In this post I'll talk you through how to find SEO help in Lincolnshire and what to look for (and what not to look for) in the businesses and freelancers you may come across.

We’ll take a look at:

• Where online to look for an SEO agency or SEO freelancer

• Where to ask for recommendations

• How to check reviews (and how to know which are genuine!)

• Why you should check the agency/freelancers social media

• How and why you should check their blog content

Step one: Finding an SEO Agency/Freelancer in Lincolnshire

You've probably already got some marketing contacts in Lincolnshire. Whether you've made these contacts at networking events, via social media or if there are local companies you've just heard of it's essential to keep these in mind, but a quick Google search is also always worth a try.

When it comes to SEO, you want someone who can deliver results. The proof should be in the pudding here, the SEO agencies and SEO freelancers who are ranking high on the search results should be the best in the business.

The ads at the top (yellow box) are completely different from the organic results (blue box), and anyone can put ads in this first section - even those with zero SEO skills. The best SEO professionals should be the ones ranking in the top few organic search results. Try a few different searches for Lincolnshire and your local area and see who you find. 

Step 2: Where to ask for recommendations

Facebook has a great built-in recommendations feature where you can ask your friends and followers for recommendations. Businesses and freelancers who come recommended are always worth checking out but do bear in mind their skills which again, should be evident in your own Google searches.

Step 3: Why you should check the SEO agency/SEO freelancers social media activity

Social signals are part of and do influence SEO. Basically, this means that your social media presence has a direct influence on your SEO and any good SEO professional will know this. If the companies you’ve found aren’t active on social media (primarily Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter) you might want to think twice before hiring them!

SEO aside, social media presence is important to any business and haveing not posted since 2017 doesn’t look good from a customer perspective. Whether you’re another SEO agency or freelancer reading this or you’re a local business looking for help finding an SEO professional, ensure you have a strong social media presence with regular posting and interaction with other businesses and customers.

Step 4: How and why you should check the companies blog content

Similarly to the above, SEO is heavily impacted by website content - including blog content. Over half of our own website traffic comes in via blog content ranking on the organic search results. Again, any reputable SEO freelancer or agency should know this and should be regularly posting content on their blog.

Step 5: Take a look at the companies reviews

Use Facebook and Google to take a look at the reviews of the companies you’ve found. Bear in mind that review sites like Feefo aren't 100% reliable as with these sites, businesses have to invite people to leave a review. They aren't public for anyone to post on. Because of this, (perhaps slightly obviously), companies only invite the clients they know will leave positive reviews. 

Step 6: Make contact

Once you've got a few contenders, make contact (preferably via phone) and speak with each one. You should get a feel for how they work and the knowledge they hold by the information they provide you with. Be wary of companies who use a lot of jargon when they speak with you. The best SEO specialists will be able to explain exactly what they can do for you without you walking away feeling very perplexed!

Be sure to ask about:

• On-page SEO

• Off-page SEO

• Google My Business management

• Reporting

• Google Analytics and Google Search Console (and any other tracking software)

Step 7: Request a proposal

Request a formal proposal to outline everything the specialist can offer you from the businesses you're interested in working with. Any reliable consultant will provide a structured plan and contract to describe exactly what they can do for you and to ensure both they and you are protected should anything go wrong. You're in your right to ask about the businesses insurance should you wish to.

Step 8: Review the information

Review the information the consultant has sent over in the proposal and evaluate how effective their results should be. It's also worth considering the price and additional factors such as does your consultant also offer some social media and Google My Business management as part of their SEO service? Expert SEO services should include these alongside the more standard SEO factors. You should also ask if the consultant has any case studies or results from other clients they can share with you.

It’s also important to consider any qualifications the consultant has. If they’re working with you on your SEO directly, they should also have knowledge of data analysis, Google Analytics and Google My Business. Google offer these qualifications and certifications directly themselves or they can be obtained by other organisations and courses.

Step 9: Make your choice!

You should, by now, have all the information you need to make your decision. If you're still unsure, request a second call or arrange a meeting in person to discuss further. 

If you'd like help with your SEO, feel free to reach out to me on 01522 275 021 or online here.