7 Important considerations when switching SEO agencies

Are you losing faith in your SEO agency lately? Is your current SEO company not matching up to your expectations?

Fret not, switch your SEO firm and let the magic begin!

There are hundreds of SEO agencies out there. Each one of them is good in its unique way. Choosing an agency that is right for you is exceptionally crucial for your website’s growth and evolution.

Let me show you what you need to consider before switching SEO agencies in India.

Switching your SEO agency is much more complicated than sending in a termination notice and ending payment. There are a few risks and challenges attached to changing your SEO company. However, if you and your new SEO agency are prepared before the switch, the transition can be smooth sailing.

To make things easier for you. I will also share the best SEO companies you should be on a hunt for.

List of the best SEO companies providing services in India:

  1. SEOValley Solutions Private Limited
  2. PageTraffic Inc
  3. Upper
  4. SEOTonic Web Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
  5. INDEEDSEO

Need more help picking up an SEO company that is just right for you? Refer to the Top 100 SEO companies in India and make your pick. 

Once you are done selecting your new SEO company, make sure you keep reading to find seven considerations when switching your SEO company.

First things first

The last thing you want is your former SEO agency to use your site’s analytics to their advantage. Or enable your competitor to compete for the keywords you are targeting.

Ethical SEO firms would refrain from doing so. We want to give them the benefit of the doubt. However, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Ensure that all the users from your former SEO firm no longer have access to the following:

  1. Your site’s Google Analytics
  2. Google Webmaster tools
  3. CMS/FTP Access
  4. Web hosting
  5. Google Search Console
  6. Google My Business

Remove their access from all your data consoles. If they have access to logins and passwords, update them as well. 

Ownership of domain and web hosting

You must have 100% ownership of your web domain and web hosting. Check with your domain registrar at your earliest. If you don’t, your former SEO company will retain all the SEO work done by them. They will also own the content hosted on the website. In this case, you will have to take legal actions to reclaim your ownership. To avoid this, you or anyone from your company should have full ownership of your web domain and web hosting.

Ranking trends

Procuring a website’s ranking reports can be highly advantageous. Your baseline ranking reports and recent ranking reports can help you evaluate your former agency’s performance. They will also help understand your SEO campaign. These reports will help your new SEO company better understand ranking trends and your project landscape. 

Link development strategy

Before terminating your contract, you need to be aware of the link development strategies and techniques used by your former SEO agency. 

Did they have their link network? 

How did they manage the website’s backlink profile?

A link development report will give insights into your former SEO company’s link activity. It will also help your new SEO company plan its link development strategy. In case the links are ‘rented,’ your new company can think of ways to mitigate the risks. The link development report will also help your SEO company audit the links. Links that are low or intermediate quality can be looked into, and the new SEO firm can make an actionable plan.

Will transparency be maintained?

To maintain a positive momentum to your SEO campaign, your former agency must guarantee a smooth handover. This means that they should provide a detailed “End of Campaign” report. This report should include,

Search traffic benchmarks– This report shows the increase or decrease of traffic since the former SEO company began their work until the end.

Search ranking benchmarks– This report would include whether the rankings improved or declined over time. It also contains the data of various changes made in the SEO strategy by the company.

Scope of work summary- The report summarizes the tasks contracted to be implemented by the company and the status of its completion.

The report must include all the deliverables your former SEO company has executed. These reports will help in maintaining transparency with your new SEO company.

List of targeted keywords

This may not be highly crucial. However, it will be helpful to request your former SEO firm to provide the list of targeted keywords used by them. It will help maintain positive momentum for your SEO campaign.

Time is a key factor.

One of the risks involved in switching SEO agencies is a drop in phrase positioning or the number of visits. This happens because your new SEO company requires time to adapt to the new website conditions. A professional SEO should prepare for these activities beforehand. It should minimize the potential risks involved in switching SEO agencies.

Your SEO company should carry on a detailed analysis of Google analytics and keywords positioning. They must also analyze user behavior such as bounce rate, time spent on the website, purchasing path, and other quantitative indicators.

Lastly, I would like to state that SEO is a team effort. An SEO agency requires a team of SEO specialists. You need to work closely with your SEO company to maintain positive momentum. Switching SEO agencies in India has many positive and negative sides attached to it. A transparent approach can help the new SEO firm understand the previous handlings better.

Considering all the factors before you make the switch is essential for a smooth transition. SEO activities are complicated and a complex process in itself. However, there are solutions to every situation which can be dealt with by an SEO specialist. I hope that this article helps you make a correct decision which would be fruitful to your company.