Hiring an SEO specialist for your business: selection criteria

“The Magician Behind the Scenes”: What Does an SEO Specialist Do?

If your website is a stage, then an SEO specialist is the director who manages all the processes behind the scenes so that the main performance receives a standing ovation. His job is a set of actions aimed at getting your business to the top positions in search engines and staying there.

The main tasks of an SEO specialist:

• Site Audit: This is a starting point that allows you to understand what is working and what needs fixing. From slow page loading to incorrect structure, everything is taken into account.
• Content optimization. SEO is not just about keywords. It’s also about creating content that both users and search engines like.
• Competitor analysis. Understanding what your competitors are doing allows you to take a more advantageous position in the market.
• Strategy development. A long-term action plan that includes technical optimization, link building, and results monitoring.

An SEO specialist also monitors changes in search engine algorithms to ensure that your site always meets current requirements. This is a specialist who ensures not only visibility, but also a constant flow of quality traffic to your site.

As a result, you get not just good statistics, but a real tool for attracting customers.

Time to act: is it time for SEO in your business?

Your company is actively developing, but the website remains just a business card? Do you feel that there could be more customers? These are the first signals that it is time to pay attention to SEO.

Signs that your business needs SEO:

• Low traffic. If only friends and acquaintances visit your site, this is a warning sign. Your audience is not finding you among your competitors.
• It’s hard to compete. There are many players in your niche, and they all already occupy favorable positions in search.
• You launch a new product. Customers search for it on Google, but you don’t appear in the search results.
• Advertising is becoming more expensive. Constantly pouring money into advertising is not always profitable. SEO allows you to get organic traffic without daily advertising costs.

SEO is needed at every stage of business development:

• For  new companies , it helps them gain a foothold in the market.
• For  small businesses , it means competing with big players.
• For  corporations , it is to strengthen brand authority and maintain leadership positions.

The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll see results. SEO is a long-term investment that starts working for you today and pays off tomorrow.

TOP 5 criteria for choosing an SEO specialist

Choosing an SEO specialist is like finding a partner for a long-term relationship. The wrong decision can cost you time, money, and reputation. Here’s what to look for to find a true professional.

Experience and reputation

SEO is an industry where results speak louder than certificates. Ask about the experience: in which industries the specialist has worked, what projects he has dealt with.

Practical example: Pay attention to whether the specialist has experience working in your niche. For example, a restaurant strategy is significantly different from B2B approaches.

Cases and results

Ask to see real examples of work: how an SEO specialist influenced traffic growth or improved search rankings.

Tip: Be careful with graphs without context. For example, the increase in traffic could be temporary or due to advertising rather than optimization.

Technical skills

A good specialist should know the basics of HTML, understand the structure of the site, be able to work with analysis tools (Google Analytics, Search Console, SEMrush). Test: ask them to explain how they will fix common errors, such as slow page loading.

Soft skills

The ability to communicate clearly and explain the results of your work is an important component. SEO is not magic, and you need to understand what is happening and why.

Checklist: pay attention to whether the specialist is willing to answer your questions and does not avoid discussions.

Relevance of knowledge

Google algorithms are constantly changing, so a good SEO specialist always updates their knowledge.

Questions to check: What does he know about the latest updates, such as EEAT algorithms or Core Web Vitals?

Don’t just choose based on promises, but on real evidence of competence. SEO is a game where it’s not about getting off to a quick start, but about persistence and a strategic approach.

Professionalism test: how to check a specialist before cooperation

Choosing the right SEO specialist is half the battle, but how can you make sure they really know their stuff? Checking their professional skills and work approaches is a key step that will help you avoid disappointment.

List of interview questions

Invite the candidate to answer a few practical questions:

• How do you determine the most effective keywords?
• What do you do if your site has received a penalty from Google?
• What technical errors most often affect SEO, and how do you fix them?

Case and results review

Ask the specialist to provide examples of completed projects. Be sure to specify:

• What exactly was the result achieved through his work?
• Was the customer satisfied?

Tip: If the cases are too general or lack detail, this may be a red flag.

Practical task

Give a little test:

• Audit your site and provide recommendations for improvement.
• Offer a strategy plan based on your niche.

Result: qualitative analysis with detailed proposals demonstrates professionalism.

Using tools

Find out what SEO tools the specialist works with. The basic ones should include:

• Google Analytics and Search Console
• Ahrefs, SEMrush, Screaming Frog

The question is: how does he apply these tools in practice? For example, to analyze competitors or optimize the loading speed of a website.

Attention to detail

A true SEO expert always pays attention to details. For example, does he ask you for access to analytics that are basic to assessing the health of the site? Does he try to understand your business goals?

A qualification check is your insurance against the costs of an unscrupulous specialist. A professional will always be able to justify their decisions and show the results of their work.

Freelancer or agency: which is better for your business?

The choice between a freelancer and an SEO agency is a question that many businesses face. Each option has its pros and cons, and the decision depends on your goals, budget, and the scope of the task. Let’s take a look at what’s right for you.

Freelancer: individual approach and flexibility

Advantages:

• Often the cost of services is lower compared to agencies.
• Personal attention to your project.
• Flexibility in work and the ability to make changes quickly.

Disadvantages:

• One specialist may not have all the necessary qualifications (e.g., technical SEO, copywriting, analytics).
• Dependence on one person: If a freelancer gets sick or goes on vacation, your project may come to a halt.

Agency: a team of experts under one roof

Advantages:

• Comprehensive approach: the agency usually employs specialists from various areas of SEO.
• More resources for large-scale projects.
• A clear contract and guarantees of work performance.

Disadvantages:

• Higher prices due to team support costs.
• Less personalized approach: In large agencies, your project may become “one of many.”

How to make a choice

Determine your needs: do you need a single service (e.g. content optimization) or a comprehensive approach?

Assess the budget and timeline: are you ready to invest in long-term collaboration?

Ask about previous experience working on similar projects.

Ultimately, both freelancers and agencies can deliver results if you have a clear understanding of what you need. The key is to find a partner who can help you make your goals a reality.

Red flags: how to recognize an unscrupulous SEO specialist

Choosing the wrong SEO specialist can turn into a nightmare for your business: loss of reputation, penalties from Google, and wasted money. But the worst thing is wasted time that could be spent on real development. Here’s how to avoid the pitfalls and spot the “red flags” in time.

“We guarantee the first place on Google!”

No one can guarantee top positions, and every professional will tell you this. Google’s algorithms are too complex to be manipulated without consequences.

How to spot it: Ask them to explain exactly how they plan to achieve this. A response like “we have our own methods” is a sure sign of fraud.

Lack of reports or overly technical language

A real SEO specialist will provide regular reports in plain language. If you receive graphs without explanations or general phrases like “we optimized everything,” be wary.

Tip: Ask for a specific report for the past month with results.

Using “gray” or “black” SEO

Some experts resort to tricks: buying low-quality links, automatically generating content, or stuffing the site with keywords. This may give short-term results, but in the long run it will be harmful.

How to check: Ask them what methods they use. Avoid those who evade the answer.

Low price without clear justification

If you are promised everything right away for a penny, be wary. Good SEO is an investment that requires resources and time.

Checklist: Compare prices with market prices. If they are much lower, it is a reason to think.

Lack of contract

“Let’s work without unnecessary bureaucracy” is another trap. The contract is your insurance that protects against poor-quality work and unfulfilled obligations.

Solution: Always enter into a contract with the results you expect.

Unrealistic promises

If you hear phrases like “guaranteed traffic doubling in two weeks” or “no risks,” that’s a signal to stop. SEO is not magic, but painstaking work that takes time.

Safety tips:

• Ask about long-term strategy, not quick results.
• Check reviews on independent platforms like Clutch or Upwork.
• Pay attention to whether the candidate himself is well visible on Google: if his website or profile is difficult to find, this is already a worrying sign.

An unscrupulous SEO specialist is like a minefield: one wrong move and your business is in trouble. Armed with knowledge, you can avoid the pitfalls and find someone who will truly lead your website to success.

Choosing an SEO specialist is a strategic decision that affects not only the visibility of your website, but also the long-term development of your business. The right candidate is not someone who promises “miraculous” results in two weeks, but someone who is willing to invest their experience and time into creating a strategy that will work for you for years.

Remember that:

• SEO is a long-term game. Results take time, but the right approach ensures steady growth.
• Your participation is important. Even the best specialist cannot succeed without your input and understanding of the business goals.
• Professionalism is immediately visible. Those who promise instant change are often actually taking risks that could cost you your reputation.

Choose a partner who not only knows how the search engine works, but also understands how this system can work for you. After all, a true SEO specialist is not a task performer, but an ally in achieving your business goals.

Make the right choice — and let your site always be among the first!