Google says not to write for search engines, but as marketers, we know SEO is a critical ranking factor.
Search engine spiders and content raters look for specific things. Readability. Expertise. Trustworthiness.
And don’t forget the “A” in E-A-T: Authority.
The problem is that you can’t follow SEO best practices and hope your content magically appears in the SERPs. You need proven, custom strategies for your specific business and target audience.
That’s why you need to know how to find a good SEO consultant.
But how can you find the right SEO consultant for your business?
Keep reading to find out.
The value of a good SEO consultant
One of the most common questions I hear is, “Why can’t I just do SEO myself?”
It’s a legitimate question, and I understand the sentiment behind it. SEO isn’t cheap, and it’s not a quick fix. So, why doesn’t every good business owner (or at least small business owner and startup) DIY their SEO? Well, the truth is that a lot of them do — and regret it.
SEO takes a lot of knowledge and skill to do well. That’s why it’s not cheap to hire a good SEO consultant. But, when SEO is done properly, it becomes the backbone of your business. According to research, 53.3% of all web traffic originates from organic search, while only 27% comes from paid ads.
That’s why SEO is worth it.
SEO drives new customers to your website (or landing page, or wherever you want to drive them) so your sales team can work their magic and close more deals. Without those organic leads, you’d miss out on over half of your potential traffic.
Once you decide the investment into SEO is worth it, you just need to find an SEO specialist with the skills and expertise to achieve your business goals.
Top 7 tips on how to find a good SEO consultant
Here are seven ways to help you find an SEO to meet your needs.
Ask for receipts
Ask potential SEO consultants to provide concrete evidence that their tactics work. You need screenshots, reports, and trackers that show how they scaled their clients’ online visibility.
Ideally, you need to be able to see how that helped the SEO’s client achieve their specific goals.
For example, did link-building strategies help a brand gain valuable backlinks and authority in their industry, as requested? Did funnel-based content help clients attract and convert aligned prospects to help them reach their Q2 sales goals?
When working with an SEO expert, you need them to tailor their approach to your organization’s needs. By asking for receipts and connecting the dots between the effort and the end result, you can find a consultant who puts their money where their mouth is.
For example, one of my favorite receipts is sharing how I increased Monday.com’s organic traffic by 77.84%.
I’ve shared this on X, LinkedIn, and my blog and spoken about it in video Q&As to which I was invited.
By creating webinars, blog posts, and social media posts sharing my exact strategies, I’ve built trust with and scaled SEO for over 100 SaaS brands.
It also helps that my clients validate their experiences 😉
These are the receipts you need to ask for.
Examine their expertise
Beyond experience with clients, dig into the SEO’s expertise. All SEOs should have basic knowledge of technical SEO, on-page, and off-page SEO. But if you have a specific project in mind that requires more advanced expertise, be sure your candidate meets those needs.
For example, technical SEO is its own sub-niche, and not all SEOs are well-versed in its nuances. When you need help with technical SEO, you need someone who knows exactly what they’re doing. This is the time to get referrals from LinkedIn or colleagues — not hire someone from Fiverr or Upwork.
Look for social proof
Vet out SEO professionals beyond the receipts they’ve shared with you. You’re looking for reviews, customer testimonials, and ratings from *other people* to find reliable contenders.
For example, use social listening software to get a feel for an SEO’s overall brand sentiment and to see what kind of brand mentions they’ve received. If you come across a slew of negative brand mentions — that’s a red flag. If the SEO responds unprofessionally or without a solution to negative commenters, that’s another red flag.
LinkedIn is also packed with insights.
See how the SEO interacts with others on their page and other profiles. And watch how others interact with them.
Do other brands see them as trusted thought leaders? Do they have rave reviews with trusted sources like Clutch and G2?
What about LinkedIn testimonials or brand collaborations? If SEO is consistently featured in interviews and reputable websites, you’re looking at green flags.
You can also check PR results and other media mentions.
For instance, featuring in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 doesn’t hurt (cough, cough).
Invest in sample plans
When you’ve narrowed down a potential consultant, it’s time to invest in an SEO strategy sample plan to see if the consultant’s vision aligns with your end goal.
For instance, if you’re looking to drive more trial subscriptions, the consultant’s content creation plan should map out how the SEO strategy could generate subscribers. The plan will need to account for lead nurturing and cater to different sales funnel stages to nudge prospects to sign up. It also needs to have a foundation in search intent.
The consultant may not be the right fit for your business if the plan doesn’t factor in the steps audiences naturally take to become subscribers.
Book sales meetings
Get on a video sales call with SEO agencies to put a face to a name.
Come prepared with questions to learn more about their process, who else they’ll be working with, and to set expectations.
Ask what SEO tools they use, why they use the strategies they do, and who their niche market is. (Hint: If you’re a SaaS company — you want a team that knows how to scale SaaS SEO, not D2C SEO.)
This is also a great time to bring up the receipts they provided and the social proof you’ve come across in your research. Ask what motivated them to use those specific approaches and why they’re passionate about SEO growth.
It takes an agency that not only says they know SEO, but that also lives, breathes, and sleeps SEO to take your online presence to the next level.
Be sure to also discuss the sample plan they provided. Do you have any concerns about it? Are you unclear on the value? Is the quoted price in your budget range? Be honest and share any concerns or questions you may have.
Before ending the meeting, ask them to send you any literature you can read about what it’d be like to work with them. Be sure to also ask what the next steps would be if you choose to invest.
For instance …
- Who will be your point of contact (POC) throughout the process?
- What kind of work agreements do you need to sign?
- What will onboarding look like?
- How long will the project take?
- How can you remit payment?
Then, book a follow-up meeting so you can get on the same page before officially moving forward or walking away. Ensure that you record the meeting so you can review their responses later and share key takeaways with your stakeholders.
Gauge organizational alignment
During the second meeting, look for alignment signals — and have a few trusted stakeholders on the call with you.
For instance, does the consultant’s communication style align with yours? Do their marketing team members interact well with yours? How do they prefer to communicate—through WhatsApp messages, collaborative tools, or email?
What about cultural fit? Do you have shared brand values, ethics, and goals?
Consider the logistics, too. Is onboarding seamless? What about integration with their tech stack, project timelines, and style of work?
Friction in any of these areas will cause you stress. You’re looking for a smooth customer experience, an organizational fit, and a team you genuinely respect and enjoy connecting with.
Before ending the second call, set a plan to follow up. Let the team know you’ll be meeting with stakeholders privately to discuss the SEO plan and make a final decision.
You can also ask the agency if they have any specific marketing content they’ve created for fellow decision-makers — like slide presentations, whitepapers, or case studies. If so, bring them to your stakeholder meeting.
Get the okay from stakeholders
If you’re a board member, or co-founder, or have hands-on investors, get the green light from relevant decision-makers before choosing an SEO service provider.
An SEO campaign with big-picture business goals isn’t cheap. And if it is — that’s another red flag.
SEOs don’t just add keywords to your website and refresh blog content. They work with teams — sometimes with 40+ people — to get you the results you’re craving.
They have SEO strategists, researchers, subject-matter expert writers, editors, stagers, designers, QA analysts, and more. Nearly every piece of content will pass through these hands at some point to maintain consistent production quality and help you reach your goals.
And all of that work requires an investment.
Make sure your stakeholders are aware of the cost and understand the “why” behind it. Show them the track record the SEO provided, the social proof you pulled, and the sample plan. Be sure to also provide them with any slides or literature the consultant handed you.
Finally, discuss why you think the SEO consultant aligns with your organization. Talk about shared values, communication styles, cultural fit — and if you’d enjoy working with their team.
For instance, at uSERP, we prioritize working with people we genuinely like. It’s not about alienating anyone. It’s about knowing we do our best work when we enjoy the team members and clients we’re working with.
Final thoughts on how to find a good SEO consultant
Now that I’ve given you my top seven tips on how to find a good SEO consultant, it’s time to apply those tips to your search. After your business chooses an SEO consultant, set a communication cadence so you can stay in touch throughout the process.
You might touch base on Slack each week, check in via email after milestones, or set up check-in calls throughout the project timeline.
This is also a pivotal time to discuss any pain points your organization has.
For instance, maybe you worked with an SEO in the past, but they didn’t give you the results they promised. Or maybe you’re worried about investing a substantial amount into a marketing campaign without knowing if it’ll pay off. Or maybe you’re a stickler about fast response times.
The right SEO team will honor your pain points and do their best to solve them.
Before kicking off the partnership, tell your consultant what SEO success means to you. Give them a vivid picture they can keep top-of-mind as they help you reach your goals. This can also help them further tailor the experience for you.
Speaking of customization …
That’s my specialty.
I love workshopping a brand’s SEO struggles and creating a customized solution. I’m also not a consultant who’ll tell you that SEO takes forever to see results. With my scaling expertise, I help SaaS brands get massive results in just a few months — guaranteed.
Want to learn more? Book an intro call with me now.
