Isn’t it surprising that global SEO service marketing is likely to reach a whopping $83.7 billion by 2025? This growth is expected to reach a CAGR of 19.6% in 2020, according to a report by MarketsandMarkets. These astounding facts indicate that SEO will storm into every domain. It can be the lifeblood of every company or industry. Also, this trend won’t be restricted to certain boundaries.
Overall, offshore SEO service providers are going to be in great demand. The reason can be cost-cutting or increasing profitability. But here, the challenge will be finding the best offshore SEO service provider. Let’s break down the step-by-step process to select the best SEO partner.
A Guide to Selecting the Best Offshore SEO Service Provider
Here is a step-by-step guide to choosing the best offshore SEO company.
1. Understand your SEO needs
The very first step is to analyze what you’re likely to have. But, you should have a clear picture of what to achieve through the organic promotion of your website. It can be your website ranking, organic traffic, or content strategy that needs improvement. In this regard, HubSpot studied and discovered that 61% of marketers set their inbound marketing priorities, which are to improve SEO and scale their organic presence. With such a huge population emphasizing setting goals, it is proven that the objectives must be clear so that an offshore provider can meet your specific needs.
2. Research Potential Providers
Now that you have a crystal-clear vision of your goal in mind, create a list of potential offshore SEO providers. They must be qualified domain experts with hands-on experience. Discover a potential partner with an authentically solid background. Their positive client reviews and enriched portfolio indicate their success. Some websites, like Clutch and Upwork, can also help you make guided decisions. Simply check their reviews and ratings there and analyze if they are reliable experts.
3. Evaluate expertise and experience
Experience and expertise together are an excellent combination. Identify how long the potential providers have been in this domain and how proficient they are in different SEO services, such as keyword research, on-page optimization, link building, and technical SEO. For instance, SEMrush surveyed and discovered that 37% of respondents selected keyword research as the most effective SEO strategy. Content creation and link-building practices follow it. So, focus on your key objective, and then evaluate the expertise and experience of the prospective offshore SEO partner.
4. Check case studies and references
Case studies are the cases that a company handled and then compiled how it achieved success in them. These success stories can provide you with insights into the provider’s capacity to deliver SEO results. Moreover, you can request references and a few contacts of previous customers to get firsthand reviews about the prospective SEO partner offshore.
5. Analyze communication skills
Communication helps you express your requirements. Overall, it is imperative, especially if you are likely to work with an offshore team. So, measuring communication skills is significant. The quality of its communication skills can be evaluated during initial interactions. Ensure that the offshore services provider is responsive and works with clarity over assigned tasks or objectives. Over it, the Project Management Institute researched and discovered that poor communication is the prime factor in project failure. So, ensure that your service partner conveys everything crucial without any communication barriers.
6. Understand their SEO strategy
Every business follows a unique SEO strategy, and it is necessary to personalize it according to the business. At the same time, its transparency is also important. It signifies the credibility of the offshore SEO service provider. So, start discovering what their approach to SEO is. Also, find out how they plan, decide timelines, and use metrics to achieve marketing goals. Considering the top three ranking factors, link signals, on-page signals, and content are the foremost metrics, according to Moz. So, you can expect the SEO specialist’s strategy to align with these factors.
7. Consider cultural and time zone differences
An agreement with an offshore partner brings cultural and time zone differences. So, it’s necessary to decide on working hours and cultural compatibility with other business practices. An online tool for communication can fill this gap. So, you may think of deploying a Slack or Trello-like tool for consistent communication on project management growth, though the time zone is different.
8. Assess technological proficiency
The provider should be proficient in the latest SEO tools and technologies. Tools like Google Analytics, Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Moz are essential for effective SEO management. According to Statista, 52% of marketers consider tools and technology vital for their SEO strategies. Ensure the provider uses up-to-date tools and stays abreast of SEO trends.
9. Review pricing models
The most obvious reason to hire an offshore SEO partner is the cost. So, always try to understand its pricing model. For instance, overseas companies outsource to a professional SEO company in India to provide high-quality SEO services at approximately 40% to 60% lower costs when compared with Western countries to outsource organic marketing projects. The most popular ones are hourly charges and fixed-priced SEO packages. You may draw a comparison between the shortlisted ones and also evaluate the quality of the required services to see if they are worth the money. Then, make a final decision. Deloitte found that 59% of businesses prefer outsourcing for economical services without compromising quality. So, it is essential to review the pricing models.
10. Look for long-term partnership potential
SEO is an ongoing organic promotion, which means that you need a provider that is willing to convert a newly formed agreement into a long-term partnership. Simultaneously, it should emphasize continuous improvement in SEO strategies based on performance insights and evolving trends. A long-term approach promises sustained results and adaptability to new trends in search engine algorithms.
Bonus Tip: Latest Updates and Trends
SEO trends continue to renew. Google introduces core updates, for example, to improve the quality of the content, links, and relevancy. So, ensure that the prospective partner can embrace new SEO trends promptly. It can help prevent a massive dip in website rankings.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, selecting the right offshore SEO partner requires meticulous consideration of several factors, like experience, expertise, communication skills, pricing, and technological proficiency.
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Author Bio – Alex is a creative content writer and search engine optimization (SEO) expert working at Eminenture Technologies with practical experience. He is creating incredible strategies to increase visibility, top ranking in SERPS, and encouraging leads through a website. His skills and expertise in defining success through end-to-end digital marketing have been seen in many cases across various companies.
