Looking for a professional SEO agency to help you grow your business online? The right agency can help you to improve your online visibility, drive traffic and improve conversions. They should consider your goals and provide you with a clear SEO strategy to get there. But how to choose the right SEO agency?
To choose the right SEO agency for your business, you should assess your goals and objectives. A good agency will ask a lot of questions to get to know you and what you do. They will want to find out your focus and plan a relevant strategy to get you there. Consider:
Read on to find out which questions to ask before you begin outsourcing your SEO.
Many businesses are aware of SEO but don’t fully understand it, let alone have the time to put it in place. Having a basic understanding of SEO practices is a good thing to have before choosing an SEO agency. You can then decide who is more likely to deliver realistic results.
A good agency collaborates with you on areas such as your keywords and content. Communication is key, so getting your opinion and approval on work is essential. You are the expert in your field, so your input is vital to success.
An SEO agency should be seen as an extension of your business. Outsourcing SEO should help to drive more quality traffic to your website, focus on keeping and converting users and communicate effectively and regularly with you. SEO is always changing and a good agency will keep on top of the latest trends and track how this potentially affects your strategy.
There are different areas within SEO. A professional SEO agency should have specialists in all of these to effectively deliver good results. Discover more about the different types of SEO in our complete guide. We have briefly explained each below:
On-page/Content SEO – This involves creating quality, helpful content and optimising this with your target keywords to appeal to your audience.
Off-page SEO – This incorporates any actions away from your website that can contribute to getting your site seen, such as backlink building.
Technical SEO – This refers to the technical side of your website. So ensuring your website pages are indexed correctly, have optimal speed and can be crawled by the search engines.
Local SEO – This is where you want to focus your attention on your business area. Particularly good for small businesses that want to be well known in their area.
eCommerce SEO – For an online store that wants to optimise their products to be the focal point of their site for customers and increase conversion rates.
Mobile SEO – Most users are now searching through their device. Mobile SEO involves optimising the website speed, and how responsive it is to mobile devices.
Try to ask as many questions as you can, things such as:
You can read our detailed blog on the 12 essential questions you should ask a digital marketing agency during the pitch process.
If an agency promises you the number one position on Google within weeks of beginning your campaign, this is a major red flag. SEO takes time to work and is an ongoing process of small but impactful tasks.
Black hat SEO practices are processes created to attempt to trick search engines into ranking your content and can result in your website receiving a penalty from Google.
Look out for:
The use of AI should also be a factor to consider. While not something that is considered bad by search engines, AI generated content cannot give the Experience element of Google’s E-E-A-T guidelines. This means the content may not be considered helpful to the user. Also, if the agency is just going to use AI, then what expertise are you actually paying for?
Search for them, do they show up? If an agency claims to specialise in SEO then you should be able to find them on the search engines. SEO is an extremely competitive market but they should be at least visible within their local area.
Look at their client testimonials or Google reviews. Do they have case studies on their website that they can back this up with? Detailed, recent reviews are a great source of trust. The company sharing recent success stories on social media platforms and tagging in the company are also a positive flag.
When working with an external agency, it’s good if their values align with yours. Look for an agency that is celebrating people’s success and sharing their own. An agency that shows they value their staff is also important. The wellbeing of employees should be important to them, as creating a positive environment means you’re working alongside a happy and productive team.
Whilst budget is always a consideration, it should never be the only factor for whether you decide to go with an agency or not. The price you pay should be part of your proposal. It shouldn’t be something that can be plucked from thin air and it should reflect what work needs to be done.
Looking for the right SEO agency to help you raise your digital presence? The team at Wildcat Digital are experts in both SEO and PPC. Get in touch with us today to discuss your website and what we can do to help your business be seen above the rest.
Senior SEO Executive
Founder
Our founder, Will Hitchmough, worked at a number of high profile Sheffield Digital Agencies before founding Wildcat Digital in 2018. He brings an extensive knowledge of all things related to SEO, PPC and Paid Social, as well as an expert knowledge of digital strategy.
Digital Marketing can be a minefield for many businesses, with many agencies ready to take your money without knowing how to deliver results. I founded Wildcat Digital to deliver digital success to businesses with smaller budgets in a transparent way.
Content Strategist Team Lead
With a degree in Marketing and a background in more traditional, offline marketing, Chloe joined Wildcat in 2021 after deciding to move into the digital marketing industry. She joined us as a Content Specialist and quickly moved up the ranks, becoming a Content Strategist and later an SEO Team Leader.
Outside of work, Chloe is an avid creative. If she’s not knitting, you’ll likely find her behind a sewing machine or in the kitchen trying (and often failing!) to make sourdough.
SEO Account Director
Paul has a strong background in SEO, having previously founded and ran a successful eCommerce business, as well as running a personal blog that achieves an average of 17K users per month. Paul’s knowledge of SEO is extensive, with a strong emphasis on client handling and technical SEO.
Outside of work, Paul enjoys spending time with his family and staying active with weight lifting and combat sports.
Head of Operations
Nadea joined Wildcat in 2021 and has since overhauled the way we work. She has a background in various administrative, operations and HR roles, which gave her the experience and skills needed to lead and organise a growing business.
Outside of work, Nadea loves anything that keeps her active, but she especially enjoys hiking, camping and mountain biking.
Senior SEO Account Manager
With a background in sales, Molly is a natural Account Manager, brilliantly handling any issues that come her way. Having joined us as a Digital Marketing Executive, and working part-time through her final year of University, Molly is a shining example of how hard work pays off. She is now an SEO Account Manager with a particular interest in Content and Client Management.
In her spare time, Molly loves to get out in nature, hiking and exploring the Peak District. She also loves cooking and likes to unwind with a bit of yoga.
PPC Team Leader
Libby joined Wildcat in 2021 as our first PPC hire. With a degree in Digital Media Production, a Master’s in Digital Media Management and previous experience in Social Media Management, Libby hit the ground running and has since climbed the ranks to Senior PPC Account Manager and has a particular interest in the eCommerce sector.
Outside of work, Libby likes gaming, and cooking and likes to keep active by lifting weights.
SEO Account Manager
Jasmine joined Wildcat in 2022 with a strong background in SEO and Account Management. At the time, she was finishing up a Level 4 Apprenticeship in Digital Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, and has since worked her way up to SEO Account Manager. Jasmine excels at content writing and promotion, and particularly enjoys finding creative ways to join the dots on multi-channel campaigns.
In her spare time, Jasmine volunteers at a charity, helping combat loneliness & social isolation experienced by older neighbours. Outside of Wildcat, she owns a catering company, Savery Grazing, creating delicious grazing tables & platters for a range of events. She also loves skiing and exploring the Peak District.
Senior PPC Executive
Prior to joining Wildcat, Braden founded and ran his own Social Media Management agency where he gained valuable skills in growing brands’ online presence, which has since proven invaluable in his role at Wildcat.
Outside of work, Braden is a big football fan, regularly travelling to Pride Park to support Derby County. He also enjoys watching and playing snooker, hiking in the Peak District, and attending air and car shows.
Senior SEO Executive
After spending ten years managing businesses, restaurants, cafes and event spaces across Sheffield, Jon decided to change careers and joined Wildcat as an SEO Executive in 2022. He especially enjoys the client management side of the job, helping them to understand digital marketing and ways in which they can build their business’s presence online.
Outside of work, Jon likes to keep fit with running, badminton and football, and also loves music.
Senior SEO Executive
Rachel joined us as a graduate, having recently graduated from Sheffield University with a degree in English Literature. Since joining, Rachel has proven herself to be a Content Queen, and particularly enjoys getting stuck into projects that allow her to explore her creative side.
Outside of work, Rachel enjoys a wide range of hobbies, including rugby, singing, reading, and spending time with her family and three labradors.
Team Lead & Technical SEO Account Manager
With a degree in Computer Science and SEO experience dating back to 2017, Dariusz has a wide range of SEO skills and knowledge. His specialist knowledge of Technical SEO has firmly landed him the title of Wildcat’s Technical Wizard, and he has recently taken on the responsibility of Team Leader for the Panthers Team.
In his spare time, Dariusz loves hiking, experimenting and trying new coffees and loves learning new things. He is currently learning more about CRO and AI and how this could benefit our clients.
Senior SEO Account Manager
With a degree in Film and TV production, and a varied career history, Jamie made the move to marketing with a Masters degree in Digital Media Management. He has since worked in SEO at Agencies across Sheffield, before joining Wildcat and working his way up to SEO Account Manager. Jamie has a particular interest in backlinks and Digital PR and has recently gained a client a valuable backlink from Forbes!
In his spare time, Jamie is an avid foodie and loves trying new restaurants and cuisines. He also loves to travel and spent a year travelling to Australia after university.
Senior SEO Executive
Andy joined Wildcat in 2023 after starting his digital marketing career in-house for a local Sheffield company. Since joining, he has developed a strong interest in Technical SEO and has strong skills in Account Management.
Outside of work, Andy loves music and plays in a couple of bands. He also enjoys rock climbing, cycling, photography and good food.
Client Success Coordinator
Siena joined us in 2023 with a background in sales and digital marketing. She leads on client relationships across the company, ensuring that our customers are happy throughout their journey with us, from their initial consultation through to onboarding and beyond.
Outside of work, Siena enjoys travelling and getting stuck into the local culture. She likes to make the most of her experiences and particularly enjoys watching sunrises and sunsets from beautiful locations around the world.
SEO Account Manager
Thea has a wealth of experience in SEO, having previously worked for other Digital Marketing Agencies in Sheffield. She has a particular interest and skills in Technical SEO, but is more than willing to get stuck in and give anything a go.
Outside of work, Thea spends most of her time with her children, but also loves reading, photography and gardening.
PPC Executive
Before joining Wildcat, Tom worked across different industries, building skills in sales and customer service. He later developed a passion for digital marketing whilst working on personal marketing projects and freelance ventures, and gained numerous certifications in PPC and Social Media.
Outside of work, Tom enjoys staying active by going to the gym and hiking. He also loves travelling and motorbiking.
Head of Growth
Rich joined us in May 2024 to head up our growth team. With years of experience helping other agencies to grow, Rich joins us at an exciting time as Wildcat is working on a five-year plan to become one of the biggest agencies in the UK.
Outside of work, Rich is a father to three children, which keeps him very busy! He’s also recently started running again to keep fit and loves a bit of DIY.
SEO Executive
Kezia joined us in July 2024 after completing a CIM Certificate in Digital Marketing and gaining experience in Content SEO at another Sheffield agency.
In her spare time, Kezia loves to get outdoors, bouldering, hiking and travelling.
SEO Executive
Amy joined Wildcat in 2024 with a background in journalism, having worked as a News Editor and Editor-in-Chief at The Sheffield Tab. She is naturally interested in Content SEO and research, so will no doubt prove to be a content power-house.
In her spare time, Amy loves watching crime shows, listening to music and hanging out with her dog, Eddie!
PPC Account Manager
Masilda joined the Wildcat team in October 2024 with over seven years of experience in digital marketing. She specialises in Google Ads, but is also certified in Google Analytics, YouTube Ads, Google Ads for Ecommerce and Apple Search Ads. She has extensive expertise in performance marketing, display advertising, online lead generation and market planning.
In her free time, Masilda likes staying active, cooking, trying new restaurants and exploring new places.
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