Selecting and hiring SEO specialists
You can do SEO yourself or hire a specialist. If your website is relatively small and aims to increase local presence, you may not need an SEO expert's help.
If you manage a large website and don't have anyone supporting you, consider hiring experts. SEO requires a lot of effort, time, and expertise.
If you search on Google or check job-matching platforms, you can find many available specialists online; however, you should be very careful when hiring them — as Google also alerts in their official document.
Black Hat SEO and White Hat SEO
Black hat SEO and white hat SEO are two contrasting SEO approaches. They refer to the ethical and unethical practices used in SEO activities.
Google announces Spam policies to detect misconduct. Black hat SEO violates these policies, while white hat SEO complies with them.
In the real world, you may not see the pure black hat approach. As using the black-hat approach is risky, gray-hat policies are getting more popular.
It would be best if you were more prudent when judging whether the specialists you are talking to are white-hat or not.
How to select SEO specialists?
Deciding which specialist to hire is critical to determining your SEO journey. As SEO requires a long-term commitment, you must carefully assess your candidates.
Before deciding on one specialist, you should contact at least two or three and ask for proposals (including an initial website audit) and initial discussions.
Below are some example checklists for selecting and hiring SEO specialists.
SEO expertise and integrity
As they will become your business partner, you must judge if the person or company has enough knowledge to achieve your business goal.
One essential part of SEO is improving content. If the specialist doesn't have basic knowledge about your website and is not interested in learning it, you may not get the proper recommendations from that expert.
Communication skills and style
You'll need to communicate with the specialist often during the SEO process. If you sense some risks in communication (skill and style) during the discussion stage, try to find someone else.
Quality of website audit report
If the quality of the website audit is high (e.g., well-structured, customized to your situation, and easy to understand), you may be able to trust the SEO specialist more.
SEO Tools
SEO tools can significantly improve your work productivity. Some specialists save money by not using proper tools. It is better to ask which tools they use.
Support scope
As the scope of SEO activity can be vast, you need to set a clear scope of work. Based on your budget, set priority areas and discuss your expectations with the specialist.
Pricing structure and price level
There are several pricing schemes, such as fixed weekly pay, fixed monthly pay, hourly-based, or by project for a specific scope. If you are not sure about the quality of the specialist, it is better to avoid long-term commitment in the beginning. It may be safer to start with hourly charges and switch to a longer-term commitment later.
Conclusion of Chapter 3
We’ve underscored the importance of aligning SEO with broader business objectives and the necessity of patience in nurturing organic growth. This chapter provided a framework for setting goals and KPIs, adapting to changing scenarios, and tailoring your strategy to your unique circumstances.
Whether you're crafting a plan from scratch or refining an existing one, the insights here will guide you. If SEO is new territory, fear not. The forthcoming sections of this guide will navigate you step by step, ensuring you build upon a solid foundation with a flexible approach. Remember, effective SEO isn’t static; it evolves with your website’s performance and the digital marketing environment, requiring you to be agile and informed in your ongoing strategy.
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