Whether your business is struggling to grow or you simply don’t have the desire to handle your clients’ search engine optimization needs yourself, you may have already determined that working with a white label SEO agency is the best move for everyone involved. After all, this can be an excellent way to cut costs, free up time, and gain access to resources you might not otherwise have.
However, it’s important to note that not all SEO agencies are created equal. While some have the experience and capacity to deliver the results you’re after, others may simply talk a good game and fail to make good on their promises.
That’s why it’s essential to evaluate every potential partner carefully before rushing into an agreement. Although you won’t want to unnecessarily delay the process of improving your clients’ SEO, you will want to ensure that their investment is sound.
By asking the following three questions, you can gain substantial understanding about a given SEO provider. From there, you can determine whether this prospective partner will be a good fit for your needs and those of your clients.
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1. Where is Your Team Based?
This might seem like an odd question to ask right off, but it may factor more into your overall experience than you realize. First of all, you should work with an SEO company that’s based in your home country. If you’re running an American business, that means your SEO provider should also be located in the United States. While it might be more cost-effective to work with a team based overseas, that low value will be represented in the deliverables.
In order to develop and execute an effective SEO strategy, you need to ensure that the team producing your blog content, web copy, guest posts, and other elements are fluent in your language and can incorporate components like keywords and anchor text organically. Both web users and Google bots will become frustrated with your content if the quality is low and makes little sense. Your optimized content needs to sound natural and must be accurate, relevant, entertaining, and valuable.
Keep in mind that finding a U.S.-based SEO provider isn’t merely about content quality. It’ll also be much easier to communicate regularly with your SEO partner if they’re based in the same country you are. While a few hours’ time difference isn’t a deal breaker, things can become complicated quickly if your business hours don’t align at all. To minimize delays and frustration, it’s best to ensure that their location will not act as a barrier.
2. How Do You Approach the Reseller Relationship?
Ideally, you don’t want to think of your white label SEO agency as just another vendor. You’ll really want to work with a partner for your business. Being able to regard this company as an extension of your own business, rather than some faceless team who handles your fulfillment, will allow you to reach your goals in the long term.
While specific results are certainly important, it’s actually about more than that. You’ll want to look for an SEO company that’s focused on building relationships and achieving shared goals. That way, you’ll each be able to set expectations and learn from each other in beneficial ways. It’s best to prioritize an agency that understands the importance of clear communication, accountability, and mutual growth. This will help your clients succeed and help your business to thrive over time.
No matter what, you won’t want to be just a number or a name on a screen to your SEO agency. You’ll want to get to know their team and ensure they’re invested in knowing yours. Not every provider will want to take the time to foster this relationship — but the ones that do are clearly interested in more than just payment. And that dedication to the work is precisely what’s needed for optimal success.
3. Can You Prove Your Methods Are Successful?
You should be very wary of any SEO company that makes outlandish promises pertaining to ranking improvements. For example, a firm that guarantees your clients will be in position one in just a few weeks will undoubtedly fail to deliver. They might use techniques that could harm your clients’ ability to rank in the future or they might simply take your money without making good on their pledges. With SEO, there’s simply no way to keep those promises — and any agency worth their salt will refrain from making them in the first place.
However, that doesn’t mean that you have to go into this relationship completely blind. While your provider might not be able to give you a definitive ranking timeline, they should be able to illustrate how their methods have helped other clients in the past. White label SEO firms can’t really release the names of specific companies they’ve helped, but they can create case studies, whitepapers, and other content that can show exactly how their efforts have paid off in the past.
Many SEO agencies may have these case studies readily available on their site, as they probably know this can be a major factor in the buyer’s journey. Others may offer this data upon request. Many agencies will also be happy to share anecdotes and testimonials from other resellers. Since these come directly from their satisfied customers, this evidence can be powerful in helping you make a decision about outsourcing your SEO.
Of course, there’s no “sure thing” when it comes to SEO. There isn’t one specific formula that’s guaranteed to work for every campaign. But there are certainly tactics that don’twork — and red flags you should watch for and steer clear of. On the flip side, there are also a number of positive indicators that should signal an agency’s ethics and expertise. Starting with these three questions can help you to narrow down the list and find an SEO partner who will tick all of the right boxes.
