If you’re looking for an SEO professional to help grow your business, choosing the right one is essential. If you select a bad one, you could waste money, time, and effort on someone who doesn’t have what it takes to deliver results.
Instead of accepting the first applicant that responds to your job posting, you could achieve more by using a recruiting agency like SEO For Hire to find the best candidate for the position.
Here are 5 tips on how to find the best SEO professional for your company.
1. Start by learning SEO yourself
A common misconception is that outsourcing a marketing channel’s management will guarantee a business’s success. However, the most successful businesses are the ones whose leaders first grasp the channel’s nuances and benefits on their own. Then, they’re looking to advance to the following phase.
To get a good SEO professional, you must first learn the basics. Taking responsibility for your education is essential to become a successful company owner. Before paying an SEO professional a tonne of money, try teaching yourself about the subject. Consider the following actions and advice.
2. Hire someone who has shown they can deliver
Your critical thinking skills will be put to the test in this round of the search. You need to be selective since anybody may proclaim themselves an “SEO expert.”
Begin by outlining the tasks and outcomes you need to be accomplished. Don’t simply hire an SEO specialist to drive more people to your company’s site; go for one who can expand your brand’s reach and influence. Find a professional that takes a broad and balanced view of SEO and web marketing.
As part of your search engine optimization (SEO) candidate screening process, consider the candidates’ past performance. Have them provide examples of their work and a summary of how their methods will affect your firm. Determine whether the applicant’s approach to SEO has been successful for other firms by contacting some of their references and learning more about how their SEO efforts have been implemented and sustained.
Find a candidate who will complement your business rather than disrupt it. Are they worked on SEO projects for companies in a similar field? Choose an expert with expertise in both your industry and others.
3. Have a face-to-face interview
To determine if a candidate is right for your company, meeting with them in person is essential. You want to ensure they are a good fit before you sign on the dotted line and hire them.
Pay close attention to the questions the applicant asks during the interview. A smart SEO expert won’t simply care about your website’s position in the search engine results pages (SERPs) but will be curious about your company.
4. Confirm previous work
The next step is to request client references from the applicant. Concerning these references, you may inquire as follows:
- Did you find the advice given by the SEO expert to be helpful?
- Was the SEO expert able to successfully collaborate with the rest of the group?
- How long-lasting were the improvements the SEO expert made?
Verifying the SEO expert’s legitimacy is easier if you know how other company owners in your position have fared working with them.
5. Research their background
You’ll want to research their background if you’re hiring a professional to help with your marketing and SEO. This can be as simple as asking for a copy of their resume, but it’s essential to look into the company they work for and see if there are any complaints or negative reviews online.
A background check may also reveal if they have any criminal history or other red flags that could lead to problems down the road. Also, look at what companies they’ve worked at over time. This can explain how long someone has been doing SEO work successfully.
Conclusion
A seasoned SEO professional will never promise more than they can deliver. If a potential candidate meets all of your requirements but fails in other areas, such as communication skills or background research, then don’t hire them. Also, remember that there are many different types of SEO professionals, so keep an open mind!
