Best SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Marketing Companies & Consultants Of 2018 – Rankings & Reviews

When it comes to running an online business, search engine optimization plays a pivotal role in how effective your efforts will be.

Whether you’re trying to sell a product, promote a service or share valuable content, if your page isn’t landing on Google or other search engines, all of your efforts will go to waste.

And that’s because more and more people are turning to search engines to answer specific questions and get certain answers.

That means that you have to play by very specific rules in order to get noticed.

And if you don’t, other brands will start scooping up your consumers and target audience.

But SEO is complicated. It’s tricky and confusing and sometimes extremely time-consuming. It’s not something just one team member can take on themselves.

That’s why dedicated SEO agencies exist — to help you optimize your content and get your website seen.

What Is An SEO Agency?

A leading SEO company will analyze your website and come up with a strategy to optimize your design, content and technical specs to ensure it gets ranked higher on search engines.

In order for your content to get noticed by your audience, it needs to show up on the first few search pages when a user makes a query. Otherwise, your links will go unclicked.

Search engine optimization companies understand the specific parameters search engines like Google have in place for analyzing content. And so they can make the correct adjustments that will lead to higher clicks, conversions and sales.

These tactics include optimizing content and embedding keywords. It also means adding meta titles, descriptions and alt tags that Google looks for. And it also means making sure your website as a whole runs smoothly and looks appealing.

What Do SEO Companies Do?

Top SEO Companies Employ Search Engine Optimization Experts

One way to judge the quality of an SEO firm is to look at their reputation and standing within the online marketing community. Top SEO agencies are regarded as thought leaders in the industry.

They publish content covering trends and insights on topics related to SEO regularly, and they actively engage in discussions with their peers on their social media channels. Look for content marketing initiatives that demonstrate the agency’s expertise.

For example, SEO company, Distilled, has an entire “Resources” section on their site where the team shares knowledge, tips, insights, and useful how-tos. Even if you know nothing about Distilled, it’s easy to read a few articles in the Resources section and get the sense that this is an agency that both knows what they’re doing and has tremendous respect for the industry they’re part of.

Doing great SEO requires analytical minds, but there’s also no small amount of creativity involved. The best agencies have both. They focus on cold hard data analysis to indicate where the best opportunities lie and to hone in on the approaches that have proved to be the most effective.

But they also employ creative minds that can take that data and apply it to come up with innovative campaign ideas and solutions. When searching for a new agency, focus on finding one that emphasizes both analytical and creative skills.

A Professional Search Engine Optimization Company Evolves With The Industry

Like any other channel of digital marketing, SEO is constantly evolving. Things that were acceptable and even encouraged a few years ago are seen as ineffective or spammy today.

It’s difficult for anyone outside the industry to stay on top of these rapid changes and advancements -- that’s why we hire SEO agencies to keep our websites and marketing tactics current on our behalves.

Search for an SEO agency that positions itself at least partly on being in-tune with what’s going on in the industry, and on its ability to be future-thinking for its clients.

An SEO Services Company Sets Realistic Goals

Nobody likes waiting to see results, but the hard truth is that SEO is not a quick traffic generator. If executed properly, over time it will prove to generate cost-effective, long-term results, but it requires hard work and patience to get there.

SEO experts know that the work they do takes time, and they’re realistic about what they can achieve. They spend time in the early stages of the project to get a clear picture of the search landscape as it pertains to their client. With this information, they’re able to make informed and realistic projections about the results they think they can achieve.

Buyer beware: stay away from any agency promising quick fixes or overnight results from SEO services. That kind of behavior is a hallmark of the unsavory SEO.

The Best Search Engine Optimization Services That Drive Results

The best agencies offer a range of large-scale and local SEO marketing services to cover clients with a wide variety of needs.

Most will encourage a monthly retainer arrangement as it does take a significant amount of time and effort before results begin materializing. However, they may also be open to doing smaller engagements like audits and consultations.

SEO pricing will depend on the scale and difficulty of the project, as well as on the prestige of the agency. In some cases, additional web design work may be required.

Top search engine optimization services include the following.

The Best SEO Company Offers Audits & Continued Analytics

An SEO audit is an assessment of the client’s current search positions, organic traffic, company website design and content, on-page SEO, link building (off-page SEO), and search competition.

Leading SEO firms then use this analysis to build a strategy and fix key problems.

Also included in this service is ongoing monitoring and analysis of client’s website analytics to measure performance against a set of stated goals to identify areas of opportunity and improvement.

Top SEO agencies set regular meetings to review the progress of your SEO campaigns with you. They should set clear expectations for communication and have a schedule for generating and delivering campaign reports.

A Search Engine Optimization Agency Provides SEO Optimization & Development Strategy

Based on client interviews and independent discovery and research, a strategy is created to guide the SEO process. The strategy will document keyword research and targeting approach (eg; long-tail keywords vs, head terms), necessary onsite edits, content development needs, local SEO needs, and outreach approach.

This also includes technical edits made to a website to make it easier for search engines to crawl and index content. Web design services may also be included/required to ensure the website is properly optimized.

Additional content is also created by the top-rated SEO marketing agencies. Onsite SEO optimization is a major component of the search engine optimization process. It comprises a series of technical and content edits to your website that makes it easier for search engines to crawl and interpret your content.

A Reputable SEO Firm Also Performs Digital PR

You might not think that SEO companies do more than work with your content and technical design. But you’d be wrong.

The greatest SEO companies also reach out to relevant media outlets in order to achieve press mentions and links that will positively affect the client’s organic search rankings.

This includes link building which is a great way to boost SEO strength. The more credible resources you have linked in your site, and are linking to yours, the better your site will rank.

The Best SEO Company For Your Brand Is Worth Investing In 

Leading search engine optimization companies are robust and efficient. They quickly analyze the functionalities of your site and test their ranking capabilities.

They then use this data to craft a strategy to promote your website more fluidly, getting it ranked higher in popular search engines — specifically Google.

High rankings are essential for a successful online business. The good news? The top-rated SEO agencies in the table above know how to get your content ranked and noticed.

SEO is complicated and time-consuming. Therefore, it is in your best interests to hire a reliable SEO agency that you can trust. 

However, finding the right partner may also seem like a daunting task. But it can be done with the right preparation!

If you decide to seek out a leading SEO agency, there are certain things you need to keep in mind. You need to ask specific questions and search out answers. This will ensure you find the agency that’s right for you.

28 Questions To Ask Before Hiring An SEO Specialist

What Tools, Tactics & Professional SEO Services Will The Search Engine Optimization Firm Implement?

The most valuable search engine optimization agencies have access to the latest, greatest, state-of-the-art resources that help them gather data, analyze results, and formulate a strategy. Before you commit to an SEO expert, determine the tools they utilize and how they improve their work and results.

Search engine marketing companies can approach improving rankings in a myriad of ways -- but which strategies are the best? Depending on the current state of your online business and future goals, a top agency can determine the tactics you should prioritize and why.

• What SEO services do you provide?
• Are there any other SEO services that you plan on offering soon?
• Do you offer any other digital services?
• How will you analyze our website?
• How do you determine a search engine optimization strategy?
• What SEO tactics do you believe are the most helpful and why?
• What website changes will we need to make and why? Will they be noticeable?
• What structural/web development changes will we need to make and why?
• What platforms, tools or resources does your agency use?
• What are they used for and/or what business growth and SEO problems do they solve?
• Will we have access to these tools as well?
• How will you determine the keywords we should go after?

What SEO Specialist Team Members Will Be Working On Our Project?

Creating a dependable SEO team of experts who understand your brand’s goals is crucial to success. As you’re searching for a search engine optimization company, ask the agency who will be working on your project and what their qualifications are to make certain you’re cultivating a knowledgeable team that can secure results.

It’s important to know the team that will be working on your project. You don’t want to waste time, resources and money on a team that can’t accomplish your goals.

These questions can give you some necessary insights.

• Who will be working on our project?
• What is their expertise and how long have they been doing it?
• What successful campaigns have they worked on? What were their roles and the end result?
• What unsuccessful campaigns have they worked on? Why was it unsuccessful and what did they learn from those projects?
• Do you plan on outsourcing any of our SEO work?
• Who will our point of contact be?

How Will The Best SEO Agency Measure Analytics?

SEO is a very data-driven marketing initiative. Therefore, analytics are extremely important in creating and constantly reassessing the best strategy that will grow your business. Make sure you ask SEO consulting companies how they gather analytics and how these numbers influence their actions.

Ask if your SEO team will be measuring certain analytics and what these analytics will mean for the goals you set out.

These data points can help you better understand the functions of your content and can highlight keywords and tactics that you can implement going forward.

• How often can we expect meetings and updates?
• How will you define our SEO goals?
• How often will you look at analytics and data?
• How often will we get reports? Will these be segmented by each SEO tactic?
• What tools will you use to track our success?
• What traffic increase and ranking improvement can we reasonably expect and why?
• How long will it take for us to see results?

How To Hire An SEO Expert To Grow Your Brand Online

Choose The Best Local SEO Company With A Team Of Professionals

When you enlist a search engine optimization agency, you’re paying for the expertise of the team working on your site. Therefore, make sure you are comfortable with the professionals who will be working on your site.

Although many SEO changes are technical, you still need a team who understands your business objectives and brand identity. If you aren’t comfortable with one or two team members that an agency suggestions, ask for a replacement who you do trust! You deserve to have the best SEO experts working on your project.

Pick The Top SEO Agency With Reliable Tools & Resources

Much of proper search engine optimization is rooted in the best tools and resources that can identify valuable keywords, gather analytics, and quantify progress. Be sure to ask the best SEO companies which tools they use and why, and how these programs will impact their work on your website.

What’s better? Many programs also empower top agencies to analyze competitor success, too. Ask any potential agency how they plan to assess your direct competitors and create a strategy that will allow you to compete with them online or learn from their successful tactics.

Select The Best SEO Services Company With An Effective Process

As we’ve learned, search engine optimization is a long, complicated process with a lot of moving parts -- so you want to work with an agency that can prioritize and stay organized throughout the entire process.

While you’re vetting a good SEO company, ask them how they audit websites, determine a plan of action, manage deliverables and ensure results. In addition, determine how much they collaborate with clients (or what they may need from your team), who your point of contact will be, and what SEO tactics they believe are the most valuable and why.

In all marketing campaigns, the strategy is paramount. Without a clear and thoroughly researched SEO strategy, your campaigns will never bring the results your business is hoping to achieve.

Top SEO agencies begin every project with a discovery phase that informs a search engine optimization strategy. During the discovery phase, the agency will audit your website’s current positioning and identify any existing SEO issues.

They’ll also look at the competitive landscape and do the requisite research to determine which keywords and groupings will be the most valuable for your business. When choosing an SEO agency always look for one that values the importance of developing a strategy to inform their efforts.

Choose A Local SEO Expert That Provides Reports & Results

At the end of the day, you need an SEO agency to take real actions and provide real results. Before you partner with a team of experts, ask them how long it will take to produce results, how often they will report on them, and how the constantly-changing data will influence their strategy throughout the project.

In addition, determine how these results will affect their payment structure. Are you paying hourly, flat-fee, or per objectives reached? Once this is solidified, create a contract that keeps both parties motivated and accountable.

SEO is a digital marketing channel that requires constant maintenance and ongoing analysis in order to succeed. These reports should detail the agency’s efforts, offer insight into the campaign progress, and suggest adjustments or tweaks to campaigns if necessary.

A Professional SEO Service Company Can Build Your Business Effectively

SEO is a vital tactic for your brand to initiate. It can radically transform your online presence and widen your reach.

By choosing a top marketing agency, you can increase your search engine ranking and reach out to new audiences. These are the first steps to driving conversions and increasing sales.

We all know that SEO is important and that each and every business should be investing in it. But how do you actually do search engine optimization? 

Although SEO is complicated and has many moving parts and components, there are some best practices that every reputable search engine optimization company follows.

These tips are proven to help business rank better on Google and other search engines, improve user experience, and provide long-term results. Even if you are partnering with a professional SEO agency, it is worth your while to understand that tactics and strategies they will be executing on your website and why. 

1. SEO Agencies Include H1, H2 and H3 Tags On Every Web Page

H1, H2 and H3 tags are essentially HTML tags placed around headlines and subheads of a web page or online article. Because they are placed specifically in the code, Google can read the information and better categorize the information on your page.

They also are valuable to improved website accessibility. For example, digital screen readers can read the headers in the code to the visually impaired. 

Top search engine experts understand the importance of H-tags. They ensure that every page has the proper tags and keywords that will enable it to rank for targeted phrases and searches. 

There are a few H-tag best practices that will ensure success, such as: 

• Only one H1 tag on each web page -- this should be the "headline" of the page or article.
• As many H2 and H3 tags as you would like. These will act like headers within the web page or article.
• Any keywords in H-tags should be frontloaded when possible.

2. A Top SEO Company Ensures Each Web Page Has A Title & Meta Description

Every worthwhile search engine optimization firm knows that each page needs a unique title and meta description. These items are what shows up in a Google search result. 

In Google search listings, beneath the paid ads, you'll see the organic rankings. The first sentence is the title.

This won't necessarily exist on your real website. Instead, it is crafted specifically to tell Google (and users) what your website or web page is about. 50-60 characters is the ideal length of a title for Google. 

Below the URL is the meta description. This doesn't necessarily impact SEO directly. Instead, it exists to encourage users to click through to your site.

Because a higher click-through rate improves search rankings, you should craft a clear, concise and informative meta description. Less than 300 characters is the ideal length for a meta description

3. A Local SEO Marketing Company Researches Strategic Keywords To Rank For

SEO is so effective at capturing organic consumers because it automatically targets them through their searches.

Top search engine optimization companies help businesses identify keywords that match their mission, core values, brand and demographics.

This helps them capture consumers who are actually interested in the products, services and information a brand offers. That, in turn, increases click-through rates, time on site, and overall rankings. 

Digital marketing companies use tools like SEMRush and Buzzsumo to learn what people are searching for, how often, what the search trends are and more.

They also help clients identify the keywords that are most important for their business. After all, a higher search volume may not mean increase website visits. 

For example, a hair salon shouldn't use keywords for web design, even if the search volume is higher. Their information won't help users searching for a web designer, even if they also need a haircut.

They should instead optimize for topics such as "how to fix split ends," as that will capture meaningful potential customers when they are likely to complete a purchase.  

4. Top Search Engine Optimization Companies Create Custom Content Marketing Initiatives

The best SEO agencies take their keywords research and transform that into strategic content marketing. This content can be visual, video (which we will touch on later) or written. 

Written content and blogs are the most popular form of content marketing, particularly because it is so easy and cost effective to execute.

Search engine optimization companies will strategically place your keywords and related keywords throughout the copy without stuffing -- or inputting too many. Keyword stuffing makes your content look spammy, and Google will penalize you for it.

SEO experts also craft high-value content that provides real insight your consumers are looking for and matches your brand identity. Some simple SEO content rules to follow are:

• Longer content over 1000 words ranks higher
• Content should be high-value and omit fluffy, unnecessary content
• Include optimized images, H-tags, and other SEO best practices in this article
• Articles and pages with video ofter perform better
• Avoid keyword stuffing -- user experience and value should always come first!

5. Video SEO Experts Optimize Multimedia & Video Marketing Campaigns 

Content marketing spans far beyond just blogs -- and that means that consumers are often looking for more visual information. Thus, the best SEO firms help you create digital marketing videos that are optimized for Google and YouTube. 

YouTube is owned by Google. This is highly beneficial because it means that there is an algorithm that will enable some videos to climb in both YouTube search rankings and Google Video search rankings. 

Video SEO professionals help brands research topics, questions and keywords, create valuable content surrounding them, then publish them on YouTube. They will follow such best practices as: 

• Enticing cover photos
• Headlines with frontloaded keywords & meta descriptions
• Captivating adjectives, such as now, fast, quickly, etc. 
• The current year
• Punctuation such as exclamation points and parentheses 
• Video topic tags that tell Google what the content is about
• Video descriptions with links and calls to action

6. An SEO Marketing Agency Builds Internal Links & Manages External Link Building 

The best SEO companies strategically link to other pages of your website on various pages. The hyperlinks cement your website structure by pointing out the most important pages on your site (those with the most interlinks pointing to them) while also ensuring each web page has some value.  

But interlinks are perhaps most valuable because they (say it with us!) improve the user experience. They link to related information and are anchored on specific keywords. This grabs a user's attention, allows them to navigate to pages with information they might desire, and typically increases time on site -- all of which boosts SEO. 

Great interlinks should be: 

• Anchored on a keyword phrase (shorter is better!) 
• Be related to the keyword phrase it is linked on
• Marked as "follow" -- meaning Google will index it and notice the link and where it points to
• Open in a new window
• Be related in some way to the content it is linked from

In addition, SEO marketing companies also build links from external websites. When other websites link to yours, it shows Google that you are a high-quality website that others will cite. This builds your credibility and ranking. 

Meaningful link building should be from great websites with high domain authorities. In addition, they should follow the same best practices as interlinks list above.  

7. An Online SEO Company Ensures Your Website Is Fast

A faster site speed drastically improves search engine rankings. In addition to demonstrating a higher quality website, a fast-loading website improves the user experience. 

Strong UX has a snowball effect. As we know, when visitors have a better online experience with a brand, they stay on the website longer and engage more. This longer interaction signifies to Google that a website has the information the user was searching for. Thus, the website is rewarded with a higher ranking. 

SEO companies test site speed with tools such as Google PageSpeed Insights. Then, they work with web developers to improve a site's functionality. 

8. An SEO Professional Optimizes For Mobile

Around 40% of all online traffic comes from mobile devices -- and Google is beginning to recognize the importance of mobile optimization.

In fact, Google is beginning to place an even higher emphasis on mobile optimization for overall SEO rankings. This mirrors the growing mobile-first trend. 

Well-optimized mobile-friendly websites should be: 

• Responsive
• Well-branded
• Easy to navigate
• Fast-loading
• Have seamless key functionalities, such as eCommerce checkout

9. The Best SEO Company Compresses Image Sizes & Includes Alt Image Tags

Did you know that you can compress an image size to drastically speed up your website, but that the naked eye wouldn't be able to notice a difference?

Well, the top search engine optimization agencies do. SEO experts ensure that every image across a client's website is compressed into a smaller file size. This enables the website to load quickly without sacrificing quality -- a key search engine optimization component. 

In addition, SEO companies add alt image tags. Also known as alt descriptions or alt attributes, this little piece of HTML code describes an image to Google. Not only does that help Google better understand what your web page is about and award it an applicable ranking, but it also helps your images populate in Google Images searches. 

It also improves website accessibility for disabled people. That can increase your site traffic by 20% alone! 

Top-rated agencies ensure that alt image tags: 

• Include targeted keywords without stuffing
• Describe the image itself
• Have short and concise copy
• Match the content, brand and overarching goals

10. An Optimization Company Has Access To The Best SEO Agency Software

Top-rated search engine optimization firms have access to the best SEO tools. These resources enable them to collect accurate data, draw conclusions, research keywords, and determine customized SEO strategies that will improve a website, better its content marketing and capture more organic visitors. 

While many of these technical tools are available for anyone to use -- such as Google Search Console, Lighthouse and Ahrefs, top-rated search engine optimization agencies are well-versed in them. They can quickly and easily navigate the platforms, collect information and understand what it means.

That empowers SEO experts to create better strategies faster, helping your brand grow more efficiently. 

Discover your next SEO partner in the agency listing table above!

As far as internet marketing goes, increasing qualified organic traffic to your website is an incredibly worthwhile goal, but it’s a difficult one to achieve. Gaining solid search engine ranking positions requires time, expertise, and a lot of hard work. Most companies don’t have those resources in-house, which is why they turn to search engine optimization (SEO) agencies.

The right SEO firm can help a company improve sluggish organic traffic and gain more site visitors at a lower long-term cost than through other channels.

Unfortunately, disreputable agencies have given the entire SEO industry a bad rap in recent years. That’s because some less than respectable SEO teams rely on unethical or spammy tactics to get results. Though spammy tactics might net some modest gains in the short term, they’re guaranteed to backfire in the long run.

The cost of choosing the wrong SEO company can be enormous. Companies who work with such agencies waste time and money on services that may be actively harming their brand. Once the cat’s out of the bag, they generally need to turn to a new agency to repair the damage, costing them even more money.

All of this means that choosing the right SEO agency is of the utmost importance. But how can you separate the trustworthy ones from the bad apples? Below are some of the key differentiating factors of the best SEO experts in the business.

What Is The Best SEO Agency In The World?

What makes an SEO agency truly exceptional? That’s entirely up to you and your business goals.

Of course, there are a few key factors to keep in mind. These will ensure the agency you’re working with is top notch in general. They include:

• It’s staffed with SEO professionals.
• It has an extensive portfolio.
• It stays on top of trends.

These are hallmarks of stellar SEO agencies. But the best SEO agency in the world is the one that can give you the results you’re looking for.

To find the right agency, keep these things in mind.

The Best SEO Companies Have A Clear Pricing Structure That Fits Your Budget

Pricing is a critical conversation to have with an agency before you partner with them -- but it can be tricky with a marketing tactic like SEO, which is riddled with gray areas.

Before you sign a contract, determine how much an agency’s services will cost AND what results you are guaranteed. Then, put it in writing via an SEO contract.

An agreed-upon contract is something that the best agency for you will outline effectively and to your standards.

In order for a good SEO company to be truly great, it has to be within your budget. Plain and simple. The best agency for you will understand your needs and can give you prices accordingly.

Professional SEO Firms Have Strong Ethics And Follow White Hat SEO Tactics

It would be nice if every SEO agency practiced ethical tactics, but unfortunately, that simply isn’t the case. There are many bad actors who still sell services that are based on shady practices that can hurt your business in the long run. Look for agencies who practice what is known in the industry as “white hat” tactics.

White hat tactics are ethical tactics that abide by the rules and recommendations set by search engines. Any tactic that appears to be designed to “trick” a search engine is an automatic red flag, indicating that the agency’s practices are probably not above board.

These are called black hat SEO tactics. SEO is not a quick fix or a short-term traffic generator. It takes months and years to build results, so steer clear of anyone who promises shortcuts that seem too good to be true, because they almost always are.

Search engines set the rules for what websites can and cannot do in an effort to improve their rankings. It goes without saying that all the best SEO agencies abide by these rules and only ever undertake to do ethical work on behalf of their clients.

Beyond just obeying the rules, however, look for agencies who position themselves on their ability to meet the needs and desires of the user, not just the search engines.

Search engines want websites to provide genuinely amazing experiences to users. Your SEO campaign should be aligned to this goal as well. This approach is better for website conversion rates as well.

Seer Interactive is a great example of an agency that positions themselves based on an ethical, people-centric approach to SEO. “Manipulation of Google is temporary, so we prefer to spend our time understanding your audience instead.”

A Top-Rated SEO Service Agency Is Transparent

As an industry, SEO sometimes gets an unjust reputation for being “cloak and dagger”. Again, disreputable agencies thrive by being mysterious about their tactics and vague about the effects of those tactics.

Top SEO agencies, on the other hand, are transparent and open about how they operate. They have established processes that dictate how the agency will navigate each project and manage its major phases (like on-site SEO) and components (link building, for example). They’re always more than happy to share even the most nitty-gritty project details with their clients.

Fractl is a marketing agency that clearly differentiates their value on being transparent and upfront about what’s achievable, saying: “We aren’t going to claim what will magically happen if you hire us. We’re going to tell you straight up what it’ll take, and if you’re on board, then we’ll get it done.”

An SEO Optimization Company Has Extensive, Relevant Prior Work

Worthwhile search engine optimization companies will have a long list of previous clients and past successes, and this portfolio will be indicative of the results that can provide your business. Do your own research, then ask companies about the clients they work with and in what capacity.

Don’t be afraid to ask specifics, either. Inquire exactly which strategies they used and how those tactics achieved results such as increased site speed, lower bounce rate, and -- most importantly -- improved search rankings.

In addition, ask for clients that you can contact autonomously to hear their honest feedback on their working relationship with the agency.

You want to make sure that these agencies have experience in your industry. This will give you a better idea as to whether they are a match for you.

If you want specific examples of award-winning SEO agencies, check out the table at the top of the page.

The Strategies That Search Engine Optimization Companies Use To Grow Businesses

SEO Marketing Companies Perform Content And Website Optimization

Content optimization is the process of creating content that is more discoverable through Internet searches. This content is centered around keywords -- or things that users are searching for -- both short and comprehensive.

The best SEO companies have teams and tools in place to identify worthy keywords and create content that Google associates with those terms.

And at the end of the day, all search engine optimization tactics helps websites rank higher in internet searches for certain keywords. By writing high-quality content that centers around those keywords and similar topics, you’re telling Google (or other search engines) that your brand’s content will provide the more informative, comprehensive answer. This ultimately boosts your ranking.

Top SEO agencies will be up to date with the latest best practices for onsite optimization and should spend the first few weeks or months of any campaign (depending on site complexity) getting technical edits implemented.

Look for an agency that can confidently explain the edits that need to be made to your site, and again, be wary of those that suggest outdated or suspicious tactics.

Title tags are essentially a piece of a web page’s code that tell search engines what is on the page, enabling your website to be categorized better in results. Great SEO companies not only know how to add them to every page but understand how to optimize each title tag for the keywords you are trying to rank for.

In addition to title tags, search engine optimization agencies can create and optimize alt image tags for every piece of multimedia and write meta description. This is the short description you see on search listings that describe the page’s content.

Although meta descriptions don’t directly affect SEO, they do improve click-through rates. And the more people who visit your website, the better your brand looks in Google’s eyes.

A Reliable Company For SEO Ensures Clients Have A User-Friendly Website Design

The best search engine optimization agencies work directly with brands, designers and developers to improve a digital destination’s value for users. It turns out that a well-structured website with intuitive navigation and readable content implores visitors to stay on your site longer -- and the more visitors who stick around for a longer period of time, the higher your SEO ranking.

A user-friendly website design is imperative for better SEO rankings because search engines also look at factors like time on site and bounce rate to determine if your site is valuable.

Thirty-eight percent of users will leave a website if the design and layout are unattractive.

This signifies that a strong website design directly correlates to your brand’s ranking.  

Content marketing is the most important component of any SEO campaign. Content is what search engines need to understand what your website is about, and it’s what your business needs in order to earn quality links and social mentions.

Top SEO agencies are well-acquainted with the importance of content, and the bulk of their efforts will be spent on strategizing, creating, and disseminating content. Look for an agency that values content and can present creative content ideas for your brand.

The Best SEO Services Include Interlinking And Link Building

Linking to other pages within your own website (interlinking) AND garnering links from other valuable websites (link building) improves your SEO value by telling Google that your content is so helpful that other sites will drive traffic to you.

However, interlinking and link building are not as simple as they sound -- which is where search engine optimization agencies come in.

Top SEO companies are able to identify websites with a high domain authority (DA) and foster relationships that encourage them to link to your website. The higher a site’s DA, the better its reputation online.

In addition, experts at SEO agencies can identify the right keywords to link to (too many of the same, and your site will look like spam to Google) and ensure that any links to your site are “follow.” That means that Google will recognize that link when analyzing your website.

The Best Search Engine Optimization Company Increases Site Speed

A faster site speed improves user experience, which -- as we discussed earlier -- directly improves search engine rankings.

But top search engine optimization companies know the top tactics and have access to the best tools that can increase page speed even more. This enables them to compress images, combine file storage and more.

Plus, SEO experts know not to forget mobile. Google announced in early 2018 that they were placing a higher importance on mobile site speed, in addition to desktop.

What’s more, mobile users account for more than half of all internet traffic. That means that brands need to optimize site speed for all devices simultaneously.

The Business Benefits Of An SEO Agency

There are many different ways SEO optimization can boost your business. For example, increased site speeds and a user-friendly design tell search engines like Google that your website is trustworthy. 

Similarly, interlinks and quality content tell these platforms that you’re an authority.

When you hire the best SEO agency for your business goals, you will:

• Rank higher.
• Get more brand exposure.
• Improve click-through rates. 
• Increase conversions.
• Ultimately see a higher revenue. 

Find the best search engine optimization company for your brand in the agency listings above.