Running a digital marketing agency requires a lot of dedication, coordination, and know-how. But even if you’re a seasoned professional in this field, you might not be equipped to provide every possible marketing service in-house.
Whether you’re a small operation by design or you hope to expand your organization in the future, outsourcing your SEO often makes a lot of sense. Becoming an SEO reseller means you’ll be able to focus on selling these important marketing deliverables — without having to handle the fulfillment yourself.
Ultimately, that will allow you to save time and money while having the freedom to grow your business. But while you may have already decided to outsource your SEO to a white label agency, you might not know which agency will meet your (and your clients’) needs.
When it comes time to evaluate white label SEO providers, you’ll want to keep a number of considerations in mind. Here are just three things to look for in an SEO provider.
Realistic Attitude
Although you might really want to hear that your agency partners can deliver products in record time and promise major increases in search rankings for your clients, remember that your provider shouldn’t promise specific results. If an SEO agency says they’ll be able to get your client’s website to position one on Google within a month or that they’ll double their website traffic, you’ll want to keep looking.
Even if the agency has been in business for years and has shared all kinds of client success stories, they can’t make promises about the effects of their optimization. There’s no way they can tell for sure how Google will respond or when your clients will start to see results. They can make educated guesses, of course, and will make recommendations based on their expertise. But if an agency is making unrealistic promises, that’s a red flag. You’ll want to work with an agency that can keep your expectations (and the expectations of your clients) in check — not one that pledges results that are simply too good to be true.
Stellar Customer Service
You deserve to have a digital marketing partner who will keep you informed and who’s easy to get in touch with. Because the internet can change so rapidly, it’s imperative that you choose an agency that’s responsive to your questions and concerns and who will be accountable to their results.
All of that falls under the umbrella of customer service. You should feel confident that your outsourced team will respond promptly when needed and that you’ll be able to have support in times of crises. An agency that believes in open communication and the provision of outstanding customer service is a must.
In many cases, that means working with a provider that’s based in the U.S. (or where your own company is located). Not only will they be in a better position to make recommendations when you’re based in the same country, but they’ll also be more likely to communicate frequently when there are no major time zone differences to contend with. So many business owners have horror stories involving overseas providers. You’ll want to do everything you can to ensure the deliverables are up to your standards and that communication channels have as few barriers as possible.
When evaluating possible SEO providers, you might feel that the agency’s communication style or standards don’t align with your own. If you’re unable to obtain the answers you need for any reason, that should be enough to convince you that your search isn’t yet over.
Variety of Deliverables
A white label SEO agency should provide a number of content deliverables and other services for the benefit of your clients. Ideally, you’ll want your provider to handle optimized blog posts and web copy on the client’s website, as well as link-building strategies. In some cases, your SEO provider may offer website audits and development, social media marketing, and local business listings.
While every provider is different, you’ll ideally want to work with an agency that offers more than one deliverable. This will allow you to save time and money, as being able to “bundle” deliverables within one plan is typically more cost-effective than having to work with multiple vendors to cobble together a strategy. More importantly, having all of these deliverables fulfilled by one agency will provide you with greater control and visibility over your campaigns.
If you’ve determined that outsourcing SEO will be the best option for both your business and your clients, you’ll need to vet your potential partners carefully before taking the leap. With these considerations in mind, you’ll be able to make more informed decisions and find an agency that can address all of your needs.