Hiring an SEO Specialist: 3 Things You Need To Know Before You Start
Today, the SEO Specialist is more than just the web geek that sits at a computer for hours on end hacking away at a keyboard. Times have changed, and ‘the geek’ needs to know a lot more than just computer code to make it in the SEO field.
The geek has evolved, and now must offer a range of services – web design, copywriting, internet marketing, website monetisation and analytical research & reporting to name a few.
It can be difficult to find the right ‘geek’ because of the very nature of organic SEO – there are no formal qualifications, tests or schools you must attend to qualify in this industry. Pretty much anyone can have a crack.
This is great, but it also causes problems – the wave of ‘seo secrets’ and shoddy seo experts in the industry gives the honest guys a hard time in making a living, and getting the client to trust their judgement and experience.
No. 1: They Need Your Help.
I know, it sounds a cop out, but the right SEO specialist will want content from you to get things going. Press releases, articles, newsletters – its all good stuff to tweak and get out on the web. The SEO guy (or gal) will also be asking you a lot of questions relating to your business. Who you are, where you came from, your message and what you want to achieve. The SEO head needs to learn about you, your business and your goals.
Without this info, he’ll fail to deliver the right message, and ultimately the right sort of traffic to your website. Don’t feel its an invasion of privacy, the SEO geek is just trying to work out your message. If they are organised, they may even have a handy form (click here for an example) for you to fill out.
Before you hire an seo specialist, remember YOU will need to set aside some of your time, support the project and commit to any recommended changes.
No. 2: This SEO Stuff Takes Time.
You won’t see much in the way of results for a good few months, and that’s the case for 99% of new SEO projects. If you get anything happening sooner (I’m talking natural organic rankings) then you should double check what is really going on with your website – there could be tactics going on that could jeopardize your website permanently. The time frames are frustrating for both parties involved, but its the nature of the beast – search engines take time to learn and trust websites.
If you are adding lots of new content, it takes time for the search engines to find it, accept it, trust it and then rank it accordingly. It isn’t a big con, it just takes time. Its no quick fix employing one of these guys, and it’ll take time and patience before you start seeing the ‘real’ results. But be patent, with the right SEO Specialist, it will happen.
No. 3: You Need to Trust Their Judgment.
Any good business relationship is built on trust, honesty and reliability.
If you never trust your SEO specialist, it’ll never work to its full potential. If you refuse to be honest with your SEO specialist, they’ll never have an accurate benchmark to gauge their performance. If you fail to respond to emails or pay invoices, your SEO specialist will loss patience and faith in your commitment to the project.
