- Discover basic SEO techniques and lingo. It is impossible to properly vet prospective consultants if you don't understand the services you expect them to provide and the answers that you'll get. SEO strategist and Search Engine Land columnist Jessica Bowman cautions that some SEO consultants participate in risky online tactics, sometimes called black-hat techniques, to obtain results for their clients. These techniques usually backfire, and engaging in them could wind up together with your website not showing up in any search results. You should be in the position to recognize the difference between negative and positive SEO practices, and avoid hiring those who suggest potentially risky tactics.
- Determine exactly what you require from an SEO consultant, which could be higher rankings in the various search engines, more targeted website traffic or better sales conversions. Each one of these goals requires a different skill from an SEO specialist. Search engine optimisation is multifaceted, including tasks such as pay-per-click strategies, proper utilization of keywords and strategic backlinking strategies. The SEO consultant that you ultimately hire must have a broad range of skills, but be particularly adept in the equipment that are most important to your organization.
- Request recommendations. SEOMoz.com CEO Rand Fishkin advises that you reach out to your social network for names of trustworthy SEO consultants. He also recommends that you turn to online blogs, websites and forums that are respected in the SEO industry and ask for their advice. Be sure to share your goals and needs to help these sources give tailored recommendations.
- Interview prospective consultants, asking thorough as well as pointed questions. "Entrepreneur" columnist and SEO specialist Jon Rognerud recommends that you simply question prospective consultants on what changes they plan to make aimed at your website, what types of linking strategies they employ, that they communicate with clients and what their qualifications tend to be.
- Check references, rankings and claims. Do not hire SEO consultant before you have spoken with previous clients, and never depend on testimonials posted on the consultants' websites. Try to find the consultants' websites online to determine how their own websites rank. If they are buried in the various search engines, question the consultant about their performance on their very own website or avoid that consultant altogether.
