Marketing is the lifeblood of B2B organizations, and in today’s wildly competitive business landscape, marketing teams and agencies are pulling out all the stops to win over customers month after month.
Whether it’s using LinkedIn to drive sales or funneling more resources into thought-leadership content marketing, B2B businesses and their marketing teams are getting creative in order to see what works, what boosts retention, and maybe most importantly, what organically draws in qualified leads.
And while marketing teams definitely have plenty on their plates, there’s one aspect of a marketing strategy that might trump the rest, as far as impact and ROI go: SEO marketing.
And to master this, many B2B organizations are partnering with an SEO agency to craft original and value-driven content designed to perform in search engines and beyond.
The importance of SEO marketing is multifaceted. Sure, it can lead to rankings and traffic, and spur lofty dreams of making into one of the top five search results on Google (which account for about 70% of the total clicks).
But as search queries become more competitive, and the SEO landscape becomes more dense, it’s clear that the impacts of SEO go far beyond who ranks where.
SEO has the power to drive revenue growth because it is a powerful customer acquisition channel in its own right, can improve customer retention rates, increases customer lifetime value, and contributes to reputation management and brand building (among other things).
What Does an SEO Marketing Agency Do?
At its core, an SEO marketing agency employs search engine optimization techniques to enhance the online visibility of a company. By optimizing website content, building a robust backlinking presence, and employing technical tactics, these agencies aim to improve a company’s ranking on search result pages. This not only increases the likelihood of attracting more organic traffic, leads, and revenue, but also plays a pivotal role in establishing a brand’s authority and reach.
Because of the powerful potential of SEO marketing, many B2B leaders are turning to an SEO agency to navigate this challenging but rewarding marketing avenue. An SEO agency can help organizations accelerate revenue growth and build a sustainable stream of qualified leads for the sales team.
But how exactly does an SEO agency do that, and what does everyone in an SEO agency even do anyway?
When your B2B business partners with a leading SEO agency, you’ll likely find that there are many specialized roles. But why is that? Why is an SEO agency broken up the way that it is, what common roles might you find, and why do specializations matter?
No two SEO agencies are built the same, and no two SEO agency engagements are the same. For example, here at RevenueZen, it’s possible to partner with us as a standalone option, or as an augmentation to an existing marketing team.
But as it turns out, roles in an SEO agency are segmented, highly specialized, and laser-focused on different goals and tasks. And while every SEO agency might have their own way of doing things, we’re going to pull the curtain back, and share the exact breakdown of roles and responsibilities that you’ll find here at RevenueZen (and perhaps at other agencies as well).
Working with agency is especially important for startups who might not have the resources to build out an entire SEO team.
The Strategy Team
Think of the strategy team as your “boots on the ground.” These are your skillful SEO specialists, the folks who identify long term goals and break them down into day-to-day tasks. Here is what members of the strategy team here RevenueZen have ownership of, and what their expertise is like.
Director of SEO Strategy
The Director of SEO strategy is the top dog when it comes to the SEO team. This powerhouse expert directs and oversees the entire SEO team, to ensure they can deliver the required service to clients.
That means that the Director of SEO strategy will oversee and implement required training for things like technical SEO work, account management and strategy. You can expect the Director of SEO strategy to dig deep into the health of clients, work with strategists to develop plans for achieving desired outcomes and actively engage with the strategist team to reduce churn.
The Director of SEO Strategy is typically that: a strategic thinker who can instill confidence both in clients, and across internal teams. They’re passionate about SEO and coaching, and are nimble multi-taskers, who handle large and complex projects.
SEO Strategists
Up next are the SEO Strategists, who are the ones doing the heavy lifting when it comes to managing portfolios of SEO clients.
SEO strategists take ownership of different clients, and identify strategies using cutting-edge technical SEO techniques and tactics which are designed to increase conversions via increased visitors to a website, and obtain high-ranking placements in search engines.
SEO Strategists are expert researchers, who identify keywords, dissect the site URL and navigation structure, perform technical audits, conduct content analysis (to determine what assets should be optimized, redirected, or even removed), and of course, keep a close eye on the competition.
They take advantage of current SEO tactics focused on driving business results, and they don’t only understand how to use the tools, but provide unparalleled analysis of data.
Ultimately, your SEO strategist is there to be a trusted advisor to you. You can expect them to proactively communicate, respond to messages within a few hours, and hit deadlines when it comes to deliverables.
Content Managers
When it comes to owning the day-to-day of your content creation, this is where your content managers come up to bat. You can expect them to be the ones directly managing writers and editors for SEO projects, and will be the go-between for the writers who are crafting the content.
Your content manager will also work closely with you to understand your expectations and ensure that the content delivered is aligned with your goals.
Content managers also support link building efforts, which is a crucial part of technical SEO work. You can expect your content managers to also support the onboarding process, and any other daily tasks related to SEO work.
Head of Content
The Head of Content works behind the scenes to make sure the underlying processes used by the content team are as smooth as butter. They identify processes being used by the content team, ensure content is approved, written, and delivered in a timely manner, and build ways to measure the effectiveness of content.
You can expect the Head of Content to be a superb communicator and all around great leaders. They’ll also be dialed in to the trends in content marketing, and have superior content management knowledge.
Branding
Branding and brand identity play monumental roles in how a B2B business markets itself, and goes hand-in-hand with SEO work (and other marketing efforts). Branding is a powerful tool which captivates and engages customers, quickly conveys key messages, and tells the story of where your business comes from, and why it exists.
Because of this codependent relationship between brand identity and SEO work, here at RevenueZen, we have talented brand strategists who help organizations and industry leaders build compelling brand messaging.
This is done through tailored brand strategy workshops, 1-on-1 executive coaching, copywriting services, and ghostwriting support.
Our Executive Team
At the helm of RevenueZen is our dream team of executives, who work closely with our other teams to ensure RevenueZen’s long-term success.
Chief Growth Officer
Digital marketing is our bread-and-butter, and our Chief Growth Officer is focused on our own digital marketing growth, using the same industry-leading skills and practices we deploy for our customers.
The Chief Growth Officer identifies high-intent keywords related to our business, builds editorial calendars to execute the timely publication of content, and sets benchmarks for marketing goals.
You can expect our Chief Growth Officer to have a remarkable understanding of current market trends, and to have a deep understanding of the technical aspects of digital marketing strategies.
Chief Evangelist
Every business needs vocal advocates and ambassadors, and our most visible and supportive advocate is our Chief Evangelist.
While everyone on the RevenueZen team deeply believes in the missions and values of the work that we’re doing, our Chief Evangelist passionately spreads the word about RevenueZen, sharing our efforts, tactics, successes, and wins through word-of-mouth.
President
At the helm of our daily operations is the President, whose purpose is to bring operational, managerial, financial, and administrative procedures to the company.
The President directly oversees the other senior-level pros on the RevenueZen team, such as the Director of SEO Strategy, the Head of Content, and the company’s Chief Growth Officer. The President also has ownership of many of our backend, mission-critical tasks, such as financial reporting, developing daily operations policies, and cost management.
What Are the Benefits of Working with an SEO Marketing Agency?
Working with an SEO consulting service can be a game changer for your company. These agencies bring expertise and strategies that can significantly uplift your organic search performance. Here are some key advantages:
- Enhanced Online Visibility: By improving your website’s SEO, these agencies help you rank higher on SERPs, making your brand more visible to potential customers.
- Increased Organic Traffic: Effective SEO strategies lead to a higher influx of interested visitors to your website.
- Driving Qualified Leads and Revenue: Beyond increasing traffic, SEO agencies specialize in targeting strategies that attract qualified leads, ultimately translating into increased revenue for your business.
- Expertise and Experience: SEO agencies bring specialized knowledge and experience, staying ahead of constantly evolving search trends and algorithms.
- Time and Resource Efficiency: Outsourcing SEO lets you focus on your core business operations while experts handle the complexities of on-page and technical SEO.
- Data-Driven Insights: Agencies use advanced tools to gather data, offering insights for informed decision-making and strategy refinement.
- Long-Term Results: SEO is not a quick fix, but a long-term strategy. Agencies work to build sustainable growth for your brand.
- Competitive Edge: With professional SEO support, you can stay ahead of competitors by leveraging the latest trends and techniques.
By collaborating with an SEO marketing agency, you’re not just investing in a service; you’re investing in exponential growth for your company.
15 Services a Top-Tier SEO Marketing Agency Will Offer
Not all SEO services are created equal. Here’s a comprehensive list of services you should look for in any prospective SEO agency.
1. Understanding Your Company & Goals
A standout SEO marketing agency begins by immersing itself in your company and brand. It seeks to understand your product, target audience, and objectives. This foundational knowledge is crucial for crafting an SEO strategy that resonates with your brand identity and overall company goals.
2. Website Audit
Conducting a thorough website audit is the foundation of a solid SEO strategy. This process involves evaluating your site’s current SEO performance, identifying areas for improvement, and detecting any technical issues that could hinder your SEO efforts.
3. Content Analysis
Content is king in the SEO world. Agencies should conduct a comprehensive analysis of your existing content to assess its effectiveness, relevance, and SEO friendliness, and then identify gaps and opportunities to enhance your content strategy.
4. Buyer Personas
Understanding your target audience makes a huge difference when it comes to ranking on the SERP. If you don’t already have them, top-tier SEO agencies develop detailed buyer personas that help tailor your SEO and content strategy to meet the specific needs and preferences of your audience — so your content is always relevant and valuable.
5. Tracking and Analytics
SEO isn’t the place for best guesses. Data should drive decision-making, and a great SEO agency will set up robust tracking and analytics systems to monitor your website’s performance, providing insights that guide ongoing strategy adjustments.
6. Setting Up SEO Tools
The right tools can amplify your SEO efforts. Excellent SEO consultants will equip your team with the latest and greatest tools for keyword research, site analysis, performance tracking, and more, ensuring you have insight into organic search performance and the information necessary to make informed decisions.
7. Technical SEO
Technical SEO is about optimizing the infrastructure of your site. SEO marketing agencies should focus on improving site speed, mobile responsiveness, and overall website architecture to enhance user experience and search engine crawlability.
8. Customized SEO Strategy
An SEO strategy should be just as unique as your company itself, and SEO marketing agencies should understand this. Great agencies create bespoke SEO plans that align with your specific needs, industry trends, and company goals — helping you generate more demand and revenue.
9. Content Marketing
Content marketing and SEO go hand in hand. SEO agencies should help create high-quality, engaging, and SEO-optimized content that resonates with your audience and boosts your search rankings.
10. On-Page SEO
On-page SEO involves optimizing individual web pages to rank higher in search engines — and any SEO expert worth their salt will offer this. On-page SEO includes optimizing copy, HTML source code, images, UX, and more.
11. Link Building
Building a strong backlink profile is vital for SEO success. Agencies should focus on acquiring high-quality backlinks from reputable sources, which boosts your site’s authority and search engine rankings.
12. Earned Media
Agencies should help you leverage earned media opportunities to enhance brand visibility, authority, and your backlink profile. This includes strategies like PR, influencer collaborations, and guest porting.
13. Conversion Rate Optimization
Driving traffic to your site is one thing; converting visitors is another. Gold star SEO marketing agencies know how to employ conversion rate optimization techniques to turn your visitors into customers.
14. Growth Marketing Strategy
Incorporating SEO into your overall growth marketing strategy is essential. The best agencies will integrate your SEO efforts with other growth marketing tactics — like paid marketing and lead generation — to drive revenue growth.
How to Measure SEO Success
Wondering what the true indicators of SEO success are? Here’s what metrics to track to your SEO strategy is working:
- Improved Search Rankings: One of the most direct indicators of SEO success is an improvement in your website’s position on search result pages for your targeted keywords.
- Increased Organic Traffic: A rise in the number of visitors coming to your site through organic search is a clear sign of effective SEO.
- Quality of Traffic: More traffic is good, but the right traffic is better. Look for an increase in engagement rates, such as longer visit durations and lower bounce rates.
- Conversion Rates: Effective SEO should lead to higher conversion rates, indicating that the traffic driven to your site is relevant and interested in your product.
- Lead Generation and New Users: Monitor the increase in leads or new user sign-ups as a result of your SEO efforts. This metric directly correlates to your site’s ability to attract and engage potential customers.
- Revenue Growth: Track the contribution of SEO to your overall revenue. An increase in revenue from organic traffic signifies that your SEO strategy is not just attracting visitors, but also driving profitable customer action.
- Keyword Performance: Monitoring how your chosen keywords are ranking and their contribution to traffic and conversions can provide insights into the effectiveness of your keyword strategy.
- Backlink Profile Growth: An increase in quality backlinks from reputable sites is a strong indicator of improved credibility and authority in your domain.
Remember, SEO is a long-term strategy. Immediate results are rare, so it’s important to focus on consistent and gradual improvements over time.
SEO Agency vs. In-House SEO: Which Is Better?
Deciding between an in-house SEO team and an external SEO agency can be tricky. Both options have their merits, and the best choice depends on various factors, including your company’s size, budget, and specific SEO needs.
If you’re an established brand that can afford to hire an in-house team, that could work for you. However, with an agency, you can access a diverse team of five or more SEO experts, each specializing in different aspects of SEO, for the same cost as hiring one in-house SEO professional. This not only maximizes your budget but also provides a breadth of expertise that a single individual can seldom match, making it an ideal solution for companies of any size seeking comprehensive SEO strategies without the financial burden of expanding their in-house team.
That’s how we do it at RevenueZen — ready to talk?
We wanted to share how we tackle SEO agency life here at RevenueZen, because we’re built differently, because our people, story and values fuel our fundamental marketing beliefs.
We know that while keywords and impressions are excellent, they don’t pay the bills alone. That’s why our SEO solutions are focused on the same business outcomes that you are.
Ready to talk about how partnering with RevenueZen can help your business set up a sustainable stream of qualified leads for your sales team? Book a call today.
