easily that we know will boost rankings quickly. Identifying these areas will allow for your campaign to have success sooner than later, which helps you prove a positive return on your marketing investment in a shorter timeframe.

As we continue with the campaign, we will develop and continue to refine a customized SEO plan that focuses on your goals, needs, and more based on what is driving results for your business. Each campaign is unique, so we do not have set plans or strategies for each client, although we have proven techniques that have worked for past clients. Talk with our team today to learn more.