If you’ve ever tried to grow a business online, you’ll know this: Google can feel like the world’s busiest highway… and the fact is, your website can easily get stuck in traffic. Getting found doesn’t happen by luck or chance. Most of the time, it’s a direct result of strategy, consistency, and a whole lot of behind-the-scenes work.
That’s where an SEO agency steps in. But what is an SEO agency? What is included in SEO services, and what isn’t? Here we have set out a clear guide to help you understand what you should expect, check on and ask for when you are looking for professional help to get noticed.
Read on as we help you understand how the right SEO agency can be an essential element in the success of your business now and in the future.
What is an SEO agency?
At its core, an SEO agency is a team of specialists who show up to help your website rank higher in organic search results. Their job is to make sure that when someone searches for what you offer, your business appears before your competitors do.
SEO agency services are targeted toward improving your website’s structure, speed, content, credibility, and technical health. These are all the things that help search engines understand and trust your site, which is why they’re the cornerstones of organic search.
Also, SEO builds long-term authority that has nothing to do with a paid sponsored listing. Once you’ve earned a high ranking on a Google SERP for a set of given keywords, they continue to work passively for you round-the-clock – if you keep them up to date.
Any agency worth its weight is going to be working hard in the background to bolster every aspect of your website’s health using multiple disciplines. Your SEO services should include on-page, off-page, technical, and local SEO, as well as content marketing, all expertly applied to make your business easier to find.
What is included in SEO services?
Like any business, you’ll notice that different agencies have different strengths. The smart move here is to find an agency that offers a full suite of in-house SEO agency services designed to grow your organic visibility and traffic in a steady, sustainable way.
When you connect with a reputable NZ SEO agency, you should expect a few things:
An in-depth audit.
This should be the initial step in the process, as it is how your agency will assess your site’s current organic reach. Think of it like a check-up: it should include an examination and report on your site structure, speed, any technical issues, your content quality, and your backlink profile.
This lets you know what’s working, what’s holding you back, and where the biggest immediate wins might be hiding.
Keyword research.
Once the audit is complete and opportunities are identified, the agency should determine what your target audience is actually searching for – and what your competitors are doing to win those searches.
A tailored SEO strategy.
Your SEO agency should be able to advance you a clear strategy that has been drawn up within a set, agreed-upon timeline.
Keep in mind that no two websites will need the same thing, so your agency will map out a plan based on your unique goals as a business owner. Maybe you want to rank highly with local customers, or you’re planning to expand nationwide and need an SEO strategy to help you get found outside your usual operating areas.
Website optimisation
Website optimisation is incredibly important. Site specialists will plan to clean up your metadata, improve your site architecture, fix broken links, speed up pages, and generally ensure that your customers can find your page (and enjoy interacting with it when they do).
Technical SEO is invisible to your users, but it’s a major factor in ranking organically.
Content for organic reach.
To support your strategy, your SEO specialist will build and optimise content like blogs, landing pages, resources, guides, and anything else they identify that will build trust and authority with your customers and Google’s algorithms. If deemed appropriate, you should receive a Content Marketing Plan and a revised Meta Mapping sheet to sign off on, which will plan your content strategy at least 6 months in advance.
Tracking, reporting and refining.
Finally, tracking is essential. Great SEO is applied and refined over time, so an SEO agency should monitor your rankings, traffic, conversions, and user behaviour. Using this information, they will make small tweaks to your strategy as needed.
Why hire an SEO agency?
SEO consultations are a smart step towards sustainable business growth because they’re focused on your long-term results – just like you are. The right agency can deliver sustainable, long-term measurable growth – if you stick with it.
All of this gives you a competitive edge over other businesses focusing purely on paid advertising, as the effects of great SEO compound over time. If you work with an SEO agency, you don’t have to become an algorithm expert because they’ve already done the homework and strategy building for you.
When should you hire one?
Most businesses reach out when their website isn’t generating leads or traffic has plateaued. If your competitors are consistently outranking you, you’re launching a new site, or you simply don’t have the in-house expertise needed to build long-term digital visibility, then this is the right time to bring an agency in. A note here, waiting till you tank is not advisable. SEO agency fees should be factored into your marketing strategy from day one of any business with an online presence.
How can you make sure you’re hiring a quality agency?
The best way to know you’re hiring a quality team is to look into what is included in their SEO services and how they’ve delivered them to past customers. Here’s what separates a great agency from a mediocre one:
- Proven experience and results
- Clear, honest communication
- Customised strategies
- Ethical, white-hat practices
- Strong technical capability
- Transparent reporting
If an agency can’t lay out what they’ll do for you in plain English, then that’s a red flag.
With search evolving rapidly, you must work with an SEO agency that goes beyond keywords and focuses on a breadth of services to set you up for the long haul. So, if you’re looking for a team that can elevate your visibility, attract high-intent traffic, and build long-lasting organic growth, finding high-quality SEO agency services is one of the best things you can do.
Luckily, we can help with that.
Ready to partner with an expert SEO agency?
We’re The Web Guys, a specialist SEO team helping businesses across New Zealand grow sustainably. If you’re seeking strategic, transparent SEO, then we’d love to do the same for you. Request a free audit to get started.
