What to Look for When Hiring a SEO Professional

SEO isn’t just about adding keywords to your site. It’s a constantly evolving strategy that involves improving:

Website content - so it’s useful and relevant
User experience - so visitors stay longer
Site speed - because slow websites lose customers
Link building - so search engines see your site as credible

Keeping up with Google’s algorithm changes is a full-time job. If your SEO strategy is outdated, your rankings will drop - and you could lose valuable traffic.

An SEO professional ensures your website stays optimised, competitive, and visible.

If you don’t have the time to stay on top of all this, hiring a professional is a smart move.

1. SEO Experience Matters

SEO isn’t something you just pick up overnight. It takes years of experience to fully understand search engine algorithms, ranking factors, and the constantly changing rules of SEO.

A good SEO expert:

Knows what works and what doesn’t from experience, not guesswork.
Can adapt strategies for different industries - because no two businesses are the same.
Understands that SEO is always evolving and keeps up with the latest updates.

A beginner might just follow generic SEO tactics, but an experienced pro knows how to customise a strategy that actually works for your business.

2. Understanding All Three Levels of SEO

SEO isn’t just about stuffing keywords into a webpage. A real expert knows how to optimise a site from all angles:

Technical SEO – Making sure your website is structured properly so search engines can crawl and index it.
On-Page SEO – Optimising titles, meta descriptions, headings, and content so search engines and users find it valuable.
Off-Page SEO – Building high-quality backlinks and brand mentions to increase site authority.

If an SEO expert only focuses on one of these areas, that’s a red flag. SEO requires a balanced approach to get real results.

3. A Proven Track Record (With Real Results)

Talk is cheap. Results matter.

When hiring an SEO expert, ask for:

Case studies showing how they improved rankings and traffic.
Client testimonials from businesses they’ve helped.
Before-and-after data that proves their SEO strategies work.

If they can’t provide real evidence of their success, that’s a bad sign. A trustworthy SEO expert will have no problem showing you the results they’ve delivered for other clients.

4. Marketing Knowledge Beyond SEO

SEO isn’t just about getting traffic - it’s about converting that traffic into customers.

A strong SEO expert understands:

User experience (UX) – Making sure visitors can easily navigate your site.
Content marketing – Creating valuable content that engages and informs.
Sales psychology – Understanding what convinces people to take action.

Getting to page one of Google is great, but if those visitors don’t convert into sales, what’s the point?

5. Thinking Beyond Just Rankings

Some SEO experts focus too much on rankings. But rankings alone don’t pay the bills - conversions do.

The best SEO professionals:

Focus on increasing revenue, not just rankings.
Align SEO strategies with business goals.
Understand that SEO is just one piece of a bigger digital marketing puzzle.

SEO should drive real business growth, not just chase vanity metrics like keyword rankings.

6. A Good Fit for Your Business Culture

SEO professionals don’t work alone. They need to collaborate with your team, including:

Marketing – To align SEO with content and branding.
Developers – To implement technical fixes.
Customer support – To understand common questions and concerns.

If an SEO expert doesn’t fit well with your team, it could slow things down and lead to communication issues.

7. Strong Communication Skills

SEO involves a lot of technical details, but a good expert should be able to explain things in simple terms.

They should:

Break down complex SEO concepts so anyone can understand.
Clearly explain why certain changes are needed.
Provide regular updates on progress.

If an SEO expert talks in circles or can’t explain their strategy clearly, they might not be the right fit.

8. Passion for Getting Things Done

Some SEO professionals love to over analyse data but never actually implement changes. That’s a problem.

A great SEO expert:

Takes action instead of just talking about it.
Finds solutions when faced with challenges.
Focuses on results, not just theory.

SEO is an ongoing process, but if nothing is actually getting done, your rankings won’t improve.

9. A Hunger for Learning and Adapting

SEO changes constantly. What worked last year might be useless today.

A good SEO expert should:

Keep up with Google’s algorithm updates.
Test new SEO strategies and adjust when needed.
Stay ahead of emerging SEO tools and trends.

SEO isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it thing. If your SEO consultant isn’t staying updated, they’re falling behind - and so will your rankings.

10. Ethical SEO Practices (No Black Hat Tactics!)

Some SEO experts promise fast results using shady tactics like:

Buying spammy backlinks.
Keyword stuffing to trick search engines.
Hiding text or using fake redirects.

These “black hat” methods might work for a little while, but they can get your site penalised or even banned from Google.

A trustworthy SEO expert follows ethical best practices and focuses on long-term success.

11. Ability to Analyse and Use Data Effectively

SEO isn’t just about making changes - it’s about measuring impact and adjusting strategies based on data.

A skilled SEO expert:

Uses tools like Google Analytics, Search Console, and third-party SEO software to track performance.
Identifies what’s working and what’s not, then adjusts accordingly.
Looks beyond vanity metrics (like impressions) and focuses on conversion rates and revenue growth.

SEO is a data-driven field, and the best experts know how to interpret and act on that data to improve results.

Final Thoughts

Hiring an SEO professional isn’t just about boosting rankings - it’s about conducting your SEO in a better way.

A good SEO expert will:

Improve your website’s visibility on search engines.
Drive more organic traffic that converts into sales.
Keep your business ahead of competitors.

But choosing the wrong SEO expert can:

Waste your time and money.
Damage your site’s reputation and rankings.
Use shady tactics that could get you penalised by Google.

So take your time. Ask the right questions. Look for real results, not empty promises. When you find the right SEO professional, it’s an investment that pays off for years to come.