1. Guidelines to Follow When Hiring a Local SEO Firm<br />It’s important to understand that your SEO firm does not need to be local. Today’s technology has made communicating with someone across the country as easy as communicating with someone down the street. However, some businesses still feel more comfortable knowing that they can meet face to face with their SEO provider. In some cases, businesses may have had a bad experience working with a non-local SEO provider and believe that there is more accountability going with a local company. Companies have the right to choose whatever SEO firm that they would like to work with, and if it needs to be local that is absolutely OK. However there are a few guidelines that companies should follow when searching for local SEO services.<br />#1 Respect Time (Yours and Theirs)<br />If you aren’t actually ready to hire an SEO firm and you are just looking for information, an in person meeting isn’t necessary and an initial phone call or email consultation will do. A large SEO firm may have more bodies so they are able to send a sales rep or an account executive over to meet, but you have to keep in mind that their job is to sell to you and they may just tell you whatever it is that you want to hear. During an initial meeting with a large firm it’s doubtful that you will meet with an actual strategist. Small and midsized companies probably don’t have sales reps, so if you aren’t actually ready to sign on for services don’t expect them to drop everything to meet with you. <br />#2 Go With Your Instinct<br />If you find a firm that seems like a good fit, just go with it. There is no reason to throw other firms into the mix. It will just confuse the situation since all SEOs handle things slightly differently. Everyone’s process is different but good white hat SEO firms will tell you the same thing- that there is no magic SEO solution. The process is the process. <br />#3 Don’t Expect Work Up Front<br />Many businesses are used to the ad agency strategy that the agency will pitch a creative campaign to them before they are even hired to carry it out. While that might be worth the ad agency’s time for a $20 million account, it’s not like that with SEO. It’s not an apples to apples comparison. SEO works differently. If you aren’t a client you can’t expect to get treated the same way as a client will get treated. SEO isn’t a commodity, it’s a service. <br />Remember, SEO firms are in the buyer’s seat too. They don’t want horrible clients. It’s about respect that works both ways. Some businesses think that they are in control because they can get SEO services from anyone. It may be true that there are lots of SEO providers, but there aren’t as many good SEO providers. Good SEO firms are in demand; they don’t need to work with someone that doesn’t treat them with respect. If you want to hire a local SEO firm make sure to treat them with respect as you would treat an employee or a colleague. <br />About the Author:<br />Brick Marketing is a Boston SEO agency. For more information please call 781-350-4365 or visit http://www.brickmarketing.com. <br />