So you're looking for a SEO business to help move your business to the next level. That's nice, but before you make the decision to recruit them, what should you be looking for in a company? Until pulling the trigger, there are five of the most important things to consider.

When you spend your hard-earned money on the services of a SEO agency, you want to believe that your investment will yield positive returns. This is the most important thing any business wants, right?

We all want to hit a home run, but sometimes you have to play "small ball" to use a baseball euphemism. In other words, hitting for the fences is awesome, but it may mean you're going to make it. And if your SEO department can consistently hit singles and doubles, you're going to score consistently!

Apart from sports metaphors, you may want to be cautious when you talk to a SEO agency, if they sound like they promise you the world. Not that in Google searches you can't be number one and get tons of new business and traffic. But there may be occasions when it's too difficult and costly to target those search terms, which may take some innovative circumvention to get the results you need. That doesn't mean you need to settle down. You just want to make promises that your SEO company can keep.

Many SEO companies will partner with each and every client they can get their hands on, even if that means a conflict of interest. While this is not an unprecedented act on the surface, it poses a problem. How can you give equal treatment to competing firms in the same market?

Any SEO company's goal is to get their client to the top of the results of the search engine, and this is impossible if they take two clients with the same business in the same city. Once you know that your SEO company is working with you and not your rivals, it's a little extra consideration that they have in mind your best interests.

Not all come in one volume. What might be perfect for a restaurant in Italy is not the same as a law firm. It refers to everything from the website's aesthetics to tailored search terms. The customer base of everybody is different, so why wouldn't the SEO services be different?

This may be a challenge for emerging SEO businesses. How do you show past results to a potential customer before you... The consequences of the past. That's not your problem, good for you.

If you really want to consolidate your decision on what to do with the SEO company, look for proof that someone else has done a great job. Any seasoned SEO agency worth their salt on their website will highlight their past successes. But at face value, don't take that. Take the time to get in touch with one or two of the past clients. They would make the decision much easier with their reassurances.