When most people think of world centres of business, they think of the big names: New York, London, or Singapore. Well, Toronto ranks right up there with them, at least according to a recent study done on cities for business opportunity. In terms of being business friendly, the ease of starting a business, and promoting an entrepreneurial environment, “T.O” ranks in the top ten worldwide.

So, as an entrepreneur, you’ve already got the best location in the country. Now, all you need is a great SEO company to help market your business to the 80% of people who use search engines to find local product and service information.

In an industry that relies on a constantly changing algorithm, some of the great qualities of an SEO company might not be obvious, and worse, there are a lot who are simply doing it wrong.

Here are some qualities to look for in a Toronto SEO company, and how the best separate themselves from the rest.

Personalized campaigns

If a company is offering a standard, “one size fits all” package, then hang up, hit the back button, or run. Whatever it takes to get away. That’s not how SEO works in 2017. You need a company that will tailor your SEO campaigns specifically to you. No two company’s needs and goals are the same. What works in Montreal won’t work here. What works for them might not work for you.

Find a company that will sit down with you and create a package based on your goals. You want a company that will answer tough questions such as:

  • How will you judge success vs. failure?
  • How will you find the right customers for me?
  • How will you help my business rank on Google Maps so my customers can easily find me?
  • How does this campaign fit my needs, goals, and budget?
  • Are you willing to customize a campaign based on budget and results?

Search engine optimization in 2017 is about combining different hard and soft tactics, as well as adapting to customer behavior and algorithm changes. No standard package can do that.

Accreditation

The mere mention of SEO might make some business owners uneasy if they’ve had bad results in the past. Too many companies use blackhat tactics that provide temporary boosts, only to run off when they fail and never be heard from again. That’s why vetting your company and ensuring they have credentials is important. Do your research and make sure that a company can demonstrate its knowledge and accomplishments openly and honestly. A few things to look for are:

  • 3rd-party accreditation – no one will say bad things about their own company, so trusting a 3rd-party to be honest is the way to go. BlueHat has been ranked on TopSEO’s and Clutch, two independent authorities in the online marketing industry. We are also a Google Premier Partner, having demonstrated excellence by exceeding Google’s arduous performance requirements.
  • A thought-leading blog – any company that’s a leader in its industry will display its expertise by publishing industry-leading, thought-provoking content. If the company can’t write about the services it provides, then move along.
  • Satisfied clients – search around the web, check their website, and go to industry websites to see who the company is, who they’ve served, and the results they’ve achieved.

Comprehensive services & adaptability

SEO is no longer just about keywords and on-page optimization. You can’t just stuff words onto a page and hope for quality traffic and rankings anymore. An SEO company needs to be agile, adaptive, forward-thinking, and comprehensive. Don’t settle for any agency claiming that it focuses just on boosting your rankings through keywords or links. Only choose a company that provides wide-reaching services that encompass every area of online marketing, including:

  • Web design
  • Paid ads
  • Social media
  • Local SEO
  • Content marketing
  • And deep knowledge of analytics

Your company not only needs to know which goals to go after and which customers to target, but they need to know which goals don’t matter and which customers aren’t worth the time. They must be able to identify missed opportunities, adjust when necessary, and adapt your social, content, and web design needs based on your customer’s behavior.

In the last decade, SEO has gone from simple science to complex art form, and along the way, search engine optimization companies have had to adapt to better serve their clients. Your campaign needs to be as diverse as the customer base you’re targeting. And don’t forget the power of going local, either!

If you’re a business in local area, then you need local SEO services. Now that you know what to look for in a Toronto SEO company, you need to go find the right one!