Search engine optimization plays a key role in increasing online visibility, revenue, and lead generation. In our experience, many SMBs can handle their own optimization, but hiring an SEO professional might be necessary to get started or as a business grows. How do you know who to listen to and what advice is relevant to your business? How do you choose an SEO agency?

It’s widely acknowledged that the SEO field contains a mix of highly reputable professionals as well as those who do not offer legitimate or effective services. If seeking a recommendation from your network isn’t an option, it’s advisable to conduct thorough research and due diligence to find a true SEO partner.

Here we offer 8 tips—#4 is eye-opening for most readers—to help you identify genuine SEO expertise and see beyond superficial marketing tactics. For a deeper dive, read our articles on common sense questions to ask SEO agencies and how to identify spammy SEO tactics when vetting and hiring SEO consultants.

1. First, Know What You Want

Before you even start looking, define what it is you want so you can find a specialist tailored to your requirements. And stay open to the idea that an SEO might have different or additional recommendations for your site. For example:

• Site Review: Are you looking for a comprehensive audit of your current SEO strategy to identify gaps, or just a basic annual check-up on your site’s health?

• Content Strategy: Do you want help creating a new B2B content strategy? Or are you looking to optimize existing content? Both can yield significant results.

• Ongoing SEO: Some businesses require frequent updates and consistent content creation, but many small businesses do not.

• SEO Training: For SMBs looking to take SEO matters into their own hands or oversee outsourced teams, your team will benefit from training.

• SEO Consultation: Seeking a second opinion on any recommendation can ensure you’re making the right decision and not making a costly mistake.

2. Learn Basic SEO

The best way to hire an SEO expert is to first learn the fundamentals. This way you are better prepared to discuss strategy, understand recommendations, and have realistic expectations. Moz’s SEO Learning Center is top-notch. Or try a tailored SEO training to learn SEO as it relates to your website. Many small businesses find they can maintain their own sites after learning the basics of SMB SEO.

Note, you don’t want to take an “SEO course” from someone who learned outdated SEO from YouTube marketers and is now replicating the same. You’ll be much better off learning the basics from respected, industry-leading experts.

Everything you need is available for free online, including free seo tools and our resource on how to learn SEO.

3. Prioritize Experience

When hiring an SEO consultant, it’s important to prioritize experience. What is their educational or professional background? How many years SEO experience do they have? Are they an an actual marketer or an aggressive sales person?

What sets top SEOs apart isn’t knowledge (which is free), it’s the experience to know how and when to apply that knowledge. You don’t want someone using your site to “learn on the job.” This said, someone with only a few years of experience and a proven track record, can be more valuable than someone with decades of experience using outdated techniques. Be discerning.

SEO has a very low barrier to entry—anyone with WiFi and a computer can call themselves an “SEO expert” (or PPC expert, SMM expert, SEO writer, digital marketing expert, etc.). Platforms like Reddit have many posts from individuals asking things like, “just landed my first SEO client, now what?” This highlights the importance of thoroughly vetting any marketing professional or agency you consider.

If there is no About/Bio page linked in the header or footer this can be a red flag. If biographical details or company history aren’t shown on a website, check LinkedIn. Keep in mind, a sleek website implying years of expertise could be brand new—tools like WhoIs and the Wayback Machine can help you verify a site’s background.

However, it’s also important to remember that longevity isn’t always indicative of quality. Some retainer-model agencies are focused on client retention versus genuine value, and they’ll provide subpar blog posts and inconsequential monthly reporting for years to clients who don’t know any better.

4. Evaluate the “Expert’s” Own SEO Performance

When choosing an SEO agency, examine how well their own website performs in search results. Any SEO provider with a blog is vying for organic traffic—simply put, if their site has little to no traffic, they don’t know what they are doing. You might want to reconsider, if someone is talking about “getting you to the top of Google,” but they haven’t yet done this for their own site.

This is especially important with the emergence of popular user forums and “expert marketplaces.” It’s easy to believe that a user profile offering SEO advice or a slick website with SEO services must have expertise, but often this is not the case.

• Relevance of website traffic: You can use free traffic checkers—here or here—to check the traffic of a provider’s website. Again, anyone offering SEO services (or SEO copywriting, SEO content, etc.) should have a website that showcases a fundamental level of SEO skill. If a provider’s primary keywords aren’t relevant to the core services they provide, their ability to attract qualified traffic isn’t as extensive as you’d hope.

  A well-rounded marketing strategy includes both brand awareness and content marketing to capture a wider audience. But if a majority of organic traffic is due to brand searches, the company likely excels at generating buzz via social media or affiliate and influencer marketing versus SEO optimization.

• Content quality: Evaluating their blog or articles can provide insights into their expertise. If they purport to be SEO specialists, their content should showcase current and accurate information on the topic. Keep in mind, advancements in generative AI mean that authority-like content can be swiftly produced, potentially masking a lack of genuine expertise.

• Beware of excuses: Some might argue they’re too focused on client work to optimize their own site. While this can be true at times, any content an SEO produces should show a basic proficiency in SEO practices.

Overall, an SEO professional’s own online presence should demonstrate their skills. Just like you’d expect a social media expert to have an engaging online presence, you should expect an SEO expert to have a well-optimized website.

5. Read Case Studies

Look for a successful track record of demonstrable ROI (return on investment) by analyzing client feedback and case studies. 

Is it easy to find positive reviews? When evaluating skill level, look for comments with substance. Has the SEO worked with companies at various stages of business growth? Give more weight to results from reputable professionals and mature businesses, versus new solopreneurs who don’t understand search and are simply excited to see their brand name show up in results or to get their first few blog views.

Note, some websites showcase “case studies” and “reviews” that are simply comments from their own affiliate network. It can be hard to filter through the marketing noise, see our post on how to spot bad actors in the SEO space.

6. Look For a Smart Partner

Real SEO is much more than an optimization checklist, it is business consulting. Your SEO partner needs to be able to understand your target audience and the paths to conversion. A good SEO will be an extension of your team—helping you differentiate your site, reach your audience, and meet your business objectives.

SEO is a fast-paced, dynamic field. Look for someone who stays up-to-date with current best practices. Candidates should shave a solid grasp of both technical SEO and content SEO. And they need to understand how changes in AI-powered search impact your performance. A holistic SEO approach (or “SXO”) is the only way your business will win long-term.

7. Understand the Process

Each SEO freelancer or agency will have a unique process, but it should always include:

• Research and discovery: Your SEO should want a deep understanding of your business, industry, competition, audience, and goals. An intake process that simply involves you filling out a form, will not produce lasting results.

• Strategy formation: Based on the research, what’s the best course of action?

• Implementation: Applying the strategy.

• Analysis: Track key metrics to see what’s working and what’s not. Note, your business might not need a monthly SEO contract—ask if you can re-engage with your SEO within a few months to evaluate the effectiveness of the applied strategy.

• Adjustment: Tweaking the strategies based on results.

8. Ask Questions

See our article on questions to ask SEOs. Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification on any topic. Keep in mind, an experienced SEO will likely have many more questions for you than you have for them.

Cost Considerations

When hiring an SEO expert, it’s natural to consider cost as a factor. However, price should not be the sole determinant in your decision. The saying, “You get what you pay for,” often holds true, but it’s not an absolute rule.

While a higher price might indicate a more established or experienced SEO professional, it doesn’t always guarantee superior service or results. Weigh the cost against the expert’s experience, plus past results, and the specific needs of your business.

Overall, SEO should be regarded as an investment for the long-term growth and online visibility of your business.

Final Thoughts on Hiring SEOs

SEO is an important tool for businesses seeking substantial online growth. But SEO is largely a self-taught endeavor, so at what point is someone qualified to call themselves an expert? We don’t have an exact answer—we are a decade in and still learn something new every day.

It’s important to make the right SEO hire—a misguided choice can damage your website’s reputation and increase business costs. Equip yourself with the right knowledge to make informed decisions. Remember to define your needs clearly, prioritize experience over flashy presentations, and analyze an expert’s own online performance. By keeping these guidelines in mind, you’ll position your business for sustainable online success.

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