Unfortunately, online marketing scams happen everyday. Without appropriate marketing knowledge, it is easy for anyone to make mistakes when searching for an agency to handle their marketing needs. Always do your research before you enter into a contract with a marketing agency. Below are a few things that you should look out for:
An agency that offers free SEO trials
Newsflash! Nothing in life is free. What’s the catch? They want your information. Search engine optimization (SEO) takes time and is very tedious. No legitimate company will do it for free. A good rule of thumb? Avoid promises that seem too good to be true. If you do engage with an agency that promises returns within weeks, be very leary and do not give out information that may hurt you and your law practice in the long run.
Guaranteed rankings
No legitimate agency can guarantee a ranking. Though they can provide ways to improve a ranking through specific techniques, no one can promise anything. Why? Because the online world is ever changing with Google updating its algorithms. It seems just as we understand the “new rule” Google implements, another “online law” enters the picture. In other words,, Google is the attorney for the user and provides online laws to protect the user. Always remember that an agency can improve rankings, not “guarantee” rankings.
Quality links versus Quantity links
The best way to obtain valuable links is to produce a high amount of meaningful, relevant content for your industry. Take some time to create inbound links—links from one page to another page within your site. Links build a foundation for your website, along with helping the user discover more information about your services without leaving the website. External links point to other websites with more information regarding your services. Always make sure that the links to the external websites add value to your website. This results in a “quality link”. Hosting a high amount of average links on your website can hurt you more than having a small amount of quality links. It’s easy to filter the links through a simple judgement of your website by analyzing the external websites it is linked to.
“Quality is more important than quantity.”
Clearing through the fog
Beware of marketing agencies who fail to clearly tell you what they do, and how they intend to help with your marketing initiatives. If an agency has FTP access to your server, make sure they communicate to you exactly what they plan to do with their access. Good communication with a marketing agency will help clear any fog that is inhibiting your judgment. Monthly reports are a key indicator that the agency is striving to help you improve your online presence. This in turn provides enlightening and informative feedback.
Lawyers are busy legal professionals who need marketing agencies to manage and promote their legal services. Contact our marketing team for consultation on how you can improve your marketing message in order to lure in more profitable cases.