What does an SEO Consultant do?

Are you looking to improve your SEO rankings? An SEO consultant could be a good option.

You may already be familiar with SEO basics, but you might struggle to achieve the results you desire, given all your other work.

A consultant in SEO could be your solution. These consultants are independent experts that offer a variety of services to improve your rankings.

An SEO consultant is a multi-faceted job that requires many different skills. They work independently and can't be influenced by an agency. They can be an ideal fit for businesses struggling to rank.

If you've ever asked yourself:

• What is SEO?
• What does an SEO consultant do?
• Do you require an SEO consultant?
• How do you find the best SEO consultant?
• Do I need to see an SEO agency?

This article is for you.

All of these questions are answered and more. You'll learn everything you need about SEO consultants and the work they do.

What does an SEO consultant do for their clients?

SEO consultants offer a variety of services to clients in order to improve their rankings. They can implement the following strategies and best practices:

• Conduct an SEO Audit. An SEO audit is a detailed analysis of the website's ability rank in search engines. This will examine your website's content, technical SEO and backlinks. It also considers competitors. A site audit will reveal ways that a site could improve its SEO, and provide a strategy to do so.

• Keyword research. Keyword research refers to the process of finding relevant keywords for which a website should rank. A business that has never done SEO before may not be targeting the right keywords. It doesn't matter if the company has worked with an SEO agency before.

• On-page SEO. On-page SEO refers to optimizing technical aspects of a website in order to comply with Google's best practices. This could include optimizing the site's content and meta tags, improving site speed and security.

• Link building. Higher quality links will make it easier to rank for keywords with high competition. An SEO consultant might create one or more link-building campaigns to increase a site’s authority.

A monthly report will be provided by an SEO consultant to clients. This report will include current rankings and work done by the consultant.

Signs That You Need an SEO Consultant

When you need an SEO consultant, it's often obvious. It's a smart idea to hire an SEO consultant if your website isn’t generating organic traffic leads or conversions.

These are other signs that it is time to see a professional.

Flatlining Website Traffic

Search engine traffic is the best indicator that an SEO strategy has been successful. If your traffic isn’t growing over time or declining, then you need to either work with an SEO consultant (or replace the one that is already in place).

Some businesses won't need search traffic. These businesses are rare. Search traffic can be important even if you think it isn't. 51% of online shoppers use Google to find information about the purchase they are making. This is a large audience that you're missing if your website doesn't rank on Google.

Google Penalized You

Are your rankings suffering from a Google core update that has caused a drop in traffic? Google may have penalized you for violating its best practices. Google penalties can be difficult to resolve without the assistance of a search professional. You could also do more harm if you try to solve the problem yourself.

An SEO consultant might be the best option if you receive an email similar to the one below.

An SEO consultant can help your site recover from a penality and avoid additional penalties by following Google's webmaster guidelines.

Your In House Team isn't working

Many businesses attempt to hire an experienced marketing manager or build their own SEO team. This is not always a good idea. An SEO consultant will not only be more knowledgeable than an in-house team but will also be less expensive — even if there is just one person in your SEO department.

Too Busy to do SEO

Your marketing manager or you may be an SEO expert, but it's unlikely that you will have the time or resources to implement strategies to increase your rankings.

SEO is an important channel for marketing, but other tasks are more important. It's a smart decision to outsource the work of an SEO consultant if you are rushed dealing with suppliers, customers, and shareholders.

How to Find an SEO Consultant

It's not difficult to find an SEO consultant. Finding a good SEO consultant is not difficult. Let's first look at the most popular ways to find an SEO expert:

• Talk to your network. Talking to people you trust and know is a great way to find a SEO consultant. A friend or colleague who is a manager of a successful SEO company will often recommend them. You'll be able to trust them and know that they can deliver.

• Run a Google search. Google is an excellent search engine for finding SEO consultants. Google gives you over 45 million results when you search for SEO consultants. A good chance that a consultant ranks well on Google means they are knowledgeable. However, this should not be the only factor that you consider when making a decision. Google rankings don't necessarily mean that they can do the same for you.

img alt="Search results by the term SEO consultant" class="wp-image-166213" height="411" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" src="https://neilpatel.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/SEO_consultant2-700×411.jpg" srcset="https://neilpatel.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/SEO_consultant2-700×411.jpg 700w, https://neilpatel.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/SEO_consultant2-350×205.jpg 350w, https://neilpatel.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/SEO_consultant2-768×451.jpg 768w, https://neilpatel.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/SEO_consultant2-1536×901.jpg 1536w, https://neilpatel.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/SEO_consultant2.jpg 1999w" width="700"/>

• Use online directories. Many online directories collect reviews of SEO professionals. G2, Clutch and UpCity are good places to start. These reviews should be taken with a grain of salt. A consultant's ranking doesn't necessarily mean that they are the best. They are similar to Google and can be used to narrow down your search for the right candidate.

img alt="Online directory Clutch. class="wp-image-166214" height="214" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" src="https://neilpatel.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/SEO_consultant5-700×214.jpg" srcset="https://neilpatel.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/SEO_consultant5-700×214.jpg 700w, https://neilpatel.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/SEO_consultant5-350×107.jpg 350w, https://neilpatel.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/SEO_consultant5-768×235.jpg 768w, https://neilpatel.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/SEO_consultant5-1536×470.jpg 1536w, https://neilpatel.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/SEO_consultant5.jpg 1999w" width="700"/>

• Browse through SEO blogs. Search Engine Land, Search Engine Journal, and The Moz Blog are all great places to find potential SEO consultants. These blogs don't only host opinions from journalists, but SEO professionals regularly write how-tos on these blogs.

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• Post on job boards. Post your job ad on job boards such as Upwork, AngelList and Dynamite Jobs. This method has the advantage that SEO consultants can come to you. All you need to do is interview them. Many of these job boards screen applicants before they allow them to apply.

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The Traits of a Good SEO Consultant

Great SEO consultants are distinguished by a number of traits. When interviewing candidates, I recommend that you consider the following traits.

Many years of experience. A rookie SEO consultant is not the best choice. An SEO consultant who has been in the business for a while will be more successful. They will have worked on more websites, have a better understanding about what works, and have more case studies to support their success.

Tested results. A string of case studies is a must for any SEO consultant. They should be able show the results of their work and what it did to improve the rankings of a client. They should be willing to connect you with past clients.

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Long-term vision. An SEO consultant who's committed to your success for the long-term is important. Not someone who will just leave you for another client in a few months. Choose a consultant that explains long-term SEO benefits to your business, and gives you a roadmap on how you can get there.

Views the larger picture. SEO is only one aspect of a comprehensive marketing strategy. A good SEO consultant will understand that. They should be able to help you integrate your SEO strategy with other marketing initiatives, and they should also be open to working with other departments within your company to achieve your larger marketing goals.

SEO Consultants vs. SEO Agencies

You don't have to hire SEO consultants in order to increase your rankings. An SEO agency is also available. SEO agencies may have five to ten employees, while SEO consultants are typically one-person businesses.

Although there are some similarities between what an SEO consultant can offer clients and what an SEO agency can, there are still significant differences.

SEO Experts Might Need Your Assistance, SEO Agencies Won’t

You'll likely be looking for a one-on-one service if you decide to work with an SEO consultant. You might not know that SEO consultants will likely need your assistance to improve their rankings. SEO consultants are often freelancers and don't have the resources or time to offer a complete service. This means that they can ask your team for help with SEO tasks such as writing additional content, changing your website, or performing other SEO-related tasks.

This is very different than an SEO agency which can perform all SEO tasks in-house.

Agencies are more expensive, but you get more for your money

SEO consultants will often charge more for their services than agencies. This is because agencies have overheads to pay staff and overheads to cover. SEO consultants work remotely. An SEO consultant may be the best option for smaller businesses.

Other businesses might be willing to pay more to get more value from an agency. An agency allows you to access dozens of experts instead of just one. You will get your work done faster if you have more people working on your project. You'll likely see results quicker if you have more people working on your project.

Great Advice from both consultants and agencies

You'll still get excellent advice if you choose an SEO agency or consultant who is reputable. Many agencies and consultants are passionate about their work, attend the right conferences, and try cutting-edge techniques. While you may have access to more experts when working with an SEO agency it doesn't mean that an SEO consultant is less qualified.

FAQs

Conclusion

Small businesses can get amazing results from SEO consultants, helping to improve every aspect of SEO. A good SEO consultant can help with everything, from link building to optimization.

They aren't necessarily the best choice for every business. An SEO agency may be a better option for some businesses. An SEO agency can help you achieve more work in a shorter time and will also increase your profits.

You can search the same areas and look for similar traits whether you are looking to hire an SEO consultant or agency. You can also ask my agency for assistance.

What's the best choice for your company? A SEO agency or a consultant?

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By: Neil Patel
Title: What is an SEO Consultant and What Do They Do?
Sourced From: neilpatel.com/blog/what-is-an-seo-consultant/
Published Date: Sun, 11 Sep 2022 07:00:00 +0000