When it comes to maintaining your SEO ranking, it takes a certain level of specialization and years of experience. So, if you’re considering hiring a full-time or freelance search marketer, you must do your due diligence first.
Look for professionals who offer weekly or monthly reports about what they’ve been working on and how your website performs through key performance indicators (KPIs). Customizable reporting options are even better!
Know Your Goals
When searching for a Denver SEO expert, you’ll want to ask potential candidates questions about their experience and goals. They’ll need as much information about your business and website as possible to make effective SEO changes, so the more details they can give you, the better.
For example, they’ll need to know if you’re running PPC ads or social media marketing. They’ll also need access to your Google Analytics account. The right SEO experts will be transparent and explain their tactics in detail, which can help you avoid any black hat techniques that could get your site penalized by search engines.
It would help if you were also wary of experts who guarantee a specific ranking in a certain timeframe. An SEO campaign can take six months or more to impact your traffic and rankings, so it may be a red flag if they’re promising results too quickly. Instead, look for a results-driven expert with a proven track record of success.
Know Your Competitors
When vetting SEO experts, look for candidates who prioritize research and discovery before rushing to implement campaigns. They should want a comprehensive understanding of your business, industry, and competition to guide their strategy formation.
Ask candidates how they measure success and make note of their metric-driven approaches. An authentic SEO expert will keep one eye on the latest trends and developments, but they won’t forklift their entire strategy at a whim.
Find out what makes each candidate unique and how they’ve helped businesses like yours achieve their goals. Their answers will give you insight into their approach and depth of experience. They should be able to explain their process clearly and without technical jargon.
They should also be able to pinpoint your audience’s specific wants and needs, including their search intent. It will help them create content that will rank highly on SERPs. Ask candidates if they have any particular projects that demonstrate this skill.
Know Your Budget
The type of SEO you need, your industry, and the desired results will all affect how much you spend. When choosing a reputable SEO expert, look for one willing to discuss the budget upfront to ensure they fit your business needs and goals best.
A strong budget will allow you to establish measurable goals that can help you gauge the effectiveness of your SEO efforts. These goals could include an overall increase in traffic, the number of leads generated, or other metrics that can be easily measured and compared.
It would help to ask each potential candidate how they measure success. An experienced SEO professional can clearly explain how they deliver ROI and elaborate on their approach to key strands of the strategy, such as keyword research, content strategy, and link building. They can provide examples of how their techniques have worked for previous clients.
Know Your Audience
SEO has the potential to grow your business in multiple ways. Whether your goal is to get more traffic or increase your brand’s visibility, hiring an SEO expert who understands your target audience and can implement a strategy to help you reach your goals is important.
Ask for references and work samples to hire a freelance SEO specialist. Also, look at their website to see how they measure success. A true SEO expert will keep up with industry trends but won’t forklift their strategy on a whim.
When hiring an SEO expert, it’s crucial to be clear about your goals know your competitors, and your budget. Doing this research ensures that you choose an SEO professional who will be a great fit for your business. Ultimately, ensuring your successful SEO strategy will save you time and money.
