Table of Content
How do you hire an SEO expert?
Define your goal and budget, shortlist providers with relevant experience, interview each one with the same questions, ask for an audit or a sample plan, check references, and agree on deliverables, reporting and account ownership in writing. Google advises asking about past work, expected results and timeframe, how success is measured, and how every change will be documented. Walk away from anyone who guarantees rankings or claims a special relationship with Google.
- Start with the problem, not the provider. A site launch, a traffic drop, a local visibility gap and an ecommerce growth plan each need a different kind of SEO expert.
- Google lists questions to ask and red flags to avoid: guaranteed rankings, a special relationship with Google, secretive plans, link schemes and requests that you link to the SEO.
- Choose the engagement type to match the need: a consultant or freelancer for advice and audits, an agency for a broad program, an in-house hire for a long-running function.
- Rates vary widely. In an Ahrefs poll of 439 providers, agencies averaged $3,209 a month on retainers against about $1,349 for freelancers (page updated August 15, 2024).
- Give read-only Search Console access for an audit and keep ownership of your analytics, website and ad accounts.
- CommercePundit runs SEO programs for ecommerce and B2B sites, including AI search visibility.
When do you need to hire an SEO expert?
Google says a small local business can probably do much of the work itself, and that the best time to bring in an SEO is early in a redesign or new site launch (Google Search Central). Hire when one of these is true:
- You are redesigning, replatforming or migrating a site and cannot afford to lose rankings.
- Organic traffic has dropped and you do not know why.
- Your site has technical problems your developers have not been able to fix.
- Competitors are far ahead and you need a plan, not just a checklist.
- You sell online and need category, product and content pages built to rank at scale.
If none of these apply, a paid audit and a plan may be enough. Our local SEO guide for small businesses and Shopify SEO checklist cover what you can do before you hire.
Which type of SEO professional should you hire?
Before you hire an SEO expert or hire an SEO consultant, decide which engagement fits. The right choice depends on your site, your team and your budget.
| Option | Best for | Typical cost signal (Ahrefs poll averages) | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freelance SEO | A defined task or a small site | About $1,349 a month retainer; $71.59 an hour | One person covers every skill; availability |
| SEO consultant | Strategy, audits and training your team | About $171.18 an hour | Advice without implementation unless your team acts |
| SEO agency | A broad program across technical, content and links | About $3,209 a month retainer | Account turnover; junior staff doing the work |
| In-house SEO | A long-running function in a larger business | Salary, tools and management time | Hard to hire; one person, one perspective |
| Hybrid | Agency or consultant for strategy, your team for execution | Varies | Needs clear ownership of tasks |
The averages come from the Ahrefs poll of 439 providers and use upper band bounds for hourly rates, so treat them as direction, not quotes. For a full cost breakdown, see our guide to how much SEO costs. If you are shortlisting agencies, our comparisons of ecommerce SEO agencies and AI SEO agencies show how providers can be evaluated side by side.
How to hire an SEO expert, step by step
- Write the brief. Goal (leads, orders, local calls), budget range, timeline, who will implement changes, and access you can give.
- Shortlist three to five providers. Look for relevant work in your industry and size, not just big client names.
- Interview each with the same questions. Use the table below and take notes.
- Ask for an audit or a sample plan. Pay for it if needed. Give read-only Search Console access, not write access.
- Check references. Ask a past client what changed and how long it took.
- Compare proposals on deliverables, not on price alone.
- Start small. Agree on a first period with clear checkpoints.
How to choose an SEO company: what to look for and what to ask
| Question | What a good answer sounds like | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Can you show past work and success stories? | Specific cases with the problem, the actions and the measured result | Only logos or vague claims |
| Do you follow Google Search Essentials? | Yes, and they explain what that means for link building and content | Dismissing the guidelines |
| What results should I expect, in what timeframe, and how will success be measured? | A range, the factors that change it, and metrics tied to leads or revenue | A guaranteed ranking or a fixed date for page one |
| What is your experience in my industry and market? | Relevant examples and an honest account of the differences | Claiming expertise in everything |
| How will you communicate and document changes? | A reporting rhythm, a change log, a named contact | Secrecy about what is being done |
| Who will actually do the work? | Named people and roles | Senior pitch, junior delivery with no disclosure |
| How do you build links and authority? | Content, digital PR and outreach you can see | Bulk packages, private networks, requests that you link to them |
| What do you need from us? | Access, content approvals, developer time | “Nothing, we handle it” |
| How do you handle AI search visibility? | A clear scope, how it is measured and what is not controllable | Promising to control what AI tools say |
When deciding what to look for in an SEO company, weigh answers to these questions more heavily than the sales pitch. They mirror the list Google suggests, with the ones about who does the work, link building and AI search added.
What red flags should make you walk away?
Google names specific warning signs. Add your own judgment about pricing and process:
- Guaranteed rankings. Google says no one can guarantee a number one ranking.
- A “special relationship” with Google or a “priority submit” service.
- Unsolicited emails offering to fix your search visibility.
- Secretive or vague plans. You should understand what is being changed and why.
- Requests that you link to them. Google says you should never have to link to an SEO.
- Link schemes and mass submission to search engines.
- Deceptive content tactics that can get a site removed from the index.
- Tools described as “approved” by Google. Google does not endorse third-party tools.
- A price far below the market with fast results promised. Compare it with the ranges in our guide to SEO tools and the Ahrefs averages above.
What access should you give an SEO expert?
| Stage | Access to give | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Audit | Read-only Search Console and analytics | An audit only needs data, and Google advises against giving write access at this stage |
| Active work | Role-based access to the website or CMS, a staging site, and a change log | Changes should be explained and reversible |
| Server or FTP | Only if needed, with every change documented | Higher risk, so keep a record |
| Accounts | Keep ownership of your analytics, Search Console, domain and hosting | You must be able to leave without losing assets |
What should a proposal and contract include?
- Scope and monthly deliverables, listed by workstream.
- Reporting: what is reported, how often, and which numbers tie to leads or revenue.
- Timeline and checkpoints, including when you will review progress and decide whether to continue.
- Link and content policy, including that no paid link schemes will be used.
- Ownership: accounts, content and any tools set up for you stay yours.
- Notice period and exit terms, including handover of documentation.
- Price and what is billed separately, such as tools and content.
What should the first 90 days look like?
| Period | Focus | What you should see |
|---|---|---|
| First month | Audit, access, baseline, priorities | A prioritized list of fixes and a reporting baseline from Search Console and analytics |
| Second month | Technical fixes, on-page work, first content | A change log and the first pages updated or published |
| Third month | Content and authority work, early signals | Movement in impressions, queries and indexed pages, plus a revised plan |
| After 90 days | Review against the agreed checkpoints | A decision to continue, adjust or stop, based on the metrics agreed at the start |
Do not expect revenue to move in the first weeks. Google does not publish a timeframe, which is why it tells you to ask your SEO what to expect and how success will be measured. Hold the provider to the answer. If paid search is also in your plan, see how agencies compare in top PPC management agencies.
How is hiring an SEO expert different in the age of AI search?
AI answers and AI Overviews are changing how people find information, and your SEO expert should understand both. Ask whether they measure citations and mentions in AI answers, how they structure content so it can be quoted, and which parts they cannot control. Our guide to optimizing for AI Overviews and LLM answers and our AI SEO services describe the work in detail. Beware anyone who promises to control what an AI tool says about you.
What mistakes do businesses make when hiring an SEO?
- Hiring on price alone and discovering the cheapest option cannot explain its plan.
- No internal owner. Someone on your side must approve content and unblock developers.
- Vague goals, so nothing is measurable.
- Giving full access on day one without a review period.
- Ignoring site performance, content and brand because “SEO will handle it.”
- Not reviewing results at checkpoints.
If you want a partner who documents every change and ties reporting to leads, talk to our SEO team.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I hire an SEO expert?
Define your goal and budget, shortlist providers with relevant experience, interview each with the same questions, ask for an audit or sample plan, check references, and agree on deliverables, reporting and account ownership in writing.
How do I choose an SEO company?
Compare providers on relevant experience, who will do the work, how they build links, how they report and how they handle changes. Ask the questions Google suggests, check references and start with a short first period with checkpoints.
What should I look for in an SEO company?
Look for specific past results, clear deliverables, honest timeframes, documented changes, reporting tied to leads or revenue and a link policy you can inspect. Avoid guarantees and secrecy.
What questions should I ask an SEO company?
Ask for past work and success stories, whether they follow Google Search Essentials, what results to expect and how success is measured, their experience in your industry, how they communicate and document changes, and who will do the work.
How much does it cost to hire an SEO expert?
In an Ahrefs poll of 439 providers, agencies averaged $3,209 a month on retainers and freelancers about $1,349, with hourly averages of $111 overall. Read our guide to SEO costs for the full breakdown by model, provider type and business size.
Should I hire an SEO consultant, a freelancer or an agency?
Hire a consultant or freelancer for strategy, audits and defined tasks, and an agency when you need a broad program across technical, content and links. A hybrid works well when your team can implement.
What are the red flags when hiring an SEO?
Guaranteed rankings, claims of a special relationship with Google, unsolicited emails, vague plans, link schemes, requests that you link to them and tools described as approved by Google.
How long before an SEO expert gets results?
Google gives no fixed timeframe and advises asking the SEO what results to expect and how success will be measured. Agree on checkpoints, such as a baseline in the first month and a review at ninety days.
What access does an SEO expert need?
Read-only access to Search Console and analytics for an audit. For active work, role-based access to your CMS or a staging site with a change log. Keep ownership of your accounts.
Can I do SEO myself instead of hiring someone?
Often partly. Google says a small local business can probably do much of the work itself. Hire for a redesign or migration, a traffic drop you cannot explain, or a market where competitors are far ahead.
Bottom Line
The best SEO hire is the one who can explain what they will change, why, how long it will take and how you will know it worked. Define your goal, use the same questions with every candidate, give read-only access first, keep ownership of your accounts, and walk away from guarantees. If you want a documented, lead-focused program, talk to us about SEO services or digital marketing services.
