Have you ever given your father a ‘world’s best’ t-shirt, tie, or other marketing product? The sentiment is what counts, right? Otherwise, despite his hard work, lessons taught, and times buying you your favorite takeout dinner, the ‘best’ adjective is just lip service. You may feel that way. But can you prove your dad is the ‘best’? No. Therefore there really isn’t such a thing as the best SEO companies. It’s too subjective of a topic to really say. Rather, consider the following information.
Your Needs
Think of searching for the best SEO companies as dating. If you’re married, you believe your mate is the best in the world. No one can debate with you. It’s your strong opinion. You’re entitled to it. However, every married person thinks their mate is the best. Who is right? Who is wrong? It’s best not to think about it that way. People have found mates that are best for THEM. It’s plain and simple. Search for brands that seem to be the best fit to suit your needs.
Here’s an example. Yours is a startup brand. You come across relations with a ‘top’ agency that has gotten results for a number of big businesses. However, they never really helped a startup, only brands that were already huge. Despite their successes with the bigger brands, are they ‘best’ to serve your startup?
So Many Options
The term SEO refers to search engine optimization, yet the term is pretty vague. SEO involves link building, social media, content production, PR, as well as other areas. Do all SEO agencies address those topics? No. Does your brand need all of those services? Maybe. Should you realize it’s better to search for a provider after you entertain all your options? Yes. So many brands differ. One brand may do well with social media, while another neglects social media, just executing PPC. There are options. Will the best social media provider double as the best PPC service? It’s not likely.
‘Best’ is Time-Reliant
Will the best SEO and marketing companies of today be the best of tomorrow? It depends. Unless you have a time machine there is no way to tell. Such a subjective term as ‘best’ is also time-reliant. For instance, the exampled startup brand above may align itself with a PPC provider, wanting to gain quick traction with paid ads. The process warrants diligence and experience, something one particular agency may have. In about six months time the startup may decide PPC advertising has run its course, desiring link building thereafter. Time has changed the brand’s needs. The great PPC company cannot handle the kind of account and now-to-be needs of the client. The client must now seek a good fit for link building.
Will Schnieder (Winsights) is the Founder of SEOCompanies.com, a search platform for finding SEO companies that match specific client needs, and writes on SEO, mobile, and social media marketing.
