Search engine optimization (SEO) firms help businesses make necessary changes or implement practices to rank better in search engines. The right SEO firm isn’t just an asset for businesses but a partner that organizations can grow with for long-term success.
If you’re building a new website or planning to get a new one, you may be wondering if you should engage an SEO firm before or after your launch. Here’s when it’s a good idea to start working with an SEO firm when you’re building a new or redesigning an existing website.
Consider Your Website Goals
Defining the goal of your website is a great place to start when wondering if you need an SEO firm right now. If your website functions as more of a brochure or portfolio for your business, you may not need an SEO agency to help you prior to launch.
However, if your goal is to compete with other businesses by showing up in search engines so you can generate new leads and traffic, you should have an SEO strategy before you even begin designing your website, because your web design ends up impacting your search engine rankings.
Engaging an SEO firm after you have already launched your site could mean you’ll need to make changes to the content, layout, and overall structure of your website, which would cost more time and money.
Strategize Your Content Needs
You might not be thinking about the type of content that will go on your new website just yet. However, if you’re planning on generating leads and traffic with your website, a content strategy should be at the top of your list when designing a new site.
Working with an SEO firm to create an approach to high-quality content before you launch is essential because you’ll want your content to integrate naturally with your web design. A well-designed content strategy will also support user experience (UX) and SEO. Website content should be informative, resourceful and meets the needs, or search journey, of your targeted audiences, and this should be planned ahead of time before the website is built.
You’ll need to plan what content types you want to use, including text, video, images, infographics, and forums, then figure out how you can present the content in an organized and intuitive way that will not only promote UX, but also make it easier for search engines to index your website’s content for ranking.
Hire a Firm Before Rebranding
Rebranding can be a great way to revitalize a decades-old business or website presence. However, relaunching your website can result in a decrease in traffic, which can ultimately impact your SEO and revenue.
If you’re rebranding, always engage an SEO firm before launching your website. You don’t want to lose your hard-earned visibility and search rankings. A good SEO firm can help keep your website organized and ensure all pages transfer. This way, you can hit the ground running and minimize traffic loss instead of waiting until you’ve lost a significant amount of traffic to correct the problem.
When planned & executed properly, rebranding and launching a new website can result in improved SEO results, traffic, and leads for your business.
Not Sure If You Need an SEO Firm Right Now?
The answer to when you should hire an SEO firm is usually before you think you need one. Not sure if you should engage an SEO firm just yet? Contact Gazz Consulting today to find out if you should begin looking for an SEO company or if you can hold off on hiring one until after launch.
