How to Hire Top SEO Experts

Are you ready to see a significant boost in your ranking on major search engines such as Google? An SEO expert can guide you through the intricate process of keyword research, SEO content generation, and on-site optimisation, paving the way for a successful SEO campaign and a more substantial online presence.

So, how do you find an SEO expert? The following are some tips on finding top SEO experts on Rayness Analytica.

How to shortlist SEO professionals

As you browse available SEO consultants, developing a shortlist of the contractors you may want to interview can be helpful. You can screen profiles on criteria such as:

• Industry fit. You want an SEO expert who understands your industry so they can help you figure out how best to reach your target market.
• Project experience. Screen candidate profiles for specific skills and experience (e.g., monitoring a website's SEO performance with Google Search Console).
• Feedback. Check reviews from past clients for glowing testimonials or red flags that indicate what it's like to work with a particular SEO expert.

How to write an SEO specialist job description that attracts the right person

With a clear vision of your ideal SEO expert, it’s time to craft that job post. While it may not be as comprehensive as a traditional job description, it should provide enough detail for a contractor to determine if they’re the right fit for your project, giving you the power to attract the right person for the job.

An effective SEO job post should include:

• Scope of work: List all the deliverables you’ll need, from SEO audits to link building.
• Project length: Your job post should indicate whether this is a more minor or extensive project.
• Background: Translate your SEO needs into a freelancer profile. If you prefer experience working with specific industries, software, or marketing channels, mention it here.
• Budget: Set a budget and note your preference for hourly rates vs. fixed-price contracts.

Sample SEO specialist job description

Title: Technical SEO specialist needed for tech startups

Description:

We're a busy digital agency that works with fast-growing tech startups. You will work directly with two of our top clients, helping them develop SEO and content strategies. If the client and our agency are pleased with the project's initial results, there’s potential that this may turn into a monthly retainer for six months. 

Deliverables:

• Provide insightful and strategic SEO and content strategy for two clients
• Create a social campaign strategy for two clients
• Create a weekly progress report for the first 5 weeks. Provide strategic changes to help the client reach their goals. 

Requirements:

• 4+ years of experience working with mid-sized companies
• 2 examples of SEO strategies and their results
• Available starting from month, date, year
• Working knowledge of Trello, Google Drive, and Slack
• Include the words “red chair” in the first line of your cover letter

Please submit your proposal by month, day, or year.

Did you notice the unusual item under the requirements? I am asking you to include the word “red chair” in the cover letter. Adding things like this is optional, but when you need someone detailed, it’s a good way to see if they’re observant and follow instructions well. It’s also a quick way to filter through proposals, showing who has read the job description thoroughly and sending out generic applications.

Ready to create an SEO campaign that will help drive organic traffic to your business? Sign up and post your SEO job on Rayness Analytica today.

 

SEO EXPERTS FAQ            

 

What is SEO?

SEO is short for search engine optimisation and refers to all activities that help search engines better recognise and correlate websites with specific search terms. The more relevant a search engine deems your website or content is with a keyword, the higher you will rank for that keyword.

Here’s a quick overview of the skills you should look for in SEO professionals:

• Keyword research (e.g., Keyword Planner, SEMrush)
• On-site optimisation (e.g., HTML headers, alt text, images)
• Off-site optimisation (e.g., guest posting, link building)
• SEO content generation and planning
• Competitor analysis and SEO audits

SEO consultants help businesses better position themselves on search engines to receive traffic from their target market. Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is a similar service but focuses more on the advertising side of search engine visibility. While SEO focuses on improving your website's organic search rankings, SEM involves paid advertising to increase your visibility in search engine results.

Why do you want to hire SEO experts?

The trick to finding top SEO experts is to identify your needs. Do you just need help ranking on major search engines such as Google, or are you also trying to optimise for something specific, such as queries on the Apple App Store? Do you need someone with a strong guest-posting network for link building? The cost of your SEO project will depend mainly on your scope of work and the specific skills required to bring your project to life.

How much does it cost to hire an SEO expert?

If you’ve ever tried to ask an SEO (search engine optimisation) specialist how much it’ll cost to improve your rankings, you probably got the frustrating but honest answer: “It depends.” And their pricing can be all over the board, from $25 per hour to $10,000+ per month. No one can budget for an SEO project based on that range. But drilling down to a reliable number isn’t difficult.

Risky SEO practices to watch out for

If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Be wary of specialists or agencies who:

They are vague about their strategy. The person should give details on achieving their goals within a given timetable. Note that if something worked for another company or industry, it might not work for yours. Be sceptical of cookie-cutter solutions.

Quote significantly lower prices. You can work with SEO talent located anywhere in the world so that prices will vary accordingly. However, if you get a lowball quote, ask for additional details.

Quote high prices. On the other hand, if someone quotes a high price without having a proven track record to back it up, then be wary and ask for additional details.

Use suspicious link-building strategies. A red flag should increase if someone suggests buying many backlinks, email lists, or followers. These short-term hacks (a.k.a. black hat SEO techniques) can give your SEO a quick boost but at the expense of damaging your website reputation. And your site can get penalised or blocked by search engines.

Make aggressive promises like guaranteed or fast results. Good SEO is a marathon, not a race. It can take months before you see results.

Knowing what to look for in pricing is just part of the process. You must do your due diligence to ensure you're contracting with a quality SEO consultant.