Category: SEO Management
Starting search engine optimisation (SEO) can feel like a leap into the unknown. You’re paying every month for something you can’t see, from people who often talk in jargon, with results that take time to arrive. It’s no wonder business owners have questions before they sign up.
Here are some of the questions business owners in Salisbury and the surrounding area often ask when they’re thinking about SEO, with honest answers. If you’re weighing it up, they should help you know what to expect before you pick up the phone.
How long before I see results?
This is the question everyone asks first, and the honest answer is a few months. For most local businesses, you might see early signs of progress within the first two or three months, and more meaningful results after six months or so.
It depends a lot on where you’re starting from and how competitive your market is. A business with a decent website in a fairly quiet market may move quickly. A business with an old website competing against well-established firms in a busy market will take longer.
Be wary of anyone who promises quick results. SEO that works fast is often SEO that cuts corners, and that can cause problems later.
Can you guarantee I’ll be number one on Google?
No, and nobody honestly can. Google decides its rankings, and it changes how it does so regularly. Google itself warns business owners to be wary of anyone who guarantees a top position.
What a good agency can do is explain what it plans to do, why, and how it will measure progress. That’s a much better sign than a guarantee.
What do I actually get each month?
This varies between agencies, so it’s worth asking exactly. At Spire Digital, SEO starts with an audit of your website covering your content, metadata, backlinks, keyword research and competitors. After that you have a dedicated account manager and regular meetings, and every month you get a report covering your rankings, conversions, link risk profile and a review of your XML sitemap.
The work itself changes from month to month depending on what your website needs most. It might be improving important pages, fixing technical problems, building your local presence, or creating new content. The report should tell you what was done and what difference it made.
Will you need access to my website?
Usually, yes. Most SEO involves making changes to your website, whether that’s improving the content on your pages, fixing technical issues or adding new pages. That’s much easier with access.
You’ll also normally be asked for access to Google Search Console and Google Analytics, if you have them, so the agency can see how your website is performing. If you don’t have them set up, that’s often one of the first jobs.
You stay in control. You can give access as a separate user rather than sharing your own login, and you can remove it at any time.
Do I need a new website first?
Not usually. Most websites can be improved without starting again. An audit will show whether there are problems serious enough to hold your SEO back.
Occasionally, a website is so old, slow or difficult to update that rebuilding it makes more sense than patching it. If that’s the case, a good agency will tell you honestly, explain why, and help you make sure a new website doesn’t lose the rankings you already have.
What will you need from me?
Some time, mainly at the start. Nobody knows your business, your customers and your area like you do. The best results come when the agency can draw on that knowledge, whether it’s understanding what makes you different, getting photos of your work, or hearing about the questions your customers ask.
Reviews are a good example. An agency can help you set up an easy way to ask for them, but the asking has to come from your business.
How will I know it’s working?
You should get regular reports that show how your rankings, traffic and, most importantly, enquiries are changing over time. Rankings are useful, but they’re not the end goal. What matters is whether more of the right people are finding you and getting in touch.
It’s worth agreeing at the start what success looks like for your business, so everyone is measuring the same thing.
What happens if I stop?
Good SEO doesn’t stop working the day you stop paying. The improvements made to your website, the content written and the reputation built up stay in place. That’s one of the big differences between SEO and advertising.
Over time, though, things move on. Competitors keep working, Google keeps changing and your website gets older. So while results don’t disappear overnight, they can gradually slip if nothing more is done.
Bad SEO is a different story. If an agency has bought low-quality links or used tactics that break Google’s rules, stopping won’t undo the damage, and you may need help to clean it up. That’s another reason to ask how an agency works before you start.
Should I do SEO or Google Ads?
They do different jobs. Google Ads can bring in enquiries almost straight away but stops when you stop paying. SEO takes longer but keeps working. Many businesses use both, with ads bringing in work now while SEO builds for the future.
If you can only afford one, it depends on how quickly you need new customers and how long you’re planning for. We’re always happy to talk that through honestly, because we look after both.
Any other questions?
If there’s something you’d like to know that isn’t covered here, just ask. A good agency won’t mind questions, and the answers will tell you a lot about whether they’re the right fit for you.
The friendly, experienced team at Spire Digital help businesses in Salisbury and the surrounding area with search engine optimisation (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising. Give us a call on 01722 320 500 and ask us anything.