Businesses can pull off incredible SEO results with a small marketing team. It’s all about identifying and hiring an SEO expert who aligns with business goals and who is set on delivering real, measurable results. 📊
However, there are both highly skilled professionals and less reputable practitioners on the market, so you need to approach your hiring process with careful consideration and due diligence. 🕵️
Keep reading to learn how to navigate the process of hiring an SEO specialist according to your business needs.
What Does an SEO Expert Do?
An SEO expert thinks holistically about the best ways to create a digital presence for your brand and optimize how users enter your marketing funnel. This has evolved beyond simple keyword insertion and link acquisition. The goal is to achieve first-page Google rankings for strategic search terms that effectively channel potential clients into your sales pipeline.
SEO experts improve many different areas to boost your Google rankings and website traffic. These areas are listed below.
- Conducting thorough research to discover the exact search keywords your target audience uses when searching.
- Executing comprehensive on-page and off-page optimization to systematically enhance keyword positions for first-page visibility.
- Developing and implementing strategic content marketing plans that attract prospects and potential customers.
- Establishing high-quality contextual backlinks from relevant industry websites to strengthen your site authority.
- Enhancing conversion optimization, refining landing pages, boosting site performance, and eliminating technical barriers to achieve top rankings.
- Monitoring and adapting to the latest SEO trends, algorithm updates, and industry developments.
- Utilizing and managing advanced enterprise SEO tools strategically to achieve measurable business objectives.
What Are the Benefits of Hiring an SEO Expert?
The benefits of hiring an SEO expert include increased website traffic, improved search rankings, enhanced brand visibility, and significant time and cost savings.
We explain them in more detail below.
- Increased Traffic. Experts generate traffic through targeted keyword optimization and ranking improvements.
- Cost-Effective Strategies. Professional SEO reduces long-term marketing expenses and generates compounding returns with an average ROI of 275% compared to expensive paid advertising campaigns.
- Enhanced Brand Credibility. Higher search visibility and optimized website structure build trust and authority with potential customers.
- Competitive Advantage. Expert competitor analysis identifies market opportunities and gaps in your current strategy.
- Saved Time. Experts handle technical aspects, which lets business owners focus on core operations.
- Advanced Performance Tracking. Experts use analytics tools to measure SEO performance, identify improvement areas, and refine marketing strategies.
- Current Industry Expertise. Professionals stay compliant with evolving search algorithms, requirement changes and updates (like the Google Javascript update), and emerging best practices that non-experts often miss.
- Targeted Lead Generation. SEO attracts users actively searching for specific products or services, which results in higher conversion rates.
How Do I Know If I Need an SEO Expert?
You need an SEO expert in several situations, which we explain in more detail below.
Your Business Is Just Starting With SEO
Businesses beginning the SEO journey benefit from expert help in establishing strong foundations. This includes setting up new websites, building initial backlinks, and conducting thorough keyword research. The professional knows how to find competitor keywords and develop long-term strategies to transform organic search into your primary lead generation channel.
Your SEO Strategy Isn’t Tied to the Right KPIs
SEO experts help when you don’t have clear KPIs in place and struggle to compete. Stagnant SEO results often occur when businesses rank only for branded terms despite having some optimization. Experts develop SEO-optimized content marketing strategies and acquire backlinks to improve visibility for non-branded and competitive keywords. The expert ties their actions directly to set KPIs.
Your Goal Is to Reach the Top of the SERP
Established businesses reach top positions faster with expert help. Search professionals provide in-depth expertise to accelerate your growth by digging deeper into competitive analysis and experimental content with site explorer tools.
Usually, the business has a marketing team that doesn’t have deep knowledge about SEO. In this case, the hiring helps you dominate search results across all relevant keywords in your industry and creates revenue-focused SEO campaigns.
Your Website Needs to Be Improved
Site health proves critical to overall SEO performance. Still, site health is the most overlooked reason to hire an SEO expert. Technical SEO experts help businesses find improvements on site speed, mobile optimization, structured data, SEO user experience, image optimization, and faulty links. Having a complete picture of site health remains critical to identifying what holds you back, and most SEO experts start the process with thorough audits using site auditor tools.
6 Tips for Hiring an SEO Expert in 2025
There’s no one-size-fits-all formula for hiring an SEO specialist. Understanding key evaluation criteria helps you make an informed decision that aligns with your business goals. We share 6 essential tips to guide you through the hiring process and ensure you find the ideal SEO partner for your specific needs.
1. Create a Realistic Budget for Strategic Growth
To create a realistic SEO budget, consider your business size, campaign scope, and service provider type. According to Ahrefs, businesses typically invest $500-$10,000 monthly for SEO services, with hourly rates averaging $111 and project costs ranging $1,000-$10,000.
Avoid making price the sole determinant. Higher prices often indicate established professionals with more experience, though this does not guarantee superior results. Agencies charge 138% more than freelancers, while experienced SEOs with 2+ years charge 33% more than newcomers.
Evaluate cost against the expert experience, proven results, and your specific business requirements. Most professionals (78.2%) operate on monthly retainer models, with consultants averaging $3,250 per month. Regard SEO as a strategic investment for long-term growth and online visibility rather than an expense.
2. Consider Your Target Audience
Consider your target audience. Different industries and demographics demand distinct SEO approaches. An expert specializing in B2B software uses different strategies than one focusing on local retail or e-commerce targeting younger consumers.
The right expert understands your audience search behavior, including preferred terms, platforms, and buying journeys. Niche specialists understand regulatory requirements, industry terminology, and specialized keyword patterns that generalists often miss. Ask about experience with similar businesses, request relevant case studies, and discuss audience-targeting approaches
3. Match Your Needs With the Right Type of SEO Expert
The choice between internal hires, freelancers, or agencies significantly influences your company’s SEO execution and team dynamics. 👥
We explain how each option shapes your strategy below.
New Internal Talent
Adding an SEO specialist to your team creates seamless collaboration with existing marketing efforts. They become immersed in your company culture, developing deep product knowledge and maintaining consistent communication.
Freelance Talent
Freelancers offer flexibility and specialized expertise for specific projects or campaigns. They’re ideal for short-term needs or supplementing existing efforts. Freelancers offer fresh perspectives without the commitment of a full-time hire. The challenge in freelance SEO specialist hiring lies in maintaining consistency and ensuring alignment with your broader marketing goals.
SEO Agency
Agencies bring comprehensive resources and diverse expertise to the table. Agencies offer scalable solutions and multiple team members if needed, but require clear communication channels and may be more expensive. The relationship needs careful management to maintain alignment with your company’s vision.
4. Find the Best Channels for SEO Talent Discovery
Each channel offers unique advantages in your search for the ideal professional. Here’s a comprehensive guide to the most effective platforms for SEO specialist hiring. 🧑💼
Your Professional Network
Your existing connections are often a goldmine for finding trusted SEO talent. No matter which social media you are on, look for and join relevant groups where SEO experts gather. Additionally, asking for personal referrals from friends or colleagues often leads to the most reliable partnerships, as they come pre-vetted by trusted colleagues.
Specialized Job Boards
Top freelance marketplaces maintain strict verification standards for their marketing talent pool. The verification standards make it easier to find credible professionals while minimizing risk. Some popular job boards for SEO freelancers are listed below.
- Upwork. Industry-leading platform combining strict verification with the largest pool of professional freelancers.
- Indeed. Extensive SEO talent database with powerful search filters for precise candidate matching.
- ProBlogger. Specialized marketplace focused on connecting businesses with expert SEO content writers.
- Wellfound. Favored by startups, it offers carefully vetted professionals for niche requirements.
- Fiverr. Cost-effective option with diverse talent, though it requires thorough screening to find qualified experts.
Social Media Channels
Social platforms offer rich alternatives when your immediate network doesn’t bring the right SEO expert. LinkedIn’s professional ecosystem makes it the go-to destination for discovering qualified SEO specialists.
For more targeted searches, Reddit communities like r/SEO and r/SEOgrowth provide direct access to active practitioners. Meanwhile, Facebook’s groups and business pages serve as valuable hubs for connecting with seasoned SEO professionals.
5. Prepare Key Questions to Ask SEOs for Strategic Alignment
It’s crucial to ask questions that reveal the candidate’s experience, expertise, and professional journey. 🧗
While specific inquiries may vary depending on your niche and industry, certain core questions are essential for understanding a candidate’s capabilities and approach to SEO. We list key questions below.
What inspired your journey into SEO, and how did you develop your expertise?
Look for candidates who demonstrate both formal learning and hands-on experience, with clear examples of how they have grown their expertise over time.
How does your experience align with our industry-specific SEO challenges?
The ideal candidate shows direct experience with similar businesses and understands that different industries require unique approaches, from local SEO to e-commerce optimization.
Can you walk me through some of your most successful SEO campaigns?
Seek specific examples with measurable results and clear strategies. Strong candidates readily share success metrics and explain their methodology.
What is your approach to SEO strategy development and implementation?
The right candidate outlines a comprehensive approach covering keyword research, meta tag optimization, content strategy, technical SEO, and link building, with clear methods for measuring success.
Which SEO tools and technologies do you rely on most?
Beyond basic tools, look for expertise with advanced SEO platforms and analytics tools that demonstrate both technical knowledge and strategic thinking.
Have you managed a team of SEO specialists or worked with cross-functional teams?
Look for leadership experience and collaboration skills that indicate they work effectively with developers, content creators, and marketing teams.
What is your process for conducting comprehensive website audits?
Strong candidates describe systematic approaches to evaluating technical performance, content quality, and competitive positioning with specific audit frameworks.
How do you identify and prioritize technical SEO issues?
They demonstrate understanding of crawlability, site speed, mobile optimization, and the ability to rank issues by business impact and implementation difficulty.
Can you describe your approach to building content strategies that align with SEO goals?
Look for candidates who connect keyword research to keyword intent, understand content gaps, and create editorial calendars that support both engagement and rankings.
How do you handle SEO for website migrations or redesigns?
This reveals experience with complex projects and understanding of redirect strategies, URL structures, and risk mitigation during major site changes.
How do you approach link building and outreach campaigns?
Ethical link building requires relationship management, content creation, and strategic thinking. Avoid candidates who focus solely on buying links or automated tactics.
Have you worked with enterprise-level websites or managed large-scale SEO projects?
Enterprise experience indicates the ability to handle complex site architectures, multiple stakeholders, and projects requiring significant coordination and technical expertise.
How do you anticipate AI changing SEO practices in the coming years?
Strong candidates balance optimism about AI potential with a practical understanding of its limitations and impact on SEO strategies.
What have you learned or changed your stance on within the SEO world?
Humility proves key in determining whether someone remains willing to learn, has made errors, and avoids creating excuses. Everyone makes SEO mistakes because there is no exact official guide. Seeing how candidates have adapted to the evolving SEO landscape reveals their ability to grow and adjust strategies.
6. Assess the Expert’s Knowledge to Match Your Needs
Consider candidate qualifications, including relevant degrees, certifications, and practical experience. Request case studies or examples of previous results to gauge their real-world effectiveness, like this story of a car rental app increasing its organic traffic by +257% by implementing Search Atlas!
Assessing analytical skills, technical abilities, problem-solving aptitude, and adaptability provides valuable insights. Some companies opt for multi-stage processes with competitive, graded tests using platforms like Codility, Mettl, TestGorilla, or Vervoe.
But remember that SEO is a dynamic field that is always changing, and there are various successful strategies. So these tests sometimes don’t capture the full spectrum of effective approaches. Allow candidates to share their opinions about the test and discuss alternative strategies or lesser-known SEO secrets they’ve found successful.
How Can I Make Sure My SEO Hire Will Get Results?
After hiring an SEO expert, get the right tools to ensure they’ll get results with a smart investment. SEO professionals are familiar with popular tools in the market, but established solutions, such as Semrush and Ahrefs, are often prohibitively expensive, potentially unnecessarily inflating your hiring costs.
Whether you’re bringing someone onto your internal team or hiring a freelancer, consider using an all-in-one SEO tool that’s disrupting the marketing landscape, such as Search Atlas.
This platform offers all the necessary features for a complete SEO strategy at a more accessible price point. The plans start at $99/monthly and include:
- Keyword Magic Tool. Simplify keyword research with our 4.2 billion keyword database. Get essential metrics, create lists, and analyze competitors to identify optimal SEO opportunities.
- Site Auditor. Comprehensive site monitoring and auditing tool. Crawl up to 1 million pages, identify technical SEO issues, and get “How to Fix” guidance for improving your website’s SEO health.
- Google Search Console (GSC) Insights. Track 100% of your ranking keywords with daily updates. Monitor organic visibility, access unique data visualizations, and generate various SEO reports effortlessly.
- SEO Content Assistant. All-in-one content creation tool. Research, write, edit, and optimize content with AI assistance, competitor insights, and direct publishing to your website in 1 click.
- AI Content Writer. Leverage GPT and Claude for content briefs, first drafts, and various marketing materials. Includes AI image generation for comprehensive content creation.
- Backlink Analyzer. Comprehensive backlink analysis tool. Benchmark against competitors, assess site authority, and gain insights for link-building campaigns.
- Content Planner. Streamline content strategy with keyword clusters and AI-generated blog ideas. Plan months of content quickly and efficiently.
- Competitor Analysis: Reverse-engineer competitors’ SEO and PPC strategies. Compare backlinks, keywords, and ads to outperform rivals in organic search and Google Ads.
AI SEO Agent OTTO
OTTO SEO is the first AI autopilot for SEO. OTTO SEO automates technical fixes, on-page optimization, content creation, authority building, and Google Business Profile management. Unlike basic recommendation tools, OTTO deploys changes directly to websites. The platform accelerates results with minimal manual effort, and one free automation comes included with all Search Atlas subscriptions. The tool has a Deep Freeze option, which lets you keep OTTO SEO changes even after you stop your subscription.
WILDFIRE Link Exchange Network
WILDFIRE operates as an AI-driven link exchange system that builds high-authority backlinks. The platform follows a 2:1 model where adding two outbound links to quality sites earns one inbound link from a relevant domain. WILDFIRE maintains rigorous quality standards through regular authority checks and compatibility scoring to preserve network integrity. This system streamlines outreach efforts with single-click automation while focusing on domain power and topical relevance.
Hiring an SEO Specialist and Getting the Most Powerful Tool
Finding the right expert is crucial, but equipping them with comprehensive yet cost-effective tools is equally important for achieving optimal results. Remember, success in SEO requires both skilled professionals and powerful tools working in harmony.
Experience the full potential of your SEO strategy by starting your free trial with Search Atlas today!
