How to Choose an SEO Consultant (SEO Agency)

• I want to know the tricks to choosing an SEO consultant.
• I was deceived by a dishonest SEO firm. I want to choose a reputable company next time.
• I want to know about reputable SEO consultants.

To answer these questions, I will explain the following in detail:

• How to determine if you need an SEO consulting firm
• Services offered by SEO consulting firms
• The selection process
• Cost range
• Tips for choosing the best SEO consultant
• List of SEO consulting firms

As an in-house SEO specialist for a business company, I have dealt with over 10 firms in the past.

Just remembering makes me angry due to the terrible SEO services I have repeatedly received.

It was truly frustrating at the time, but I have condensed all the tricks to choosing the right consultant into this article to ensure that such individuals do not reappear.

This article is written for in-house SEO specialists who are not familiar with selecting SEO consulting firms.

You might think “I’ll be fine,” but you need to be cautious as dishonest SEO companies are skilled in clever sales tactics.

*Please use this article for reference only. We cannot take responsibility for the results, so please understand.

Determining Whether You Need an SEO Consulting Firm

I have been working in SEO for about 13 years and from my experience, it’s clear that not all companies need to focus on SEO.

In the current Japanese market, the cost-effectiveness of advertising (especially search advertising and EC strategies like P-Max) is very high.

Investments in branding through display and video advertising can also increase SEO traffic, making advertising spend the most effective SEO strategy in some cases.

When the return on ad spend (ROAS) is underperforming, when you want to optimize the user experience from search, or when other business challenges have been addressed, it may be worthwhile to consider to invest on SEO.

Here are specific cases where an SEO consultant might be necessary:

• The company is sufficiently large, and there is a significant amount of traffic from organic searches, allowing for the investment in SEO resources.
• There is an in-house SEO specialist currently, but to mitigate risks during absences or departures, integrating a vendor to establish a team structure is desirable.
• The proportion of traffic from organic searches to the website is high, necessitating solid guidance.

Services Provided by SEO Consulting Firms

Analysis → Improvement Proposals

SEO consulting firms typically conduct a comprehensive audit of a website, list the issues identified, and submit proposals for improvement.

When scrutinizing the proposal content before signing a contract, it is beneficial to focus on the following points:

• Template Use in Proposals: Many providers recycle templates, so it’s crucial to be vigilant. Statements like “Improvement of Core Web Vitals is necessary,” “Crawling is required,” or “Content marketing is needed” can be made by anyone, making it difficult to discern actual expertise. Focus should instead be on understanding the business and the approach used.
• Focus on Your Specific Challenges: The proposal should address the business side challenges, the scope of your in-house SEO team, KPIs, and workflows. It should evaluate what is lacking in the current team setup. A company with extensive industry experience will avoid making unnecessary proposals.
• Use of Reputable SEO Tools: Check whether they use well-regarded SEO tools such as Ahrefs, SEMRush, Screaming Frog, or Lumar (formerly DeepCrawl). Be cautious of firms that rely on obscure, proprietary tools.
• Data-Driven Content: To make an appropriate assessment, it’s necessary to provide data from Google Analytics and Google Search Console for a detailed examination. Understanding the analytical process that led to the insights being proposed is also crucial.
• Beware of Definitive Claims: Firms that use definitive language for largely uncertain content often lack depth in their understanding.
• Clarity of Content: Experienced individuals can simplify and clearly explain SEO concepts. Conversely, those who provide complicated explanations may lack the intent to communicate effectively. Additionally, the ability to explain concepts clearly to beginners is critical for internal knowledge sharing.

By focusing on these areas, you can better assess the suitability and credibility of an SEO consulting firm’s proposal, ensuring that their services align with your specific business needs.

Keyword Analysis and Selection

Keywords typed into Google Search can be analyzed using Google Search Console or other SEO tools. These keywords reflect search needs and provide valuable information for content creation.

For instance, if you want to promote an acne medication, researching the seasonality of search trends can help determine the optimal timing for promotions. Additionally, you can identify the specific concerns potential users have. This insight allows you to tailor your content to directly address the users’ needs, making your marketing efforts more effective and targeted.

Site Audit (Technical SEO Audit)

Technical SEO refers to the optimization of coding to ensure that a website’s topics and content are correctly understood by Google.

A site audit involves using SEO tools to check all pages on the site, identifying any coding issues.

For instance, during an audit, you might discover technical issues such as “Page XX is not being indexed by Google (not showing up in Google search)” or “Page XX lacks a canonical tag.”

Identifying and addressing these issues is crucial for improving the site’s visibility and performance in search engine results.

Tracking Search Rankings and Creating Reports

This involves identifying the keywords that users are searching for when they visit your website and regularly monitoring the rankings of these keywords.

For instance, if a site ranks third in Google searches for “acne medication,” tracking this search ranking helps to verify whether your strategies are moving in the right direction and whether any fluctuations in ranking are negatively impacting sales.

Regular monitoring and reporting on these rankings can provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of your SEO efforts and guide adjustments to improve performance.

Consultation Services

Consultation services are not limited to specific topics but involve providing solutions to questions and challenges related to SEO.

Examples of common questions include: “Does a redirect impact SEO?” and “What effect do alt tags have on SEO?”

In terms of addressing specific challenges, questions might include: “I want to maximize traffic and sales for the promotion of XX product.

What SEO strategies should I implement?” These services are designed to offer tailored advice and strategic solutions to optimize SEO outcomes based on individual business needs and goals.

Cost Range for SEO Consultants

Typically, the billing methods for SEO consultancy are as follows, but specific details were not included in the original statement.

A crucial point to consider is that signing a contract without defining the number of hours or scope—for example, a flat rate of “500,000 yen per month for SEO consultancy”—can lead to situations where you feel charged without receiving any services.

It is essential to choose one of the billing methods carefully to ensure transparency and accountability in the services provided. This approach helps prevent misunderstandings and ensures that both parties are clear about the expected services and outcomes.

Hourly Billing for SEO Consultants

The cost for hourly SEO consultation can vary between large firms and smaller ones, but typically ranges from 10,000 yen to 20,000 yen per hour.

A recommended approach is to start with a trial package, such as 30 hours for between 300,000 yen and 600,000 yen.

If the performance is satisfactory, you can consider extending the hours.

This method allows you to assess the value and effectiveness of the SEO consultant’s work before committing to a longer-term arrangement.

Billing by Scope for SEO Consultants

This method is commonly used by large SEO vendors. It involves specifying the scope of work and offering unlimited support within that scope for a fixed fee.

For example, an agreement might specify “One SEO report per month, one meeting per month, and five suggestions for on-page optimization” for a monthly fee of 500,000 yen.

This billing method is effective when you want to ensure delivery of specific services. However, it’s worth noting that disputes can arise regarding whether certain tasks fall inside or outside the agreed scope. Therefore, while this approach provides clear expectations, it is not always recommended due to potential disagreements about the scope.

Tips for Choosing a High-Quality SEO Consultant

Hiring an external SEO consultant is fundamentally about supplementing your team with resources or expertise that you currently lack to achieve your goals.

Thus, the optimal choice will vary, but it is advisable to select a consultant who possesses the skills or resources that your team is missing.

In addition to this primary consideration, here are some general guidelines to help you choose a quality SEO consultant:

Checking the Profile of the Consultant

It’s important to review the past clients a consultant has handled, the approaches they used, and the outcomes they achieved. Look for someone with experience working with companies similar to yours, as this can indicate a better understanding and a potentially smoother collaboration.

For example, if you’re hiring an SEO consultant for an e-commerce site of a multinational company, it’s advisable to choose someone with extensive experience in a similar setting—preferably in multinational e-commerce.

SEO practices can vary significantly depending on whether the company is international or domestic, and whether it operates in B2C or B2B markets. Therefore, hiring an experienced specialist who understands the specific nuances of your business context is essential for effective SEO strategies.

Consultants Who Own Their Own Websites

Consultants who manage their own websites typically possess a fundamental passion for web development and SEO, and their ability to experiment and refine their techniques often indicates strong expertise.

Conversely, individuals who have started their careers directly at large agencies might be less proven in their capabilities. Personal ownership and hands-on experience with websites can showcase a consultant’s direct experience and results, which is often more reassuring than theoretical knowledge or limited direct exposure from larger agency environments.

Therefore, when choosing a consultant, considering one who actively manages their own site might provide a more reliable indicator of their practical skills and dedication.

Consultants Who Handle Both Strategy and Hands-On Tasks

While some consultants specialize solely in strategy and planning, their proposals can often miss the mark.

One reason for this discrepancy is their lack of understanding of the operational constraints, role distributions, and resources available on the ground.

Consultants who are willing and able to engage in hands-on tasks such as content editing tend to have a deeper understanding of the business and a better grasp of the client’s specific challenges.

Their direct involvement often leads to more accurate and effective proposals because they experience and address issues firsthand.

These consultants can be a significant asset, delivering strategies that are not only theoretically sound but also practically feasible and tailored to your specific business needs.

Consultants Proficient in Areas Beyond SEO

When measuring SEO effectiveness using Google Analytics, the “Organic Search” metric is commonly utilized. While enhancing SEO is crucial for boosting organic search results, the importance of other marketing activities, such as advertising and social media branding, has increased due to recent changes in Google’s algorithms.

Therefore, consultants who are well-versed in advertising and general digital marketing tend to be more successful in enhancing SEO outcomes. Their broad expertise allows them to integrate SEO with other strategies, creating a more comprehensive and effective marketing approach.

Additionally, there is a growing trend of using Python and data science for advanced SEO analysis. Consultants with skills in these areas are particularly valuable, as they can provide deeper insights and more sophisticated strategies that leverage data analytics to improve SEO performance.

List of SEO Consulting Firms in Tokyo

Here are some of the firms that I have collaborated with in the past and found to be highly effective:

Companies I’ve Had a Positive Collaboration Experience With

1. Wasabi Communication – While the company as a whole was competent, it was particularly the individual I worked with who stood out. They were highly skilled in SEO and knowledgeable in data analysis, demonstrating strong leadership within their team.
2. Principle – Although advertising is their main focus, the person assigned to our project excelled in data analysis. They were competent, avoided making unfounded claims, and consistently provided thorough and reliable support.
3. Rocalio – Like Principle, advertising is their primary service. The initial contact person was exceptional in managing our work efficiently. However, there was a change in personnel midway, and I felt that the quality of service declined slightly after that transition.

Companies I Had Less Satisfactory Collaboration Experiences With

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• M○○○○○○
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• T○○○○○○○○○
• B○○○○○○
• i○○○○○○○

If you need more details about these experiences, please let me know, and I can provide further insights into the specific issues encountered.

Companies I Haven’t Tried Yet

• For larger enterprises
  • アイレップ (iREP)
  • オプト (Opt)
  • セプテーニ (Septeni)
• For small to mid-sized companies:
  • JADE
  • ウェブライダー (Web Rider)
  • ナイル (Nile)
  • Plan-B
  • アイオイクス (Ioix)
  • フルスピード (Full Speed)
  • Speee
• バイリンガルSEOエージェンシー (Bilingual SEO Agency)
  • Zo Digital
  • Humble Bunny
  • Info Cubic

Getting Free SEO Advice

For those who may not need full consulting services but occasionally seek advice, utilizing community groups on platforms like Slack or Facebook can be highly beneficial. These groups are free to join and are active with frequent posts and discussions.

For instance, consider joining the following groups:

• CRO Growth Hacks (Slack)
• Online Geniuses (Slack)
• SEO Signals Lab (Facebook)

Summary

I hope you find this information helpful.

If you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask. Happy to help!