Hey folks,
My company is hiring an agency to manage our SEO. I want to learn SEO too, as I’ll be the main contact for the agency since I’m the only digital marketer on the team. How can I make sure to learn SEO from the agency as we work together?
Have regular meetings—maybe bi-weekly or monthly—and ask as many questions as you can. Try to understand why they’re doing certain things, how it impacts the business, and how it shows up in the reports. If the agency is good, you’ll learn a lot.
@Drew
Thanks!
The easiest way to learn is to keep asking ‘why?’ They’ll likely present a list of tasks—technical SEO, on-page, off-page, etc. At each stage, ask why they’re doing it and what value it brings to your business. This will help you learn the reasoning behind their work.
Ask ‘How does this specific task contribute to our business goals?’ If you’re a local company, ranking should be easier without spending too much time on content that doesn’t convert.
Also, watch YouTube videos on SEO or take free courses like those offered by Semrush. The more you know, the less likely the agency will rip you off!
No offense, but you won’t learn enough by just asking a few questions here and there. SEO is a full-time job. You’ll need to dedicate serious time to really understand it.
Giovanni said:
No offense, but you won’t learn enough by just asking a few questions here and there. SEO is a full-time job. You’ll need to dedicate serious time to really understand it.
True. As a business owner, you just need to know what KPIs to watch and ask a few questions. If the agency can answer your questions and deliver results, that’s what matters most. Our agency gives clients a neat infographic on the KPIs they should track.
Be persistent and stay on top of things. Agencies often have a lot of clients, so it’s easy for them to get tunnel vision. Be patient with the results but demand transparency.
Gilbert said:
Be persistent and stay on top of things. Agencies often have a lot of clients, so it’s easy for them to get tunnel vision. Be patient with the results but demand transparency.
This is great advice. Keep asking for updates!
Ask them to explain their strategies—why they chose certain keywords or optimizations. Understanding the ‘why’ behind their decisions is key. Don’t hesitate to ask questions; there are no dumb questions in SEO.
Check out learningseo.io. It’s a great resource for understanding the basics and technical details of SEO. Knowing the jargon will help you follow along with the agency’s explanations.
Stay involved with their reports and ask questions about anything you don’t understand. Set up regular meetings, and don’t be afraid to dive into the tools they use. It’s also helpful to keep up with SEO trends.
“Could you summarize what you just explained in a short paragraph? I need to re-explain it to our VP.” This way, you learn and get useful documentation.
You have to do your own research, too. If you only rely on the agency, they might take you for a ride.
Agencies tend to make their reports look good. Learn to analyze the KPIs that really matter and focus on performance instead of just client satisfaction. This way, you’ll quickly spot any BS.
Make sure their SEO work aligns with your business goals. Ask them questions to see if their strategies support what you’re trying to achieve.
Cecil said:
Make sure their SEO work aligns with your business goals. Ask them questions to see if their strategies support what you’re trying to achieve.
One of the best ways I’ve found is aligning the SEO strategy with business goals. Regular meetings helped me understand how their actions tied into our business outcomes. Tools like BuzzSumo and Bluewud can also help with tracking trends and visualizing data.