Before, the title of this blog post was like this: “how to set up an SEO agency in 5 simple steps”. But simple steps do not exist when setting up a business. Each of them here will require dozens of hours of work and some even hundreds.
But that’s what will set you apart from everyone else who’s had the idea of setting up a national seo agency: you’ve done the hard work first.
Buckle up because your journey will be a long one, but it will also be a great one. So, follow these steps, and I’m sure you’ll come up with more along the way.
1 – Business plan
This the first step and the base of setting up a local seo agency. And it’s also the most inspiring.
Starting a new business will make you full of energy. So, use it well, and be honest and assertive that everything will work out.
A business plan for a digital marketing agency is not that different from a business plan for any other venture. Typically, it is composed of the following:
- Executive plan: a general summary of what you intend to bring differently to the market;
- Mission, vision, and values are the three pillars that will guide the work you do and everything – from hiring employees to delivering your services. This is where you start to formalize your agency culture;
- Objectives and goals: what do you want to bring to the world, and what are the indicators that will show you if you are on the right path;
- Description of the agency: how it works, the organization chart of the company, etc;
- Products and services to offer: what SEO services you are going to sell and what you need for delivery;
- Market analysis: it includes market definition, unexplored opportunities, ideal customer profile, competition study, distribution channels, advertising, and public relations;
- Financial plan: what do you have to invest, where do you plan to spend it, what is your break-even, etc.
2 – Study of competition
This part is included in your business plan, but we want to focus on it a bit more.
The competition study you need to do is at the national level. It cannot be done locally because it doesn’t matter how many agencies there are in your city.
There are some great tools for studying the competition. For example, SEMRush can analyze specific points on an agency’s website, showing you some interesting opportunities.
Of course, your competition study needs to be unbiased. It’s not because you want to set up a digital marketing agency that you need to offer the same services as the biggest ones in the market.
Identify market opportunities first. Where can you enter? And then research competitors who are in that same area.
3 – Definition of the services you’ll be offering
This is another point that is included in your business plan. What kind of services will you offer?
Although this is a strategic decision and related to the study of competition, it does not depend entirely on that study. It also depends on what you can offer and what your goals are.
For example, services related to organic content take months and even years to yield results. You’ll need to work with clients who understand this and have a robust, creative, subject-matter expert sales team.
Services related to producing images (photography and filming) require specialized equipment and creative direction.
The definition of the services you will offer in your agency depends on what you are most specialized in and the market’s demands. There are agencies, for example, specialized in Guest post outreach. Other focus on offering On-page SEO services.
Make sure you offer services related to your area of expertise. This way, you will give your best and your clients will thank you for it.
4 – Set up a website
We’ll just a moment to congratulate you in advance. You’ve worked hard to complete these first three steps.
Now you need to set up your website. Many agencies leave this for later or don’t even care. But your website will be your main conversion channel. It is through it that new customers will emerge.
There are many Drag and drop website builders, but if you’re not sure, you should hire a web designer.
5 – Marketing strategy
This part is also fun to do, even though it’s a lot of work. You’ll need to refine this strategy throughout your agency’s lifetime.
An SEO agency can use a variety of marketing strategies to promote its services and attract new clients. Some potential strategies include:
- Content marketing: Create valuable and informative content (such as blog posts, videos, and infographics) that demonstrates the agency’s expertise and establishes it as a thought leader in the industry.
- Networking: Attend conferences and events in the industry, and make connections with other professionals and potential clients.
- Referral marketing: Leverage satisfied clients to generate new business through word-of-mouth recommendations.
- Paid advertising: Use paid search and social media advertising to reach potential clients who are actively searching for SEO services.
- Public relations: Reach out to publications and websites in the industry and pitch stories about the agency and its clients.
- Building backlinks: Reach out to other websites in your niche or industry and ask them to include a link to your website.
- Measurement: Track and measure the effectiveness of each marketing strategy, and adjust tactics as needed.