Local SEO Companies: 5 Tips for Hiring a Company That Suits Your Needs

While 68% of all activity online starts with a search engine, nearly 46% of all Google searches are local. Using local search engine optimization (SEO) can help you reach nearby customers. Then, you can boost your brand visibility, web traffic, and foot traffic to generate more sales.

The right local SEO companies can help you build a strong strategy, ensuring you improve your local rankings. Not sure who to hire?

Read on to discover the five tips you need to find the best local SEO services today!

1. Goal-Oriented Approach

Before you start researching SEO companies that offer local SEO services, take a moment to outline your goals.

For example, perhaps you want to claim and optimize your Google Business listing. Your Google Business listing appears in the top right corner of search engine result pages (SERPs). You can take up prominent space on SERPs to generate more brand visibility.

Your Google Business listing displays your name, address, phone number, website, business hours, and more. Ensuring this information is correct can help more local customers find your storefront or business online.

Your profile also displays customer reviews, which can strengthen your brand’s reputation. A strong reputation can help you generate more brand trust. Encouraging new customers to trust your brand could help you generate more leads and sales.

Perhaps you need a brand reputation management strategy to continue generating fresh reviews.

Outline goals that are SMART. Make sure they align with your overall business objectives, too. For example, maybe you also want to:

Improve your local SERP rankings
Rank for more location-specific keywords
Create location-specific content on a schedule
Generate more brand awareness
Generate backlinks from local companies
Attract more website traffic
Generate more leads and sales

When you start researching and interviewing SEO companies, ask each one how they intend to accomplish your goals.

The SEO company shouldn’t use a cookie-cutter approach when developing your local SEO strategy. After all, your niche, company, and customers are all unique. Instead, the company should consider the best strategies that align with your unique goals.

A customized, innovative approach can help you improve your local SEO rankings.

Remain wary of any SEO professionals who only focus on one aspect of SEO, though. Make sure they have a plan for monitoring your progress, too. For each goal, determine what KPI you’ll track.

For example, you might track your SEO rankings, unique website visitors, or form submissions.

If the company doesn’t have a plan in place for monitoring your progress, they won’t know if they’re accomplishing your goals.

2. Years of Industry Experience

Determine how long each SEO company has worked in the industry. You might find digital marketing agencies on your list that offer local SEO services. Consider how long they’ve offered those services to determine if they have hands-on experience.

Otherwise, ask how many clients they’ve helped over the years. Determine how many of those clients fit within your niche.

An agency with relevant experience will have an easier time developing your SEO strategy. They’ll have an understanding of what tactics work (and which don’t). These agencies will also know to avoid black hat SEO tactics.

Black hat SEO could get your website blacklisted from SERPs, making it more difficult for customers to find you online.

Tools of the Trade

Make sure each SEO company uses the property tools.

For example, they should have knowledge of:

Google Search Console
Google Analytics
Ahrefs
Keyword Planner

Ask the agency how they plan on tracking your progress, conducting audits, or gathering keyword research. Ask them to explain their process for performing competitor analyses or monitoring backlinks, too.

Customer Service

Find an SEO agency that prioritizes their customers. Before hiring them, ask how they plan to communicate with your team moving forward.

For example, how often will they provide updates? Updates can help you determine if the company is helping you accomplish your goals. Otherwise, you might not find out they’re wasting your time and money until it’s too late.

Focus on Audience

Google prioritizes website content that matches the search engine user’s intent. Ask each agency if they’ll take the time to research your local target audience. They should develop your SEO strategy with your customers in mind.

Then, they’ll take the time to develop personalized content, allowing you to forge stronger connections with your customers.

If the agency doesn’t take the time to research your audience, keep searching.

3. Full Knowledge of SEO

About 76% of consumers who complete a search on their smartphones visit a business within a day. Almost 30% of these local searches result in a purchase. If you want to generate more visitors and sales, you need a strong SEO strategy.

Learn more about each company’s local SEO service and other services. For example, perhaps they offer content creation and link building, too.

Then, make sure the company has a full understanding of SEO. They should discuss on-page, off-page, local, and technical SEO when developing your strategy.

For example, you’ll need to update your website in order to improve your rankings.

Ask about the company’s previous campaigns and determine how they’ve helped their clients in the past.

4. Positive Reviews

Learn more about each local SEO agency by asking for client reviews. Reading reviews can help you find a reputable company worthy of your trust.

Look for reviews on the company’s Google Business listing. If they don’t have a Google Business listing, they’re likely not using their own SEO services.

Find an agency that has earned the trust and respect of its clients over the years.

You can also ask for case studies to see proof that the agency was able to help its clients.

5. Cost of Service

Ask each SEO company for an itemized list of the services they offer. Get quotes from three different companies to compare your options. If one agency’s pricing is higher or lower than the rest, question why that is.

Compare the estimates you gather to determine the average price of services.

Don’t rush to choose the cheapest company, though. After all, you’ll get what you pay for. Instead, choose an agency that suits your budget and can accomplish your goals.

Rank Up: Find the Best Local SEO Companies Today

A strong local SEO strategy can help you improve your SERP rankings, allowing you to reach new customers online. Use these five tips to find the best local SEO companies available. Then, narrow down your options to start marketing.

Improving your rankings with local SEO today.

Eager to get started? We’re here to help.

Contact CAE Marketing & Consulting today!

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David Morton

Startup Business Consultant at CAE Marketing & Consulting, Inc.

As a Business Development Consultant, David has an impressive record of developing start-up companies within the biotech, STEM, and other industries, by utilizing an upbeat and high-level partnership with our clients.

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CAE Marketing & Consulting, Inc.

Prima Dons Donnas

17:12 23 Feb 22

I am very happy with Services from them so far. I looking forward to seeing great results. I have worked with several companies in the past, and this one by far has been the best experienceread more

Douglas Petho

21:22 11 Feb 22

Over the years I have dealt with a number of SEO marketing companies. Most promise the moon and the stars but failed to deliver. Carlos and his team were completely different. Instead of dealing with salesman I was speaking to an experienced technician. From day one they did a detailed analysis of our website, identified deficiencies and went to work on building our brand. They did everything they said they were going to do and more. Communication was always excellent from promptly responding to emails to providing a real-time dashboard to monitor our progress. I would highly recommend these folks!read more

Hybrid Vibez

14:11 13 Aug 21

It is so rare to find an SEO agency that actually knows how to do proper SEO and show results. CAE Marketing did just that. Our website went from not ranking at all to having several hundred keywords ranked, and many of those are ranking on page 1 of Google. These guys definitely know SEO and digital marketing. More importantly, they took the time to provide us with custom recommendations for our business and our goals. They are absolutely worth every penny!read more

Jeff Clark

19:55 12 Aug 21

I've been working with CAE Marketing for the last couple of years. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for marketing services! Their cutting edge SEO concepts will put your business in the spotlight and drive lead generation.read more

Francois Youakim

13:30 20 Apr 20

I interviewed a numerous amount of marketing companies and found CAE Marketing to be one of the best! Carlos spent several hours over three phone calls to to answer all of my questions in detail. I was EXTREMELY cautious picking a marketing company because of a previous bad experience. If you choose CAE Marketing, you would be making a good choice.read more

Mike Uretsky

23:08 30 Mar 20

It has been an excellent experience to work with CAE Marketing. Carlos is very knowledgeable about SEO and the strategies that can be used to grow a business. Carlos consistently provides valuable information and advisement. He also communicates quickly and clearly at all times. Carlos and CAE Marketing have been able to significantly help with the growth and development of a business website. I am pleased to highly recommend Carlos and CAE Marketing.read more

Sebastian Angel

15:58 21 Jun 19

I felt as if I was in a downward spiral with my online business and a lot of the marketing techniques that go into this confuses me a ton. I contacted CAE marketing at which point the team walked me through the process of getting my business going. I was taken back by how knowledgeable the team was ( I learned a lot in the process !). Compared to other agencies , there is no comparison. Eternally grateful customer here.read more

ML Financial Group

12:05 07 Jun 19

CAE Marketing’s knowledge of local SEO is evident from the results they get their clients and from their contribution to the Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce through marketing presentations and classes. I was impressed by the breadth and depth of the digital marketing topics they cover, particularly local SEO.read more

Eric Chase

19:53 29 May 19

I highly recommend CAE Marketing. Carlos and his team have done great job with my Google Adds. I could not be anymore happier with what they have done for my company.read more

Frank Cole

12:41 22 Feb 19

I am so thankful for the positive results that Carlos has helped achieve for my business. He not only has a deep understanding of the "dark arts" of SEO but is always able and willing to answer my often unrelated questions usually in just a few minutes.read more

Kim Knapp

21:49 21 Feb 19

This company knows their industry!$! Our phones are ringing more than ever because of Carlos and his expert team's labor of love. CAE has both the SEO insider knowledge and the passion for helping their clients succeed. I have worked with other companies and there's no comparison. Btw, I'm a internet marketing novice and Carlos and his team happily help me understand the process to fully enjoy our online business growth. 26 years and getting better everyday!.. Thank you CAE Marketing & Consulting.read more

Foothill Sanitary

17:08 22 Feb 18

Hands down the best company to work with. They have done so much to help promote our company. Highly recommend their services to all!!

Jennifer Kaczor

17:47 26 Jan 18

Great people to work with! I highly recommend them. :)

Debra Somerville

21:48 09 Jan 18

Carlos Espitia spoke at the Delray Chamber this morning at our monthly Foundations meeting. This was the first of 3 seminars he will be presenting. This one was called Optimizing Your Google My Business Listing. The next will be held on Feb.13 - How to Rank Higher in Maps & Local Search then March 30 - How to Structure your Website Correctly & Rank in Google Maps. I found Mr Espitia's talk to be highly informative & I have already implemented some of his recommendations! I highly recommend checking it out at the Chamber!read more

Nancy Reagan

14:12 09 Jan 18

Great presentation today at the Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce. Loved your focus on our small businesses! Thank you so much!!

Jimmy Trebell

22:29 02 Dec 17

These guys are ALL about planing and executing marketing strategies. Getting the foundation of the project and the makings of the marketing strategy took some time, but... it was well worth the wait. Once they fired up our marketing campaigns, we started to see conversion rates, traffic, and profits increase almost immediately. I highly highly highly recommend them to anyone with a business that's serious about growing.read more

Jim Tarpey

14:26 15 Sep 17

You have to see their marketing dashboard! Everything that's happening with your marketing campaigns in one screen. CAE Marketing is as transparent as agencies come. Nothing hidden, everything is there for you to see. You won't get that elsewhere. We know, we've gone through at least 10 marketing agencies.read more

David Johns

17:48 06 Sep 17

They're not the cheapest, but they are very effective. If you want results, this is the marketing agency to go with. They're worth every penny.

Vanessa Smith

16:31 29 Aug 17

Hands down top-notch company. I've worked with other marketing agencies in the past, but none of them match the level of expertise and knowledge these guys posses.read more

Aj Taleon

16:30 28 Aug 17

Working with CAE is truly remarkable! This company definitely knows their stuff. When it comes to SEO, PPC, and CRO, there are very few marketing agencies that match their knowledge and professionalism. You won’t be disappointed.read more

Jacob Readinger

21:48 10 Aug 17

I have been working with CAE for a couple years now, and they are by far the most knowledgeable and forward-thinking marketing company I've ever done business with. They are focused on real revenue growth not just getting some search term to some position without any backing strategy. Highly recommend CAE to any organization serious about investing in their long-term growth.read more

Joy Arandia

13:23 01 Jun 17

What a great team!Full of heart! CAE Marketing is a great company to work with. Professionalism is at the top level.;)

Foam Factory

18:31 29 Apr 17

It has been a great experience working with cae marketing! Signed on last year for a month-to-month plan (no contracts) and they have really done great for us. We’d been thru 3 SEO agencies before them, but have never seen much results. Our traffic has def increased because of what they have done. So I'm happy to give them 5 stars here! Great team.read more

Tejas Shah

07:26 26 Apr 17

We have been doing business with CAE Marketing for about a year now. Excellent communication and customer satisfaction.

Marlene Yero

20:02 25 Apr 17

After spending enormous amounts of money with poor results, we switched to CAE Marketing and it has proven to be the best business decision we could have ever made!. CAE's marketing team drastically increased our conversion rate in a very short period of time helping to remarkably increase our sales. They are experts in their field and true professionals who take the time to educate their customers, something our previous company never did. With the click of a key we are able to watch our progress at any time in our own CAE Dashboard. We are beyond pleased with their performance and consider them a long term business partner whom we look forward to growing with. Thank you Carlos and the CAE Team for your outstanding work!!read more

Bibi S.

14:52 21 Apr 17

Their understanding of CRO and how to maximize lead generation was very impressive. We are already on our way to triple-digit gains!

ArmorTech Powder Coating, Inc.

14:17 21 Apr 17

Absolutely FANTASTIC company to work with. As a local business we have been working with CAE for over 6 years. In that time frame our sales have more than doubled. CAE was able to find opportunities in our market that we were not aware of.read more

Goce V.

22:23 19 Apr 17

CAE Marketing's knowledge in social media is superb! They have managed all our social media platforms (and grown them) successfully. We couldn't be happier.read more

Sanjida Jessi

22:18 19 Apr 17

I am really grateful to CAE Marketing team, they increased our conversion rate huge within a short time. They are real professionals and they know how to boost up a business.read more

Faisal Mustafa

22:09 19 Apr 17

We have been working with CAE Marketing for about a year. It's been a pleasure working with true marketing professionals.

Nadia Tyson

16:27 16 Apr 17

Wonderful people to work with. Kind, honest and genuine!

AZ Designs

20:11 04 Apr 16

AZ Designs, Tamra & Tina have worked closely with Carlos in the past with his endeavors in Track Weekend and Kids Racing for Life. Carlos puts his heart and sole into whatever he touches. And is a great person to work with. We look forward to working with him again in the future.read more

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Local SEO Companies: 5 Tips for Hiring a Company That Suits Your Needs

1. Goal-Oriented Approach