SEO Companies
Businesses looking to take the SEO plunge need not look any further than this comprehensive review of SEO companies. We’ve heard SEO can pay off in spades; however, once you make a list of SEO companies–you may realize that it’s harder than it looks to find an SEO company! This is what initially inspired me to put together this detailed guide on choosing the best SEO companies online. I’m so excited to share my hard work with you all, but don’t just take it from me–read through some of the reviews below and read about other people’s experiences with these top-notch SEO Companies before deciding which to go with! Hopefully this information will help save you some time during your SEO research. My goal is to help you decide which SEO company is right for you (and your business) so you can get on with the task of marketing your site and making sales!
The Top 10 SEO Companies
- Montfichet & Company – Atlanta | https://atlanta.montfichet.com
- SocialSEO | https://www.socialseo.com/
- Victorious Seo | https://victoriousseo.com/
- Search Bloom | https://www.searchbloom.com/
- Delante | https://delante.co/
- Webfx | https://www.webfx.com/
- Infront Webworks| https://www.infront.com/
- Coalition Technologies | https://coalitiontechnologies.com/
- Straight North | https://www.straightnorth.com/
- Ignite Visibility | https://ignitevisibility.com/
Montfichet & Company – Atlanta Web Marketing & Design Company
Rated the number one leader in Atlanta & Los Angeles – they have a very high quality web design, search engine optimization, and internet marketing services under one roof, Montfichet & Company – Atlanta is a great all-around company for small to medium sized businesses–especially those who are just starting out online! I had the opportunity to interview James Klug , owner of this company; he was kind enough to take time from running his business and actually answer some questions from me… which I really appreciated! We talked briefly about how this business started: “I used to work at a local print shop, and one day I decided that instead of working for the man, I would start my own business. So I quit my job and started from scratch. It was really scary because it was all on me–I had no idea what I was doing! This was when SEO wasn’t widely known about so it’s not like ‘everyone knew’ how to do it.”
After starting this company (when there weren’t many options out there), James went on to meet some very helpful people in the SEO world: ” One of the coolest things that happened to me early on with Montfichet & Company – Atlanta is meeting Brett Tabke . He helped me start off in SEO.”
Along with being an entrepreneur, James is also a back-link building machine:
“I have a fair amount. Not joking. I could sell them, but at this point I’d rather work on my own stuff.”
When asked if he thought SEO was important for online businesses today (especially in this economy), his response was that his company never would’ve been successful without it–and he’s right! So, who exactly are Montfichet & Company – Atlanta’s customers? Here’s what James had to say about those specific clients: “We get small business owner types from just starting out and trying to make a living with something they love, to people who are already doing really well and want to take things up another level. We deal with everything from pizza shops to doctors’ offices to web developers (which have an amazing reputation for not actually knowing SEO but wanting their clients to do well in it).”
James ultimate advice for any would-be business owner who is considering getting into the SEO field: “Do your research, and be prepared to learn. When you first start out, everything seems magical–you’re making things happen that you’re really excited about! You’ll make mistakes, which will cost you time and money, but as long as you learn from those mistakes they can turn into great lessons.”
When asked just how much one could make with this company per year… there was a pause before I got my answer. Then came the response: “It depends on the area of work. A good majority of what we do is what I call ‘small business SEO’–which is for businesses that don’t have a ton of cash to spend on marketing. So it’s kind of like the middle ground between what the small guy can afford and the big guys who spend thousands per month.” Here are some free tips to optimize your website, courtesy of Montfichet & Company – Atlanta:
– Use relevant keywords in your title tags – Don’t overdo it, but remember: you want them to read that first sentence! – Include all major social media links (this includes Facebook, Twitter etc.) – Make sure your site content hasn’t been plagiarized. (And when you say it’s yours make sure you mean it) – The bigger and more diverse your back-link portfolio the better – Have a sitemap – Spell check everything!
Other SEO related information: In order to be found, you must be visible… which is why SEO matters
(You can find this content on nearly any company’s website or blog)
So what makes Montfichet & Company – Atlanta different from all the rest? They’re not just an SEO company; they also offer web design and internet marketing. If your needs go beyond just getting ranked number one for your keywords, then perhaps it’s worth checking out their services . You should probably give them a call if you’re in need of some expert advice that you can’t get straight info off Google Answers :). I’d like to personally thank James Klug for taking time out of his busy schedule to conduct this interview with me! It was a pleasure and I hope that the SEO community will benefit from this information!
What is the benchmark for top-notch SEO firms?
Top notch SEO firms don’t just have a good reputation. They have a track record for success. They can provide case studies demonstrating how much they improved the search engine results page ranking of various clients’ websites. You should be able to verify the final results yourself by doing a search on their prior client’s websites. This sort of test will also prove that they didn’t use black hat SEO strategies that boost your rankings in the short-term but hurt your digital reputation over the long-term. For example, top notch SEO companies will not engage in practices like keyword stuffing or link spam to boost your ratings in the short term in order to collect payment. They’ll back up their claims by promising longer term benefits. The best SEO agencies will be available to tune-up your SEO and monitor performance over the next few months without charging you a premium for the service. This is a sign that they are confident in their ability to deliver SEO results for your business. You’ll find one of these agencies by doing some research and reading reviews about other companies that are competing for the top spot in your niche.
Google, Yahoo & Bing’s response time:
“The engines are getting better, but overall, there is still too much artificial traffic being generated by search engine optimization firms using black hat techniques. That doesn’t mean you can’t get good rankings, but rather that it takes real talent as an SEO expert to do so.” James said that he has also been seeing more “natural” spikes than before–meaning a spike from a single post or press release generated lots of web search activity without the help of SEO. This is positive news for business owners who don’t want to invest in SEO but are committed to generating more organic traffic through blogging and press releases.
“Many small businesses think that there’s no need to build up a back-link portfolio because Google doesn’t put a lot of weight on links. That has been true when it comes to anchor text, however, they do count the number of incoming links your website has.” James mentioned that if you have some credibility online then people will start linking their sites to yours naturally: “It’s not about how many links you have now or how you got those links; it’s about what content you’re putting out there. If you aren’t putting any compelling reason why people should link to you then the back links won’t come … or else they’ll be coming from somebody else who has already established credibility online.”
Does SEO require a consistent daily/weekly routine? “It’s about what content you’re putting out. If you aren’t putting any compelling reason why people should link to you, then the back-links won’t come.” It takes time for your content to start having an impact on search engine rankings. You will get more organic traffic if it is something that anybody would want to share and talk about with their friends. “I think one of the biggest mistakes I’ve seen [large corporations] make is by producing content for search engines and forgetting about what humans want,” says James. “If a search engine can’t read it, then they won’t rank it. But if you create something that people want to share and talk about then all of a sudden you’re getting links organically from other websites.”
The SEO Process
“We don’t put in the initial link building or on-page optimization right away. We test out different marketing methods [like blogging] first, but the on-page optimization and link building comes later in the game.” The SEO process begins with an analysis of your website. It includes a keyword audit and review of your on-site content along with back-link portfolio research. After the first phase is complete, they’ll go through some on page optimization and then start building links to your site in order to boost your rankings. You should be able to reach page one for most of the keywords that you want at this point, but it will require maintenance over time–another reason why only working with an SEO agency that offers monthly monitoring is important.
“We don’t want to spend time on [ranking] keywords that won’t convert. That’s why we always think about the most important keywords first.”
Don’t rank for a keyword unless you are getting >30 search clicks per month.
You should see 2,000+ search impressions per month for your target keyword.
Has SEO become more competitive? James outs Google’s Panda and Penguin updates as two of the reasons why SEO is becoming more competitive over time: “Simply put, there was a lot of bad information out there–guys who were passing off black hat techniques as if they were legitimate practices,” says James. “[Google] had to come out with something like Panda and Penguin because businesses needed their help. They were being duped by some of these shady SEO companies and getting a lot of bad links. Ultimately those decisions hurt Google because they wanted to help businesses, but didn’t want to see them ranking for keywords that shouldn’t be relevant.” James also believes that little has changed over the last two years when it comes to overall traffic levels in the search engines: “There is so much content out there and I think we’re burned out on information right now.” He explained that if you don’t offer something truly unique or special then people will continue moving along through their feed reader.
“SEO is not dead, but it’s still hard work. That’s why we love it so much!”
When choosing an SEO agency (remember, we only recommend SEO companies with a proven track record like the one above), it’s important to look at where they’re getting their links from. “We only get our links from a few different places,” says Kyle. “All of them are really high authority and some of them have been in the top 10 results for their keywords.”
After all, quality matters over quantity when it comes to SEO. You can get thousands of cheap, spammy back-links or you can go after the small number of high-quality ones that will actually help your rankings. It takes time to become recognized as an authority on any given topic and SEO is no exception; especially considering that Google has gotten better at detecting when websites are trying to manipulate search engine results.
As a small business owner, it’s easy to fall victim to the marketing tactics of SEO companies that claim they can get you on page one in 60 days or less. Don’t believe them! Remember, good things in life come to those that wait…especially when you’re talking about SEO.
Site Speed Optimization:
A lot of sites are still slower than what Google would like them to be.” Usability & Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO): “Usability testing is one place where I think a company could gain an advantage over its competitors by outsourcing.”
“I can tell you what not to do, but I can’t tell you exactly how to do it. [ If this is true for SEO, then it must be true for every other skill set in life.] You have to get into a good rhythm with the process. It takes time and determination … that’s really the only way you are going to learn how it works.”
The real work begins after optimizing your website because now you have to build links (back-links) between your site and all of the sites that are linking into it. Just imagine having somebody stand behind your website holding up a big sign that says, “LINK HERE!” The basic idea is to give people a reason why they would link back to your website. “It’s not about how many links you have now, or how you got those links; it’s about what content you’re putting out there.”
“We get a lot of people asking us: ‘How much will this cost me?’ Our answer is always the same: It depends on your goals. If you want to rank better then yes–it should help decrease costs but we can’t just put in five quick links and call it a day.”
SEO isn’t black magic or voodoo. Establishing credibility online takes time and patience (like any other skill). Getting ranked number one for a complex high-traffic keyword like SEO isn’t likely unless there are no other good options that users would search for. These are the serious dark horses of SEO.
“I think if you’re going to be in business and you have a business that deals with something people care about then [SEO] is definitely worth exploring.”
James mentioned that he never wants companies to look at him as just a service provider. He wants them to see him more as a partner for their long-term success, someone who can help guide them through the complexities of back-linking and on page optimization. One company in particular wanted an SEO ranking boost but they didn’t really understand what it involved beyond getting the number one search result when people search for SEO keywords. “That’s like saying we want to win a trophy this year–so tell us where we can find one.”
Today, companies are realizing the importance of SEO. “I get a lot of calls from business owners who actually have an idea about what SEO is and what it can do for them. But then there are the clients that have no idea; they just don’t want to pay for it because they want a website like this guy’s or that girl’s over there, but their focus isn’t as good.” They’ll say stuff like:
-You know I’ve got a $1349/month budget for my website. How much will you do this? -What does this rank me on? -How much content should I put out?
And so on … We’re trying to educate them more on what SEO really is, but it’s hard sometimes because we have to do so much education when they’re getting started.
Link are Critical
“If you don’t have a link building plan then your back-link building is all behind schedule.”
Keep in mind that SEO isn’t just for large companies either. James said: “A lot of small businesses out there really need our service more than some big corporations do. It doesn’t matter how many employees Salesforce has; if they aren’t ranked against what people are searching for – he can still be losing money.” In other words , even though there may be larger competitors out there those companies can spend the extra money to outrank, SEO services are still useful.
Even though SEO might seem like a complex and daunting task, consider the logic behind the process. “It’s not so much about what you can do on your own it’s more about how well you can partner with somebody that knows what they are doing.” There is a certain rhythm to being good at SEO because it deals with such large traffic volumes on a daily basis. You learn from experience; in fact, sometimes it will take 1-2 years to really get good. A lot of people enjoy this work but James has found that most of his business comes from word-of-mouth referrals. From there he’ll reach out to various businesses depending on their needs. “I just want to be able to go into any industry and say you really need help with this. I think that’s the most satisfying thing about doing SEO.”
To have a chance at ranking on page one of Google, there are 3 factors that must be in place:
– Keywords – Content – Links (They also call this “organic” or “natural” search engine optimization.)
James will write off companies that fail to focus on all three areas. If they aren’t ready for SEO he’ll hand them over to a colleague who can build websites from scratch . On the other hand, if businesses are completely aware of what SEO is and want his services then James takes it upon himself to make sure they get ranked as high as possible. Some clients might ask him:
-“How high can you get me?”
And James will say:
-“No, let’s talk about quality and conversion first; that is what we need to focus on. I don’t want to just rank your website at the top of the search engine rankings page because then it means nothing if no one actually comes there.”
“So I’m going to be honest with you and try to help you get more targeted traffic by knowing what people are searching for and how they are searching for it.” He wants clients who have a clear goal in mind so he knows where he needs to lead them. SEO isn’t something that shows up right away … It takes time. Or as James puts it: “Doing SEO is like planting seeds .. You plant the seeds, you water them and you harvest them. It will take about I’d say 5-6 months to start seeing all of that; it’s not going to happen overnight like some people may tell you.”
It takes a lot of effort and know-how but this is what James likes about SEO: “You can’t just go out there and hire any company or person to do your SEO for you because they are just going to mess up your account in some way so it’s important that you find someone who’s good at what they do and knows what they’re doing.”
“The reason why I love my job so much is because every day is different from the last day. You really have no idea who is going to be contacting you, what they are looking for and how they want to go about doing it.”
The bottom line with SEO is that it must be affordable . James said: “You may pay a little bit more but it’s worth spending a few extra bucks because if you don’t employ the right SEO company then they might just take your money and give you nothing. It’s better to at least spend some money in order to get higher ranked on Google than none at all.” Focus on quality rather than quantity with SEO. In fact, James will likely turn down work if there aren’t any conversions or sales involved. He wants his clients to understand that SEO isn’t an overnight success – As mentioned earlier, SEO takes time – But once he gets the ball rolling it will take him about 30-60 seconds to increase a position on Google’s search engine rankings.
If you’re interested in finding out more about the Top SEO companies or if you want to rank higher in maps packs for specific searches, make sure to contact us today at 949-333-7200.
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This article is written by The Trusted Automation Advisory team, provides advisory services for leaders worldwide. If you have any questions, you can contact us via email at inquire@thetrustedautomation.com, from their website at https://thetrustedautomation.com, or phone at (949) 333-7200.
If you have further suggestions/ideas for future writings, we’d love to hear about them, so do not hesitate to mention them in the comments as well. For more information, contact our team of experts that specialize in search engine optimization for non-profits. Montfichet & Company Atlanta | (404) 900-9814 | atlanta@montfichet.com.
