Recently, SaaS businesses have been focusing more on organic SEO tactics than on performance marketing campaigns that take a big chunk out of the budget.
By shifting their focus, companies invest in businesses that will last a long time. So, you might consider hiring a SaaS SEO consultant to guide you while you focus on other things.
If that’s your next move, here are some crucial questions you should ask your future consultant.
Difference Between SaaS SEO and Traditional SEO
Before we go any further, you might still be confused about the difference between these two SEO categories. This is something you must know before hiring a SaaS SEO consultant like eTraffic. So, let’s check it out.
- Sales vs. leads in marketing goals — Standard SEO focuses on generating new sales and leads in a specific time frame. On the other hand, SaaS SEO entails creating new content and long-term partnerships with other companies.
- Generic vs. industry-specific keyword selection — Traditional SEO relies on technical keywords for a specific demographic, while SaaS SEO puts emphasis on long-tail keyword and phrase targeting.
- Technical vs. simple content — You’re probably used to conventional SEO content by now. That said, SaaS SEO content might be more technical in terms of including video descriptions, services, and more. Your goal with the latter is to engage with other businesses that understand your service.
Related: Best SaaS Tools For Businesses
Questions You Should Consider When Hiring a SaaS SEO Consultant
Make sure you go through these questions with a potential SaaS SEO consultant hire. Remember that they do not necessarily have to be the best, even if they are more expensive. Money is not the main giveaway in this case. Let’s find out what it is.
Related: How To Develop B2B SaaS Sales Process
Are You Familiar With This Business Sector?
Don’t go any further with the interview before checking whether the potential consultant has had experience with your specific business type. Take a look at their credentials because any good potential client can present a portfolio of previous SaaS customers and their SaaS SEO technique results. If you want to ensure your business’s success, get the skills you need with consulting service that specializes in your industry, so you can make informed decisions based on proven expertise.
Related: Essential Guide To B2B SaaS Product Strategy
Have You Worked With My Market Segment?
Consider hiring a SaaS SEO consultant with expertise in your specific field. For example, if your business model is B2B, you might want to choose a professional with similar skills. The point is that SaaS SEO and marketing complement each other, so hiring a SaaS SEO consultant that understands the industry should be a priority.
Related: Best B2B SaaS KPIs & Metrics
Is My Platform Familiar to You?
A good SaaS SEO consultant should understand your website’s platform. Different SEO tactics are used for different programs, so Wix and WordPress won’t need the same ones, to put it simply. So, try and hire a consultant who has experience working with your site’s platform.
Related: B2B SaaS Content Marketing Strategy Guide
Can You Provide Client Examples?
Whether you’re hiring an architect or a SaaS SEO consultant, you would want to see some examples of their work. Learn more about the importance of portfolios here. You should never be reluctant to ask to see previous work of a potential employee to make sure you’re on the right path. And a good SaaS SEO consultant won’t hesitate to show you their work. Specific client testimonials always indicate that the consultant has done the job right.
Related: Best B2B SaaS SEO Tools That Marketers Use Secretly
Avoid working with those who are vague about their past experience and don’t want to show their portfolio. You should also be skeptical of the consultants who are completely new to you.
What Are the Past Results That You’re Most Proud Of?
It is one of the important question anyone should ask before hiring a SaaS SEO agency. Therefore, they should have a track record of delivering positive results for their clients. You can also ask agency to share past results in detail like what issues they asked to solve, what steps they followed, what KPIs they offered to their clients, and how much time, it took to deliver successful SEO results.
It’s important to understand how an agency approaches problem-solving, and the best way to do that is by looking at their past successes. The agencies that are worth your time will have specific answers to this question that are supported by data and clear results. They should be happy to provide you with the details because it strengthens their case for being hired.
What Is Your SEO Process and How Do You Approach a Problem?
How an agency approaches problems is the key factor of a good agency.
This is why an SEO should always be able to clearly explain the process they’ll follow to increase your rankings, get you more backlinks, remove your site’s penalty, or achieve any other objective you might have.
Essentially, they should give you clear milestones so that you can track their progress and hold them accountable for results. This way, you can be sure that the steps they take are actually getting you closer to your goal, rather than just spinning their wheels.
How Do You Measure Results?
Without measuring SEO results, you can’t be sure whether the SEO agency is worth your money or not. Therefore, always ask the agency how they are going to measure results. Do they have any KPIs, analytics tool, or performance metrics?
What Budget Should I Have For This SEO Project?
How much you spend on SEO services depends on how intensive the work needs to be and how competitive your market is. With that being said, it’s crucial that you never spend more than you’re comfortable with and always be mindful of which agencies charge more than others. Make sure to do your research, ask for quotes, and compare services before making any decisions. Also, keep in mind that SEO maintenance and updates are an ongoing process, so you’ll need to budget for those accordingly.
How Long Does It Take To See Results From SEO?
SEO can be a long-term investment, and it’s important to be patient when pursuing it. You likely won’t see results overnight, but with a solid strategy and consistent effort, you should start seeing improvement over time. How long it takes to see results can depend on factors like the competitiveness of your industry, the age of your website, and more. However, most SEO campaigns need at least 3-6 months to start seeing real progress.
Final Thoughts
There are many ways of choosing a SaaS SEO consultant for your company, but you’re the one making the final decision. Make sure to do your homework before anything else — check their reviews and recommendations before even interviewing them. This will help you get on the right track. Then, carefully go through these questions and rely on your intuition. After all, you’re the only person who knows what’s right for your business.
