Thinking of hiring an SEO specialist in Cape Town? Here’s how you can know if you’re making the right choice.

Keyword(s): SEO specialist

Whether you’re in charge of 10 or 100 employees, your business needs an SEO specialist. SEO, also known as search engine optimization, is at the forefront of web marketing.

Most people use a search engine to research a company before buying their product or service. The bottom line is this — you need high-quality SEO tools.

But it can be tough to figure it all out on your own.

Accordingly, you’ll want to make sure you hire the right person for the job. Know what to ask a potential SEO specialist can sometimes be a bit tricky.

That’s why we’re here to help. Here are a few basic questions you can ask to see if he or she is the right fit for the job.

1. What Can You Offer Our Business?

Yes, this is a fairly standard interview question, and it may seem a bit trite. But this gives you future SEO specialist the chance to elaborate on his or her resume.

Ask for specific details. For instance, if they’re great with a certain type of website design or know how to code, you’ll want to keep that in mind.

Hiring a specialist is an investment, after all. Invest in someone who has the skills to elevate your business.

2. How Long Have You Worked as an SEO Specialist?

SEO has been around for a little over a decade, but it’s seen tremendous changes in that time. You’re going to want someone with the right amount of experience.

Looking at an algorithm can be a bit intimidating, after all, and Google loves to throw people for a loop.

Your team needs someone who understands the fundamentals of SEO, but also knows what to expect from Google’s many changes. Better yet, someone with experience is more likely to predict upcoming changes.

They know what Google likes to alter and how those changes will take effect. In short, they’re far more likely to be prepared for any oncoming algorithmic changes.

The perfect SEO specialist is someone who understands history, as well as the future. They need a solid grasp of where SEO started, but also where it’s headed. If they can future-proof your site, you’ll save tons of money in the long run.

3. What Are Your Thoughts on Local SEO?

Data doesn’t lie, local SEO is the biggest factor for small businesses. It’s so significant, in fact, that it can sink or swim your business.

If your SEO specialist downplays the significance of local SEO or dismisses it altogether, thank them for their time and call it a day.

Here’s the truth: whether it’s B2B or a single consumer, people are going to search in their area. And even if they don’t, Google will make sure their results are specific to their geography.

Google is going to prioritize businesses that have a My Business page and use local terms. Your specialist needs to understand how significant of a factor local searches are.

If you want your business discovered, you’re going to need to get local.

4. How Would You Make Our Website More User-Friendly?

Truthfully, this question is a bit of a test. It shows a few different things.

First, it determines whether or not your candidate is someone who does their research. If they stumble awkwardly and don’t have an answer, they may not really be familiar with your brand.

Second, it shows how creative they can get. Again, you’re going to want to ask for specific details and elaborate answers.

For instance, if the candidate says “I think the menus need changing” ask them to delve a bit deeper. Website usability is a huge factor when it comes to SEO, make sure they know how to create a user-friendly site.

Look for answers about some of the following:

  • Usability
  • Copy
  • Keyword usage
  • Menu design and navigation
  • Photos
  • Linking
  • Contact information

5. How Does Social Media Play a Role In SEO?

There are billions of users on Facebook alone, and leveraging your brand’s social prowess can be just as helpful as linking.

Using social media is a great way to reach a larger crowd and turn that traffic into conversions. Best of all, it’s a simple way to build links without having to worry about keywords and link placement.

6. How Does Google Penalize a Site With Poor SEO?

Knowing great SEO is one thing. Knowing why you want to avoid poor SEO is an entirely different beast altogether.

And make no mistake, Google will absolutely penalize a site with poor SEO practices. Any of the following can get your SERPs docked substantially:

  • Scraped content
  • Poor copy (gets marked as spam)
  • Poor keyword placement
  • Unusable or ugly websites
  • Pages with little to no content
  • Poor menu design

There are a ton of reasons why Google may dock your website valuable points. Hiring an SEO specialist who knows how to navigate around these issues is a sure-fire way to stay in Google’s good graces.

7. How Do You Stay Up to Date On Tech News?

This goes back to our second point: hire someone who really knows their stuff. The perfect candidate is someone who stays up to date on tech news to get a better understanding of their job.

SEO is competitive, after all. Your team could benefit from someone who does their research and does it often.

There are tons of great news sites to choose from, so there isn’t really a wrong answer here. The key is to look for someone who stays engaged, even when they’re not looking at analytics.

8. What’s The Difference Between White Hat and Black Hat SEO?

Knowing the difference between White Hat and Black Hat SEO is like an insurance policy. It’ll keep your website out of trouble and prevent a lot of potential penalties.

Any SEO specialist worth their salt will be able to tell you that the key differences come from techniques used. White Hat SEO is what you’re looking for. It uses original, high-quality links and content and avoids copied and pasted content.

Hire an SEO Specialist to Boost Your Web Presence for Less

If you’re looking for some help with your site’s SEO, we’d love to help! Our professional team can boost your web presence using tried and true methods we know work.

Best of all, we’ll do it affordably — including a free SEO analysis! We’re the most trusted SEO company in Cape Town and we’d love to show you why.

Be sure to get in touch today for a consultation and get your website the attention it deserves.