Keep your friends close, your enemies closer and your search engine marketing agency on speed-dial. This basic rule of online strategy building should be printed onto tee-shirts and mugs, it’s that important. As businesses really embrace the virtual world and build entire marketing strategies around their page ranking on Google, gathering up friends and followers on Twitter and Facebook and generally getting out there, the most important business relationship you will develop is with your search engine marketing agency. They’ll be there through the good times and the bad, through the ups and downs of your business’s life. Cherish them. But before you get to that idyllic state, pick the right one first or it could all get very messy.
To have and to hold…
Working with a search engine marketing agency and getting great internet marketing service is very like a marriage. For the relationship to work, you have to find out about each other first. You wouldn’t pick a life partner by stabbing a pin in a phone directory, so don’t choose your SEM agency by just calling the first name that pops up on Bing or Google. One of the best ways to find the perfect SEM life partner is to do a bit of research first. Establish what you want in the relationship. Do you want good looks and no substance or do you want an intelligent partner who understands your needs and can deliver on time, every time? You should be going for a search engine marketing agency that knows not just about meta-tags and on-page development, but also understands and can utilise effectively other arenas such as social networking sites, blogging, article submission and content-driven SEO.
For richer, for poorer…
Search engine marketing doesn’t come cheap, so remember that your money needs to be invested wisely. Your business depends on your search engine marketing agency being able to give you a good return on your investment. Specialist input will yield business results, so put your money into expertise that has a proven track record and isn’t just interested in ‘prettying up’ your existing SEO.
In sickness and in health…
Times are uncertain. The business world is still on shaky legs after the recession and there will be periods when your business growth starts to slow down. A good search engine marketing agency will be able to spot those bumps in the road before they knock the wheels off your progress. By developing a long-term relationship with your agency, you’ll be able to by-pass those bumps by incorporating new strategies, changing tactics and keeping your content fresh and original. And it’s content that matters these days. Blogs, informed, well written articles, Tweets – it all adds up to a profile that’s engaging, informative and presents you and your business as the go to people.
Behind every great company there’s an even greater search engine marketing agency, working tirelessly behind the scenes to push your business forward. With input from both sides, your agency’s expertise and your commitment, it’s a relationship that can be a long and happy one.