Bakersfield SEO

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some answers to SEO questions you might have.

How does Google rank pages?

Google crawls the web and indexes the pages it finds. When you type in a search query, the ranking algorithm selects web pages from the index that might be a good match for that search, and ranks them using hundreds of factors. The exact formula is a trade secret, and the Google engineers are constantly adjusting the formula to produce better results. What Google representatives have confirmed is that they look at the content on each web page, this is the most important factor. The other two major factors are the link profile of a site, which websites are linking to it, and machine learning, which they call RankBrain. Most SEOs agree there are several dozen other factors which have a sizeable influence on overall rankings.

How does SEO work? What does your company do for us?

We have done SEO for scores of sites, and we have a solid grasp on what improvements need to be made to each website to improve it's rankings. What we do is analyze your site, find what needs to be fixed, and make those improvements so your site ranks higher. Most often, there are major improvements that need to be done to the content of a site, the design or user-friendliness, the external hyperlink profile, and the overall way the website is represented on the web. Google looks for quality patterns, as well as content patterns for each keyword you are trying to rank for. We help businesses navigate these improvements, since we know what Google is looking for.

When can I expect to see results from SEO?

You should see some rankings movement after thirty to sixty days. By the end of the initial SEO campaign, usually three to six months, you should be ranking competitively for most of your keywords. There is usually some additional movement after the initial campaign, because Google's ranking algorithm is constantly being adjusted by their engineers.

How much should we budget for SEO?

Most of our SEO projects are labor intensive in the first three to six months. We will give you a quote for how much work needs to be done to improve your SEO, how long it will take to complete the work, and the total price you will have to invest. Every business has different levels of competition, and improvements that must be done. This is why we give a custom quote to each potential client.

How do you know what Google puts in the ranking algorithm?

A large team of Google engineers works continually on adjusting the ranking algorithm. Even people who work at Google cannot predict with 100% accuracy what the ranking order will be for a given search on any given day. This means we must use the scientific method, along with observation and testing to determine what factors are stable and predict what ranking factors will be useful in the future. By observing a large number of websites in different categories, we can come to agreed upon conclusions about what SEO factors are important, which are less effective, and which are myths. Google representatives often give advice on best practices for SEO, but they do not reveal the "secret formula", as a large portion of the ranking algorithm in the 2020s is determined by machine learning.

What are we getting for our money? What goes in your SEO campaigns?

Every websites goes through a human-curated audit at the beginning of the campaign. We determine exactly what steps need to be taken for your SEO rankings to improve. Some common items can include: content creation, website redesign, link building, third party profile creation, review planning, web development, site speed optimization, website conversion optimization, on-page optimization, and consultation with your internal team.

Can I do a trial period and then cancel if nothing happens?

The initial SEO campaign is a set scope of work and price. If you only do some of the work, it's likely that your rankings will still be weak. For this reason, the initial SEO campaign is an all-or-nothing deal. After the initial work is complete, you are free to stay on a reduced scope retainer, or go your own way. You should see vast SEO improvements after the initial work is finished.

Will I have to sign a long-term contract?

After your initial SEO project is complete , usually after three to six months, you can continue on a SEO retainer, for a reduced scope of work, but that is completely optional.

How will you be measuring SEO results for my website?

We look at a few metrics to measure SEO success. Ranking improvement for strategic keywords, overall traffic improvement from organic search in Google and Bing, and new leads generated from organic search results. These metrics are monitored in SEO software such as Google Analytics and Ahrefs, as well as real leads that you collect from your website through contact forms.

How often will I get updates on my rankings?

We give rankings updates on the keywords we are tracking every two weeks. Also, we look at increases year over year and month over month in organic Google search.

Do you have referrals from past clients?

We have a Case Studies page with several clients who have had substantial success with SEO. You can check out their websites, and read their reviews. We’d also be more than happy to make an introduction to past clients if you want to hear their personal testimony.

Who will be working on my website? Do you outsource?

Every project will be overseen by our founder, John Locke. The work will be done by SEO professionals in the US, personally trained by John, or done by John himself.

Are your SEO techniques "white hat"?

We only use SEO techniques that are approved by Google’s communications. We do not use “black hat” techniques that put your rankings at risk, and we avoid SEO tactics that can incur a manual penalty from the Google Web Spam team.

What do we need to provide to your team?

We will need admin access to your website, and usually a branded email address from your domain name. If you have Google Analytics and Search Console for your site, we'll need access to that too. We will also require an initial list of keywords you are trying to rank for. We will help you create content for the website in most cases.

Do you serve clients outside of the Bakersfield area?

Yes. We have served clients in six different time zones, and we currently have clients all over the United States.