Hiring an SEO Expert: When You Should and Shouldn’t

What does an SEO expert help with?

If you decide to work with an SEO expert, there are several areas that they might be able to assist with. Some of the ways that an SEO professional can help you include:

• Optimized content creation. Content is the backbone of search engine optimization. You need to ensure that the content you publish is optimized to rank well on search engines and meet the needs of your target audience. SEO experts can help you create optimized content and ensure it hits the mark.

• Link building. Link building is a great way to position your website as an authority in your field. That's why you need plenty of high-quality links that point back to your website. There are different ways to run backlink campaigns, but many often require a significant amount of time. An SEO specialist can remove this task from your plate and help you start acquiring links fast.

• Keyword research. To optimize on-page SEO, you need to do appropriate keyword research. Even though you may know the most important keywords in your field, an SEO expert can assist you. That way, you can use the right phrases and avoid penalties from search engines due to keyword stuffing.

• Website audits. If you want search engines to rank your website well, you need to make sure your site's on-page and technical SEO is in good standing. A professional SEO expert can audit your website from time to time to ensure everything works appropriately. If search engines see that your website is being updated regularly and doesn't contain broken links, your rankings may improve.

These are just a few ways SEO professionals can help with your digital marketing efforts. However, not all experts in this industry are created equal, and it's important to seek out the right individual or team to support your endeavors.

When does it make sense to hire an SEO expert?

Working with a specialist is a good idea if you want to follow SEO best practices. There are also other common situations where it makes sense to hire an individual or team for the purpose of SEO, including:

You want to improve your SEO strategy

SEO might not be at the top of your list when you first build a website. You may simply want to get the website up and running. Eventually, however, you'll have to focus on SEO in order to drive traffic to your site. If you're in the process of improving your SEO strategies, reaching out to a professional can ensure you're on the right track. Plus, they can help you avoid common pitfalls that may otherwise harm your campaign.

Your website isn't driving traffic

If your website isn't driving any traffic, it's necessary to make changes. Additionally, a lack of traffic can signify to search engines that your site doesn't have a lot of visitors, making it difficult to improve your ranking. If you want to boost your website's traffic, it's a good idea to reach out to SEO experts who can help.

You have the budget to do so

On average, the cost of monthly SEO services is $497 per month (via Backlinko). While investing in SEO services isn't cheap, it can be a worthwhile investment if you want to generate more traffic to your site and raise conversions. If you're interested in hiring an SEO consultant, make sure you have the budget to do so.

While there's a broad range of price options available, remember that you get what you pay for. You must ensure you have enough funds to hire SEO experts that will deliver high-quality work.

Your team is stretched thin

You may have an internal team responsible for your online marketing strategy, but if they're stretched too thin, you need to bring in an expert who can help. That way, your team can save time in other areas, and you can put your SEO campaigns in a position to succeed.

You lack SEO knowledge

If you don't know how to handle search engine optimization on your own, it's time to reach out to a professional service. Even though you might understand the basics, you may have difficulty competing with the people at the top of search engine rankings. You need to hire SEO professionals with the necessary skills in order to compete with the top results.

You don't have time to review SEO algorithm updates

Search engine optimization is a journey, not a destination. Search engines are constantly changing their algorithms, so your strategy has to also evolve. You have a lot to do daily, and you may not have time to keep up with all of these changes. Instead, you could hire a professional whose job is to keep up with algorithm changes.

You're redesigning your website

Finally, if you're in the process of redesigning your website, you need to make sure you have SEO at the front of your mind. One of the easiest times to make changes to your SEO campaign is when you're updating your website.

When to hold off on hiring an SEO strategist

The biggest reason you may want to hold off on hiring an SEO strategist is that you don't have the funds to afford one. You might be able to find a less expensive option, but you may not necessarily get the results you're looking for. Therefore, it might be better to hold off, save your money, and wait until you have the budget to hire SEO experts with the required training and experience. Even though you might be able to find a more affordable SEO freelancer, they may not provide the same level of services.

How to find an SEO specialist

If you're looking for an SEO specialist who can help you, there are several steps you need to follow.

• Identify your goals. What are the goals of your SEO project? Do you want to improve your traffic? Do you want to increase your search results rankings? Do you want to boost your conversion rate? An SEO specialist can help you with all of these issues.

• Determine your budget. You also need to think about your budget. How much money do you have to spend? Different services cost different amounts of money, and you need to be transparent about how much you're willing to spend on the campaign. That way, you can maximize the return on your investment.

• Decide between an agency or freelancer. Do you want to work with an agency or a freelancer? A freelancer might be more affordable, but an agency has more resources at its disposal.

• Ask questions. What are some of the biggest questions you have in mind? You must make sure that your goals align with the agency. That way, you can put yourself in a position to be satisfied with the results of the campaign.

• Review references. Before you hire someone, you must ask for references. Talk to some of those references to see if they were happy with the results.

• Request an audit. You could always ask for a website audit before you make a final decision about who you want to hire. What are some of the changes the agency is recommending? Make sure you're happy with their suggestions.

If you keep these points in mind, you can find the right SEO experts to help you with your needs.

Create an SEO-ready website

Knowing whether to hire an SEO expert or not isn't always the easiest decision to make. While a professional can help take your SEO strategy to the next level, paying for these services requires a hefty investment. If you're considering working with a consultant or agency, keep the points mentioned throughout this article in mind.