Hiring any SEO consultant may not provide you with desired results so It’s important to enroll potential SEO consultants thoroughly before you consider working with them .First do your own research, what do you expect from the consultant and what results you want then begin the research to hire . So here we are with some of the list of questions you can ask your SEO consultant before hiring them.

What background do you have in SEO?

Start by the basics question to know their experience and expertise in the subject they are offering.For which industries they have worked with? Who were their clients? The years of experience do not matter with the right candidate, the struggles they overcome and the results they brought matter the most.If they hesitate to provide you with their past results , this is an instant red flag that they can’t be a confident choice for your business.

What’s your specialization?

SEO touches so many industries, it’s almost impossible to be an expert in all of them.For this reason it will be beneficial to ask beforehand if the SEO consultant has worked with the type of your industry and do they strengths lie in the same.For example, an SEO consultant may have 10 years of e-commerce experience which makes them a good strength for an e-commerce business but not the best candidate for a SaaS business.It make an sense to hire Portland SEO Consultant who already has experience in your industry or has worked with a similar business before.

What do you require to get started?

When you ask the SEO consultant this question, the answer you’re looking for is for them to ask whether your site has undergone any previous SEO work. The reason for this is are they fair in their work or they will just charge you again for work that might have been done already.Here are some questions that they may ask you:Has any keyword research been done?Is there a content plan? Has an SEO audit been completed?Have you done any link building? Are there any SEO reports? If an SEO consultant shows an interest in the work that has already been completed on the website, it’s a good sign that they’re efficient and prepared to do a good job.

What will be your tactics and strategies with a site like mine?

When you ask this question you want to know if they are trying new things and are they up to date with goggle algorithms and what their driving business results will look like. You want real experiences, real stories, about how things have shifted and what other industry experts are using to drive results for their clients.

What SEO tools do you use?

Portland SEO rely on a variety of tools and software to structure data, track progress, and optimize websites.What tools they have used or have knowledge about is the most important green flag in an candidate some of the major tools they should talk about are Ahrefs, Screaming Frog,BuzzStream,Pitchbox,Google Search Console (GSC),Google Analytics (GA),Google Looker Studio (GLS),Surfer and Hunter.

Do you guarantee SEO results?

If they answer this question with a yes,don’t make a mistake to consider that consultant as your preferred candidate.No matter how professional an SEO consultant is, they can’t “guarantee results” in SEO. There are too many variables and ranking criteria involved in SEO ranking. Google Algorithms updates evolve rapidly, it’s hard for even the most experienced SEO consultants to accurately forecast what’s around the corner in terms of SEO. 

Do you have an Minimum Project Engagement Length

This question is key to ask during the first conversation so that you know what to expect when they send you a proposal for strategy. So many times a business is caught by surprise that the consultant has a 12 month minimum for projects. You should look at an engagement as an investment rather than just a transaction, and to ask them for other clients they can speak with, be aware of your own limits when it comes to commitment. As long as expectations are clear,most consultants should be willing to do an initial three month engagement then go month to month.

What’s your approach to Google’s guidelines?

There’s no correct  answer to this question, however going with the right approach is important as it may break or break a website. Many SEO consultants have had great success walking between the lines of Google’s guidelines and have got excellent results. Still, the sustainability of these strategies are short lived and not ideal for a business owner looking to expand their business for the long term.

On the other hand Breaking Google’s guidelines also comes with a high deal of risk. At best, it could result in an algorithmic penalty and at worst it could result in a manual penalty, usually ending the website.The path you take here depends on your risk appetite. But my advice in most cases is to go with an SEO consultant who doesn’t try to break Google’s guidelines. 

How much will you charge?

It doesn’t matter how skilled an SEO consultant is. If they’re out of your budget range, you won’t be able to work with them so discuss it to get your clarity in the first meeting itself . Every consultant has a different pattern of charging per hour,day or month. It has been said that the longer a consultant has been in the business, the more they’re likely to charge.

Finding a decent SEO consultant to improve your website’s organic visibility can be difficult . Before you find a suitable fit ,you may have to work with several SEO consultants. Do Not hire anybody only on basis of experience and low budget, think twice if they can be the right fit for your business website .The Perfect SEO consultant will take interest in your website optimization and will consider your company as their company.