Ever wondered what the right questions to ask a potential SEO outsource partner are? Well, there’s a pretty long list truth be told, but some of the entries are vastly more important than others.
So to help steer you in the right direction, here’s a look at some of the most crucial questions of all along with why exactly you should be asking them in the first place:
What Makes You the Best Choice?
An obvious and cliché question that’s nonetheless 100% crucial – why should you choose them over the pack? It’s here that they should be able to sell themselves pretty convincingly and not throw out the usual pointless answers like “We are great” or “Our rivals are rubbish”. Look for genuine examples as to why they’re as good as they say they are and see how reassured you are. And if they build their explanation around slagging off their rivals, this isn’t acceptable as it has nothing to do with their own abilities. 
What Guarantees Do You Offer?
Always a good test as while you need to make sure your investment is backed, you also need to check how honest and realistic they are. Promising to get you to the number-one position in no longer than a week or two should set alarm bells ringing – this isn’t possible right now and probably never will be. Likewise, if they say they can’t promise you anything and won’t guarantee that your business will be in a better place in a few months or so, there’s really nothing to gain from signing up with them. You’re looking for a balance between the two – a promise that they will help you, though one that doesn’t reek of falsehoods.
Where’s the Evidence?
If you are the provider’s first ever client, good luck! If on the other hand they’ve been in the game for awhile, they will of course have plenty of evidence to back their claims in the form of feedback, case studies and generally glowing praise. If they’ve had plenty of clients but there’s no evidence to show for it, what does this tell you? Or if there’s plenty of feedback but they’re not willing to share it with you, why do you think this might be the case? It’s not rocket-science really – either they’ve done a good job and can prove it, or they haven’t and so they can’t.
And What if I Get a Better Offer?
Last but not least, this is always a good test in their confidence and honesty. Technically speaking, any SEO provider should be willing to offer a guarantee that if you find a better deal elsewhere, they will either match it or allow you to leave your contract early with no fuss or penalty charges. If on the other hand they won’t allow any such thing and insist instead on holding clients captive come what may, this says a great deal about their confidence in their own deals. Just be sure that the deal you’re getting really is the best deal – it’s as simple as that.