Finding affordable SEO (search engine optimization) in Toronto can be complicated. Some digital marketing agencies offer cheap services for a few hundred dollars per month. Other agencies have expensive packages worth tens of thousands. Not only that, but many new providers are popping up all the time. So, how can you determine the best route your business should take with SEO?

In this article, we’ll lay out step-by-step how to find an affordable SEO service in Toronto that fits your budget. And most importantly, you can get the SEO services that will produce results for your business.

First, let’s begin with why SEO is important and the reasons for investing time and effort in it. 

Why is SEO important?

SEO helps you build a more robust and long-term digital marketing strategy for your website. It is not just about good SEO practices like keyword placement and consistent new content, it also takes into consideration the overall usability and user experience of your website. 

With millions of people searching for relevant content online, SEO is your ticket for getting some of that traffic to your website. Of these millions, the top five results in any search tend to take over 70% of the traffic. SEO helps in ranking your website on the coveted first search engine results page.

SEO is important for sustainable business growth and can help you achieve the following: 

Increased visibility and discoverability

SEO helps you rank higher, thus making it more likely that customers click on your link and convert.

Improved experience

A well-optimized website indicates what is being offered very clearly, helping users get answers more quickly. A good user experience is also a ranking factor in Google’s algorithms. 

Better ROI and increased revenue

You get more traffic if your website ranks higher on a search engine results page. More traffic usually translates to more sales, and more revenue as well. 

SEO is also cheaper in the long run, especially when compared to PPC. Creating content that ranks well and attracts traffic means that you don’t have to keep burning money to attract customers. Link clicks in SEO are also zero-cost, unlike in PPC.

Now that you have a better understanding of why SEO is important, let’s dive into how you can find an affordable SEO company. 

1. Define Your SEO Goals

The first step is to establish what you’d like to achieve from your investment in SEO.

Defining a goal puts your company and the SEO agency in alignment. It gives a clear picture of what success looks like. But keep in mind, there are bad goals and good goals.

“We just want traffic. More traffic to our website!”

This is a terrible goal. Although it is measurable, traffic shouldn’t be the end goal.

Sure, you can rank and get traffic for many unrelated keywords. But what’s the point of getting all the traffic if you can’t convert them into leads and sales?

Don’t fall for the trap of using traffic as your primary goal. Instead, here are some examples of good goals:

• Boost downloads for your app
• Increase sign-ups for a free trial
• Boost brand reputation by getting x new reviews each quarter
• Increase revenue from the SEO sales channel
• Increase organic traffic by y%
• Increase revenue by x% in Q3
• Build a healthy backlink profile with x new links each month

Your goals should also be specific, measurable, and time-bound and should map against your business and marketing objectives. 

2. Understand what an affordable SEO budget looks like for you

Affordable has a different meaning for different people. A small business might consider $1,500-$2,500 per month affordable. A larger enterprise might be able to afford $7,000-$10,000 per month.

Your SEO efforts should be digestible as a monthly expense for your business. Keep in mind it represents a monthly commitment to your business growth objectives, so quitting after a few months because it’s too expensive is unwise. 

Invest in SEO to grow your business. You can start small and increase the budget as you start seeing results and as your business starts to scale.

Think of SEO like a marathon, rather than a sprint. You want to be able to invest in your SEO campaign for the long term. Doing a burst of 3 months and then stopping doesn’t bring good results.

3. Recognize the difference between “cheap” and “affordable”

Now, there’s a massive difference between hiring a cheap SEO agency and an SEO agency that delivers quality results for an affordable price. 

Good SEO agencies invest time and resources into building a team of specialists, content writers, web designers, and content strategists who come together to provide a more holistic SEO strategy customized to your business’s objectives. 

While cheap SEO services are very easy to find, they can be unreliable. Cheap SEO services often make promises to rank your website on the first page of search results, for a minimal one-time payment. 

No true SEO professional will make guarantees like this. There are too many variables at play when it comes to SEO. Opting for a cheap SEO service might actually end up hurting you in the long run. 

4. Compile A List Of Agencies that Provide Affordable SEO in Toronto

Once you have a goal and a budget, it’s time to make a list of candidates. A list of 3 to 5 candidates is a fair amount. You’ll have plenty of options to consider.

You can search “affordable SEO Toronto” on Google and pick out some from the list. Since they’re on the first page, it means that they know how to do SEO themselves. Pay attention to their Google reviews and pick out those that seem the most promising.

You can also ask friends or your professional network for recommendations. This is especially good if they’re currently using a good vendor or have used them in the past. Then you can ask them about their experience and see what kinds of results they have gotten.

5. Check the websites and social media channels of the agencies you’re interested in

Once you’ve compiled a list of agencies, the next step is to do some research on their web presence. You don’t have to dig too deep when it comes to checking out their website, a few common pages will give you a fair idea about the agency. 

• The homepage is where you should begin on any website. And when it comes to a good SEO agency, the homepage will be attractive and clear in the services they offer and how to contact them. 
• The About Us page is the next page where you can gather useful information about the agency. This page should cover the agency’s success story, the team behind the success and their experience, and, last but not least, the accolades and awards the agency has won. This shows the determination and experience of the top brass at the agency.
• The Testimonial page might be the most important for you, as it will lay bare the other businesses and industries the agency has found success working for. It should also give a sample of the kind of SEO problems the agency has solved before. 
• The blogs the agency posts are a good sign of the thought leadership exhibited by the team working there. Recently posted blogs imply that the agency is investing in its content marketing strategy and is up to date with the latest in SEO. 

You can also look at their social media accounts to evaluate their social presence and how they interact with potential leads coming in from social media. 

An agency’s online presence is your first glimpse into the kind of people you will be engaging with. Make sure to do as much research as you’d like before initiating that first contact. 

6. Evaluate the agencies’ strengths and weaknesses

It only makes sense for a good SEO agency to rank for its own name on a Google search. A simple Google search of the agency’s name should reveal whether you can trust this agency.

If it’s a top-ranking website (ideally the first result) with lots of customer reviews, that’s a fair signal that they know what they’re doing. Good agencies will also rank for local searches (like “affordable seo toronto”), which indicates an advanced knowledge of SEO. 

7. Schedule A Consultation Call

There’s only so much research you can do. Ultimately, you’ll need to book a consultation call with them. It can be face-to-face or via online call.

This will help you get a feel of what their company is like, their level of professionalism, and their dedication to their work. This is an excellent time to connect and build trust.

The consultation call isn’t just about finding out the price. You should get to know the company and ask them several questions before hiring them.

Questions to Ask Before Hiring An Affordable SEO Company

What’s your process to accomplish our goals? And why?

This shows how well they will communicate with you and how they will report metrics to you. Make sure they align with your goals.

How does Google rank results? How do you influence them?

It gives you an idea of their knowledge. Also, watch out for any shady tactics that can hurt your business in the future.

How do we communicate? How often?

Communication is essential for a good working relationship. Set your expectations for communication upfront to avoid misunderstanding.

What do you do when things aren’t working?

This is an excellent question because obstacles may come along. Look for how resourceful they are to work around a problem. Also, be sure you know their process for canceling services if things really aren’t working for a while (but remember that SEO takes time).

What are all the fees and payment options?

Of course, you also want to ask about payment. Make sure you know what SEO costs you’re paying for. Check if they do month-to-month or a contracted period.

8. Save Money By Doing Your Due Diligence

One of the best ways to check if a company is reputable is to check its reviews. It’s easy to do. You can search for their name on sites like Google and Yelp.

You can even search on Glassdoor to see what the agency employees think about their employers. Chances are you’ll be working with their team members. So it’s good to know that their company morale is high.

Another good way to do your due diligence is to ask for case studies. See what types of clients they’ve worked with in the past and the results they’ve generated. Bonus points if they have worked successfully with a client in a similar industry to yours.

You can also ask for references. A reputable agency won’t have any issues with putting you in touch with one of their clients.

9. Making the Final Decision

Based on the previous steps, it’s now time to choose an affordable SEO agency. It’s a combination of your goals, your budget, their fees, their reputation, and communication.

Do not fall for the ‘cheap SEO’ option and consider investing the time in finding an SEO agency that is complementary to your in-house team and can help you achieve your business goals. 

With these steps, you should be set to find an affordable agency. If you’re looking for another option, we’d love to provide that for you. Feel free to browse our case studies, read our testimonials, and book a call with us.

 

Learn more about how a SEO expert can help you here

Book A Call Now!

Suggested Reads For You:

• How much should we spend on digital marketing
• Top 3 Examples of the Best B2B Lead Generation Campaigns