In today’s digital world, you usually hear “SEO” and know it’s vital for online visibility from your digital marketing friend and those around you. But when you are considering hiring an SEO agency, this is the primary question that arises: What do SEO firms do to enhance your business?
SEO can look complicated, leaving many unsure about what they’re paying for and why it’s important to understand the work behind it. Many business owners feel the same way—they simply want clear details about what their SEO investment actually includes.
“SEO refers to optimizing your website to enhance its visibility and likelihood of being endorsed by Google.”. So, when someone searches for what you sell, your website shows up higher with the help of this process. At Odyssey Marketing, our SEO specialists apply smart strategies to improve your rankings and grow your organic traffic. Let’s study in detail!
An SEO company’s main job is to help your website show up higher on Google SERP (search engine results pages). When your site ranks better, you get more organic traffic (free visitors), which can turn into more leads, conversions, and business growth.
But how do they do this? Through a careful process including:
There is “no magic button” to get quick rankings. SEO takes a step-by-step process with many tasks that may take to get good results between 3 to 6 months or sometimes more, depending on competition. Below, we will look at the main activities and services you can expect when you hire an SEO agency or work with an in-house SEO team.
Every strong SEO strategy begins with KEYWORD RESEARCH. Keywords are the words and phrases people type into Google when they want information, products, or services. An SEO company spends time finding the most relevant keywords for your business—terms your potential customers are actually searching for.
This isn’t guesswork. SEO teams use professional tools like Google Keyword Planner, MOZ, Ahrefs, SEMrush or real search data to identify keywords with good search volume and reasonable competition.
They also search for short-tail and long-tail keywords. Short-tail keywords are short and general, like “buy shoes online,” while long-tail keywords are longer, more specific phrases that often show higher buying intent, such as “best eco-friendly running shoes for wide feet.”
SEO companies also check what keywords your competitors rank for. This helps uncover new opportunities you may be missing. This keyword research forms the foundation of your entire SEO plan and is one of the most important services an SEO company provides.
On-page SEO focuses on the elements right on your website that contribute to your visibility and ranking in search engines. Once the right keywords are chosen, the next step is on-page SEO. This involves updating your website pages to help them rank higher for those keywords. The goal is to make your site clear and user-friendly for both search engines and visitors.
These adjustments help search engines understand your content better while providing a smoother experience for your visitors.
Technical SEO is the behind-the-scenes work that ensures your website runs smoothly for search engines. Even the best content can struggle to rank if search engines can’t easily access or understand your pages.
By optimizing site speed, fixing errors, and improving crawlability, SEO experts create a solid foundation that supports better rankings, higher visibility, and overall site performance.
Get a free website audit for your WordPress or eCommerce site by visiting Odyssey Marketing and speaking with our friendly support team today.
Off-page SEO includes activities done outside your website to improve its ranking on search engines. The most important part is linking building, also called backlink building. High-quality backlinks—links from reputable websites to yours—are one of the strongest signals to search engines like Google.
Think of backlinks as votes of confidence. When authoritative sites link to your content, search engines see your site as trustworthy and important. This is a key part of what SEO companies do and directly impacts your website’s authority.
Effective link building focuses on quality over quantity. SEO agencies use ethical strategies to earn valuable links, such as:
Other off-page factors like brand mentions and social media engagement can also enhance your online presence, even if their direct SEO impact is debated. Avoid black-hat tactics like buying links or joining link schemes, as these can result in serious penalties from search engines.
How can you determine if your SEO initiatives are genuinely effective? The answer is through data, analytics, and clear reporting. A reliable SEO company tracks key performance indicators (KPIs) and provides regular, easy-to-understand reports on your campaign’s results.
They use tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to monitor important metrics such as:
These reports show what’s working, highlight areas for improvement, and allow SEO agencies to make data-driven adjustments. Transparent reporting ensures accountability and helps you measure the true value of your SEO investment.
Many SEO companies do more than just basic SEO. They offer specialized services to meet the unique needs of your business, industry, and goals. For example, they might provide local SEO to help small stores attract nearby customers or enterprise SEO for large companies with big websites and lots of traffic. These tailored services show how SEO agencies adapt their strategies to fit different types of businesses.
If your business has a physical location or serves a specific area—like a restaurant, dentist, plumber, or retail shop—local SEO is essential. It helps your business appear in searches like “restaurants near me” or “plumbers in [city].”
SEO firms assist local enterprises with responsibilities such as:
Strong local SEO attracts nearby customers, increases foot traffic, and boosts revenue.
For businesses targeting multiple countries or regions, international SEO ensures your website ranks well across borders. It involves strategies like:
International SEO helps businesses reach a wider audience, increase traffic from multiple regions, and grow their global presence.
Maximizing WordPress Performance with SEO
If your website is built on WordPress, SEO requires strategies tailored to its platform. WordPress SEO focuses on improving site structure, performance, and content visibility to attract organic traffic. An SEO company working with WordPress sites will:
For online stores, e-commerce SEO is essential to drive qualified shoppers to product and category pages. Specialized SEO companies handle the unique challenges of e-commerce sites by:
E-commerce SEO ensures your store ranks higher, attracts targeted shoppers, and maximizes sales potential.
Some SEO companies focus on particular industries like healthcare, legal services, SaaS, or real estate. These sectors have unique compliance rules, audience behaviors, and competitive challenges. An agency experienced in your niche can better understand these challenges and tailor SEO strategies to your market.
Specialized SEO firms know the type of content that resonates with your audience and the most valuable industry directories, associations, and publications for link building.
Example: A legal SEO agency understands ethical considerations and bar association rules. This expertise ensures the SEO service is not generic but fine-tuned to your business needs, whether you require local, national, or enterprise-level SEO. The scale of your business also influences the specific SEO strategies applied.
Yes, but deciding whether to hire an SEO company depends on your business goals. If you want to increase website traffic, attract qualified leads, improve search engine visibility, and stay ahead of competitors, professional SEO services can make a significant difference.
An experienced agency analyzes your website, identifies areas for improvement, and implements strategies to achieve measurable results, saving you time and avoiding costly mistakes.
Note: Avoid trusting any SEO company that promises your website will reach the top position in search results.
Partnering with a trusted team ensures strategies are tailored to your specific needs. At Odyssey Marketing, our experts focus on delivering results-driven SEO solutions that strengthen your online presence, optimize your site for search engines, and help your business grow effectively.
Understanding what an SEO company does is key to making informed decisions for your business. SEO is more than just improving rankings—it involves careful keyword research, on-page optimization, technical improvements, link building, analytics tracking, and specialized strategies for local, international, WordPress, e-commerce, and industry-specific needs.
A professional SEO agency works systematically to enhance your website’s visibility, attract qualified traffic, and generate leads and sales over time. Results are measured through data and reporting, ensuring every strategy is effective and accountable.
Partnering with experienced professionals ensures your SEO approach is tailored to your business goals, avoids costly mistakes, and strengthens your online presence. Companies like Odyssey Marketing provide comprehensive, results-driven SEO solutions that optimize your website, improve search performance, and support sustainable growth, making your investment in SEO worthwhile.
