If you needed any reminder about the paramount importance of SEO, consider this: more than 90% of online experiences start on a search engine such as Google. If you’re not paying sufficient attention to search engines as part of your growth strategy, you’re likely to hit several immovable roadblocks along the way.
What’s more, the majority of digital marketers report that organic traffic generates the highest ROI of any type of marketing activity.
That said, building and maintaining an effective SEO strategy is far from straightforward: it requires meticulous planning, extensive research, the ability to generate engaging content, and an in-depth understanding of SEO trends and best practices (which can virtually shift from week-to-week, by the way).
Taking care of all that in-house might be an option, but few businesses have the necessary budgets or expertise to manage their SEO strategies internally — at least with any significant degree of success. Instead, you might consider enlisting the help of an experienced SEO agency which specializes in growing organic traffic through a range of tried-and-tested approaches.
If your website is built on Shopify (just as almost 20% of the world’s ecommerce websites are), there are many SEO agencies that specialize in — or at least have a solid experience of — the Shopify platform, and can help take your Shopify site to the next level.
Fortunately, the digital nature of SEO work paired with the increasing adoption of remote and asynchronous collaboration means you don’t have to opt for a locally-based SEO agency, where the pool of expertise might be limited. Instead, you can choose an agency based on compatibility and track record rather than geographical location.
Why do you need an SEO agency?
You may be considering whether you can comfortably manage your SEO strategy in-house or if you should outsource it to a specialist SEO agency. The former option will depend on whether you have the necessary time, expertise, and budget at your disposal — which is rarely the case for a small-to-medium-sized business, and even some larger enterprises.
An SEO agency, on the other hand, has ready-made expertise and the time to dedicate to your SEO strategy, meaning it’s often a more efficient and cost-effective way of growing your organic traffic and building your brand’s reputation. An experienced SEO agency can help deliver short- and long-term results (SEO is often about playing the ‘long game’, after all), whether you’re looking for specialized expertise or general SEO support.
The 10 best Shopify SEO agencies for US businesses
There’s a multitude of SEO agencies to choose from, mostly promising high-level expertise, unsurpassable service quality, and the guarantee of a high ROI. The reality is that the quality of each agency can vary wildly, so you need to consider your options carefully before committing to one.
As mentioned, it’s not a prerequisite that your chosen SEO agency is within your local area. Occasional face-to-face meetings are great, but with SEO being very much a digital endeavor and remote technology making it easy to collaborate across locations and time zones, you could theoretically work with an SEO agency in another state or country altogether — the latter might be particularly advantageous if you’re trying to optimize your international SEO strategy or expand into a new market.
So, which SEO agencies provide the best service for Shopify users? Here are our recommendations.
1. Thrive
Based in Arlington, Texas, Thrive is a full-service digital marketing agency that was founded in 2005. Their spectrum of services include local SEO, technical SEO, PPC marketing, link building, conversion rate optimization, and search engine marketing (SEM).
With their specialist Shopify SEO services, Thrive can support ambitious ecommerce businesses to scale and help them reach a wider audience. They’ll perform an SEO audit of your Shopify site, conduct keyword research, optimize on-page and off-page content, help you build links, and enhance your technical SEO.
2. SmartSites
With SmartSites, you can outsmart your competition (get it?) through their highly-rated ecommerce SEO services — ideal for ecommerce sites that use Shopify. SmartSites is an award-winning web design and digital marketing agency that also has a track record of delivering effective search engine marketing (SEO and PPC).
Since the New Jersey-based company’s launch in 2011, they’ve racked up 100+ 5-star reviews from satisfied clients and reportedly helped to generate in excess of $200 million in customer revenue. SmartSites’ services include performing keyword research, building links, and optimizing on-page attributes such as meta descriptions, titles, and more.
3. Seeker Digital
A UK-based agency that specializes in performance SEO, Seeker can help hone your content and build your online activity to deliver valuable rankings in industries such as ecommerce and software-as-a-service (SaaS). Along with on-page and technical SEO, Seeker can support link building, digital PR, and content marketing.
Seeker’s international roster of clients include high-profile ecommerce businesses, tech companies, and charities, among others. What’s more, Seeker counts Shopify as a long-term previous client, meaning this agency boasts a wealth of experience with the platform.
4. Ignite Visibility
Ranked #1 on clutch.co for US-based digital marketing services, Ignite promises a bespoke marketing strategy designed by genuine experts in the field. Their services include web design, email marketing, PR, and social media, but they’re also very well-versed in SEO, helping businesses with local and international search marketing.
Ignite has a roster of over 150 international clients, and their CEO even teaches SEO and web analytics at UC San Diego — now that’s what you call an expert! Ignite can also support with maximizing your geographical reach, offering full translation and international SEO services.
5. Coalition Technologies
As the leading SEO and digital marketing agency in Los Angeles, Coalition Technologies have supported more than 600 businesses since their inception in 2009. They offer not just SEO services but PPC, email marketing, and social media marketing. Here are just a few of their key callouts:
- Over 5 million+ qualified leads generated
- Over 19 million+ ecommerce transactions generated
- Over 1,000 4+ star reviews
- 700+ case studies
One of the top ranked ecommerce, digital marketing and SEO firm in the whole of the United States, Coalition is committed to supporting high-growth clients in ecommerce, helping to dominate local markets and maximize international coverage.
6. SEO Brand
Don’t be put off by the rather unimaginative name; SEO Brand boasts over 55+ years of combined experience and supports global brands such as Montblanc, The Weather Channel, and The Ritz Carlton. Their aim is collect, analyze and transform digital data into scalable revenue for your ecommerce business.
More than just an SEO platform, SEO Brand targets various digital channels to generate “qualified clicks” and boost customer acquisition. With no long-term contracts, SEO Brand is perfectly placed to help smaller brands and startups grow. They also reportedly retain 88% of their clients, so they must be doing something right.
7. Supple Digital
Based in Australia but employing 135+ digital marketing experts worldwide, Supple is an award-winning agency that offers innovative online solutions, specializing in SEO but also covering Google Ads, web design and development, and social media marketing. Supple supports businesses in building quality traffic and genuine leads.
Founded in 2012, Supple helps businesses all over the world create and maintain effective and ROI-driving SEO strategies. If you’re keen to take your Shopify ecommerce business to the next level through exponential sales growth, Supple can help increase your brand’s visibility in a competitive online market.
8. Mimvi
Based in New York and boasting over a decades’ experience in SEO, Mimvi SEO describes itself as “your online business growth partner”, helping you “dominate” local search results and increase your in-bound leads. If you’re based in or around NYC, Mimvi is a great option since they have a large local market share and specialize in driving local traffic.
Mimvi claims to have helped countless websites rank at the top of Google search results for high-volume keywords, while also helping clients stand out among online marketplaces. With a 5-star rating on Google, they focus on crafting a personalized SEO strategy for each of their customers.
9. EZ Rankings
EZ Rankings is an award-winning digital marketing agency based in India, with an additional branch in West Chester, Pennsylvania. They create highly-customized yet straightforward solutions, offering everything from specialized SEO services to PPC, online reputation management, and even web development.
A trusted digital partner for business, EZ has reportedly worked with over 10,000 clients across more than 30 countries, including the United States, Canada, the UK, and Australia, covering on-site content, link building, and technical SEO. They believe that your website should reflect the “soul” of your business while also driving a healthy ROI.
10. OuterBox
Founded in 2004, OuterBox is a web design and SEO agency which specializes in growing ecommerce businesses. Whether you’re looking for a comprehensive SEO strategy built from the ground up or you simply need some additional SEO support, OuterBox’s team of 30+ ecommerce SEO experts can help you realize your site’s full potential.
Providing specialist SEO services for ecommerce sites on WordPress, Magento, Amazon, and, of course, Shopify, OuterBox was ranked the #1 ecommerce SEO agency in the world by NeilPatel.com. The agency’s proven SEO strategies and techniques can really help to move the needle for your Shopify store.
Before you choose an agency to support your Shopify SEO strategy, there are a number of things to consider: are they Shopify specialists? Do they have a proven track record of success? Do they have the necessary expertise? Can you afford them? Location needn’t be a dealbreaker, but ensure you do plenty of research and make the right choice for your business.