10 questions you should ask an SEO agency when considering hiring them to help you.
Selecting a B2B SEO agency for the first time can be tricky. If you're not an SEO expert then it can be easy to be blown-away with lots of technical talk and weird words like canonicals. Don't panic! We've created this short list of 10 questions you can use to see if the agency actually knows what they are doing. You can compare the answers to these questions and you will get a better understanding of how the agency works behind the scenes.
1. How do you approach keyword research and selection for B2B SEO campaigns? What strategies and tools do you use to identify relevant keywords that resonate with our target B2B audience?
This answer will probably be fairly similar from most agencies. Some will claim to have specific techniques for doing keyword research for B2B SEO. In reality most of them end up coming up with the same solution as each other, that just don't know it.
2. Can you provide examples of successful B2B SEO campaigns you have executed, particularly in our industry or a similar niche? What were the outcomes in terms of improved organic search rankings and lead generation for B2B clients?
A fairly straightforward question around previous work and case studies. But definitely useful to get an understanding on whether they have worked with a very similar company to yourselves before. Sometimes you may find they cannot take you on as a client if they are working with a competitor because it is a conflict of interests.
3. How do you optimize B2B websites for SEO? What factors do you consider, and how do you ensure our website is optimized to attract and convert B2B leads through organic search?
This is quite a broad question and is usually covered in the pitching process under the umbrella of technical SEO and improved user experience. Typically agencies will produce a list of errors with your current website to show you how much work needs to be done. Don't worry though, all websites have some errors, no-one is perfect.
4. What is your strategy for building authoritative backlinks in the B2B space? How do you identify reputable B2B websites for link building opportunities, and how do you ensure compliance with search engine guidelines?
This is a good one, backlinking is the most difficult of SEO because it is outside of the scope of the website. Some agencies will work with third parties or outsource backlinking so it is important to ask about this too. Sometimes these services are whitelabeled.
5. How do you analyze and measure the impact of your B2B SEO efforts? What SEO analytics tools and metrics do you use to track organic search visibility, lead generation, and conversions for B2B clients?
Again a standard question but worth asking to understand how they report and measure the SEO performance. You may find a lot of the responses are similar to this question.
6. Can you explain your approach to optimizing B2B website content for SEO? How do you ensure that our website's content is optimized for target keywords while effectively addressing the pain points and needs of B2B buyers?
Content marketing is core to the success of B2B SEO. Content production will likely play a huge role in the strategy the SEO agency proposes so they will likely cover this question at some-point.
7. Do you have experience with technical SEO for B2B websites, such as optimizing site structure, navigation, and user experience? How do you ensure that our B2B website is technically sound and optimized for search engines?
This is similar to question we asked previously around the website but more specific to technical SEO. Most agencies we utilise some specific SEO crawling tools to aid with their technical SEO.
8. What is your strategy for optimizing B2B websites for local search, especially if our business operates in specific geographic regions or targets local B2B customers? How would you enhance our visibility in local search results?
Local SEO is really important and often overlooked within a B2B context. Especially because companies are often looking to scale across multiple regions and continent's. Even though they want to icnrease global reach, you can only have success globally by optimising for the local region.
9. How do you stay updated with the latest B2B SEO trends and best practices? Can you provide examples of how you have adapted strategies to align with the evolving needs and preferences of B2B buyers?
This is a good curve ball to ask an agency to check that they are forward thinking and always keeping up to date with the latest trends and strategies. Keeping their ear to the ground.
10. What is your process for conducting competitor analysis in B2B SEO? How do you identify our key B2B competitors and formulate strategies to outrank them in search engine results for targeted keywords and B2B queries?
Competitor analysis is a standard part of any SEO audit or strategy and should be comprehensive. Definitely ask about competitor analysis and ensure your happy the agency is doing an in-depth review.
Short but sweet. We hope this article proves useful in consolidating some questions you can ask a B2B SEO agency and gives you an idea of what to expect in return. It's important to remember that SEO agencies tend to all do the same thing, a bit like estate agents. The key is to find one your are comfortable with and get a great level of service.
