How to Hire an SEO Expert

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of writing or improving your website copy in a way that increases your visibility in search engine results. Improving your website visibility in search engines helps people find your business, which drives traffic to your website. Nowadays, SEO techniques are an essential part of any good content marketing strategy.

 

It might sound simple enough, but there is a lot that goes into providing outstanding SEO services. Here are some of the critical things to consider when considering hiring an SEO expert.

 

Should I Hire Someone for SEO?

Yes, we think so!

 

With more and more content on the web today, it can be harder than ever to stand out from the competition in search engine results. Also, search engines like Google Search update their algorithms frequently, making it hard for most business owners to keep up with the best SEO strategy. 

 

Therefore, SEO is not a one-and-done task. Good SEO practices involve regularly conducting SEO audits, keyword research, link building, updating technical SEO, and more.

 

Most small business owners don’t have the time or know-how to properly implement their SEO strategy. The simple reason why they can’t implement an SEO strategy is that they are running their business! That’s why most business owners and marketers would benefit from hiring a professional SEO specialist to take care of all their SEO needs. 

 

What to Ask an SEO Expert?

If you’re going to hire an SEO professional, you will want to hire someone with a proven track record who can increase your web traffic. But if you aren’t familiar with SEO services, it can be challenging to know what to ask. Here are some key questions to ask before hiring an SEO consultant.

 

How many clients do you have?

This is a great question to ask because it can help you gauge the quality of work that an SEO agency might produce. If they have many clients, they might not be providing the best SEO results for each client. At TM Blast, we only work with a handful of clients at a time so that we can ensure personalized, high-quality products using the right SEO campaigns to improve search engine rankings.

 

Do you outsource SEO services overseas?

It is best to avoid working with an SEO agency that outsources its services overseas. Again, this signifies that they probably do not provide the best SEO results. Instead, they are likely focused on profit. We do not outsource any work overseas at TM Blast LLC, but we will hire highly qualified U.S. freelancers, such as content writers and web developers, to assist on projects.

 

Can you provide testimonials from past clients?

A reputable SEO agency should be willing to share testimonials or case studies from past clients. They might be able to share examples of how they improved the client’s search engine rankings, increasing organic traffic to their web page, or otherwise helped meet their digital marketing goals. This can help you gauge if they can meet your SEO needs.

 

Should I go with a Cheap Service?

A reputable SEO expert wants you to be successful so that they will invest in your success as well. For the best results, you should avoid cheap SEO services that seem too good to be true — because they probably are.

 

You can hire SEO experts for only a few hundred dollars per month, but the chances are that you won’t get great results with a cheap service such as that. Instead of focusing on the cost, focus on the value that a good SEO expert can provide.

 

SEO is all part of a good marketing strategy. When done correctly, good SEO should increase organic traffic to your website. If you operate a brick-and-mortar business, good local SEO should bring customers to your physical location as well. This means that money spent on SEO is an investment in growing your business. Over time, you should expect to see a correlated increase in sales — meaning that any money spent on SEO will pay for itself and then some.

 

Also, many expensive SEO tools and other internet marketing resources that reputable SEO experts use to provide helpful insights and top-quality results personalized to your business. These tools might include SEMRush, Moz, and many others. When you hire a reputable SEO agency, their fee covers the cost for these tools, content, and time. Cheaper services likely do not invest in these tools and therefore provide you with poorer results.

 

What are Red Flags to Be Aware Of?

You may have heard the term “black hat SEO” to describe nefarious tactics used by some supposed SEO experts. Most people using these techniques probably will not market themselves using those terms, so it is vital to be aware of some of the red flags associated with this type of SEO practice.

 

Most importantly, be wary of anyone who says they have “the secret sauce to rank websites” or promises quick results. SEO should be an ongoing content marketing strategy that you invest in overtime. While SEO can get great results for your business, it is not an exact science. Changes in ranking and traffic generally don’t happen overnight. It can take time and hard work before getting your website on the first page of the Google search results. 

 

Also, be wary of anyone who says they “know someone at Google” who can rank your web page higher or that they have insider information about Google’s algorithm. Unfortunately, good SEO is not that simple! Hiring an SEO expert to help you create great content and increase your search engine visibility is the only way to improve your ranking — networking or “knowing someone on the inside” won’t help in this situation! 

 

It can be tempting to hire someone who promises quick, easy results, but it is important to note that using black hat SEO techniques can do more harm than good. Google can detect when someone is not using SEO best practices and will penalize any website using them, harming your search engine results and discouraging traffic from your website. 

 

Be careful and avoid anyone using these online marketing tactics. Instead, look for SEO specialists using “white hat SEO” techniques who want to invest in your success.