If you’re reading this blog, that likely means you are looking for an SEO agency to help your business, but it also means that you are a thoughtful and considerate person that wants to find a marketing partner that will perform well for your business. In this article we’re going to talk from the point of view of a business owner and discuss different ways that you can analyze a marketing agency to determine if they’re the right fit for you.

Choosing an SEO agency is a major decision for any business. The right partner can help you increase visibility, attract qualified leads, improve eCommerce performance, and grow revenue. The wrong partner can waste time, burn your budget, and leave your rankings worse than before.

With hundreds of agencies offering SEO and digital marketing services in every city it helps to understand what to look for. Perhaps you’ve never tried SEO before, or, maybe you’ve tried SEO in the past but were left disappointed by a less than reputable company and now you’re doing extensive research and trying to be careful before pulling the trigger on another agency. This guide is for everyone and walks you through the most important factors to consider when choosing an SEO agency to ensure you are making the best decision possible before spending any money.

1. Look for an Agency With Local & National Market Experience

Our home office is located in North Carolina, but we have employees all over the country that bring their unique experiences to the table, which makes us better equipped to help both local and national brands. An agency that exclusively deals with local markets won’t be able to help you to expand nationally, and likewise, a big agency that mostly deals with national and international brands won’t always know how to help you in your area or what kind of messaging will resonate with your audience. Having an agency that has experience with both is the smartest play for a small to medium sized business, however, if your organization is already a public company or national brand, a very large agency would be perfect for your needs as they have the resources needed to handle multi-million dollar campaigns at a moment’s notice.

Consider where your customers are located and the trajectory your business is on. Understanding these two points will help whatever marketing agency you decide to hire to give you better overall SEO services and a strategy that aligns with your brand’s competitive landscape.

2. Evaluate the Agency’s Local SEO Strategy

Local SEO is essential for service businesses, restaurants, contractors, medical practices, and organizations that depend on visibility in local maps and city-based searches.

A strong North Carolina SEO agency should explain:

• How they optimize Google Business Profiles
• How they build location-based landing pages
• How they handle citations and local directories
• How they track rankings for geo-targeted keywords
• How they help businesses appear in “near me” searches

Local SEO is one of the highest converting digital channels for North Carolina businesses. Make sure the agency has a clear, proven plan for improving map visibility and local rankings.

3. Ask About Their Approach to GEO SEO for LLMs

Search is evolving rapidly because of AI tools and large language models like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude. More people start their research inside AI chat tools, and businesses need to be accurately represented within these systems.

A forward-thinking North Carolina SEO agency will understand:

• How LLMs collect and interpret business information
• How to structure content so AI tools treat it as a trusted source
• How to fix content that gets summarized incorrectly in AI search
• How to increase brand visibility inside AI generated answers

Many SEO agencies in North Carolina are not yet adapting to this shift. Choosing one that understands GEO SEO gives your business a competitive advantage as search continues to evolve.

4. Confirm Their Ability to Handle eCommerce SEO

Many clients and marketers don’t realize that optimizing for products is entirely different than optimizing a service page. If your business sells products online, you need an agency with experience in eCommerce SEO. Ranking product and category pages requires a mix of technical optimization, content creation, speed improvements, and conversion strategy.

Ask the agency about:

• Experience with Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, or BigCommerce
• How they handle product schema and structured data
• Their process for improving conversion rates
• How they address duplicate product descriptions or thin content
• Their strategy for improving product page visibility

An agency that only handles local or service-based SEO may not have the expertise needed for eCommerce growth.

5. Review Their Website Design Capabilities.

Your website design affects your SEO more than most people realize. A poorly structured site, slow load time, confusing layout, or weak mobile experience can destroy rankings and reduce conversions.

A strong SEO agency will be able to:

• Build or update your website with SEO in mind
• Ensure fast site speed and clean technical structure
• Create a layout that encourages visitors to convert
• Design pages that support both SEO and user behavior
• Integrate tracking tools and analytics correctly

A website is the foundation of every SEO strategy. An agency that includes website design gives you a more unified and efficient approach.

6. Understand Their Content Creation Process

Content is one of the most important parts of an SEO strategy. Without high quality content, it is difficult to rank, earn backlinks, or show expertise.

Ask the agency:

• Who writes the content
• How content topics are chosen
• Whether they research North Carolina search behavior
• How they optimize content for intent and local relevance
• How they measure engagement and performance

Strong content will read naturally, answer real customer questions, and help Google understand what your business does.

7. Look for Real Proof and Transparent Reporting

A trustworthy SEO agency will show real evidence of success. This may include:

• Case studies
• Before and after ranking screenshots
• Google Analytics growth examples
• Client testimonials
• Clutch reviews
• Portfolio samples

Transparency is essential. Ask how often they provide reports, what metrics they track, and how they handle months where results slow down.

Reliable agencies track meaningful metrics such as traffic quality, local visibility, conversions, and revenue. They do not rely on vanity metrics.

8. Make Sure They Use Ethical and Long-Term SEO Practices

Stay away from agencies that promise instant rankings or guaranteed number one results. These are unrealistic claims and often indicate shortcut or black hat tactics.

Good SEO takes time. A reliable North Carolina SEO agency will:

• Build sustainable strategies
• Focus on long term ranking stability
• Set clear expectations
• Explain what is possible and what is not
• Share realistic timelines

Look for honesty and clarity. It often reveals more than any fancy proposal.

9. Consider Communication Style and Fit

An SEO agency is not just a vendor. They are a long term partner. You should feel confident that the agency understands your business and communicates in a way that helps you make informed decisions.

Ask questions such as:

• Who will be handling your account
• How often you will meet
• How quickly the team responds to messages
• How they handle strategy changes
• Whether they are proactive or reactive

Good communication leads to better results.

10. Choose an Agency That Focuses on Growth, Not Just Rankings

Rankings are important, but they are only one part of the picture. The right SEO agency in North Carolina will help you grow your business through:

• Better lead quality
• Increased conversions
• Higher revenue
• Improved customer trust
• Stronger long term visibility

Growth is the real goal of SEO, and your agency should treat it that way.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right SEO agency in North Carolina is easier when you know what to look for. A strong partner will understand the North Carolina market, offer advanced SEO services, communicate clearly, and build a strategy that supports your long term goals.

If you are looking for an SEO agency that meets your unique leads, consider partnering with SEC Marketing Group. We offer a full range of proven SEO & PPC marketing services that are sure to benefit your business. We pride ourselves on not only delivering SEO marketing that works, but doing it the right way. If you’re interesting in experiencing an agency that truly puts the clients first, contact us today.