The Do’s and Don’t of Hiring Someone for SEO (And Why You Don’t Have to be Tech-Savvy To Do So)

One thing I hate more than anything else is being made to feel stupid.

I’ll be the last person to claim I’m some genius…but if I don’t know something and someone makes me feel stupid for not knowing…it’s pretty much a guarantee that I won’t talk to that person again.

Ever experienced this with some “web expert” or your “computer guy” family member? It’s not fun…

We are all experts in our field. I can build a stunning website but I can’t fix the leaky pipe under the sink (let alone renovate my bathroom).  I know how to get a website to rank on the 1st page of Google, but I definitely don’t have any woodworking skills to build a custom playhouse for my kids.

My point? Don’t let people make you feel bad for not knowing anything about technology!

You don’t need to know all of the fancy tech terms to succeed in getting your website seen online. You don’t have to know what a URL is to get an amazing website design. But you DO need to be careful who you trust to help you with that online presence.

The last thing I want is for you to get taken advantage of by any “SEO expert” that lands in your inbox asking for money. Most of them will “over promise and under deliver”, taking advantage of the fact that you don’t know what is going on.

When it comes to getting help in building your business online, here are some “Do’s and Don’ts” to help you become an expert in picking the right expert:

DO: Ask for a portfolio and references!

Anyone can claim to rank your website #1 on Google. But have you actually seen proof that they have done it? Or have you seen past work from someone offering to build you a website?

Before making any decisions when looking for help with your website or SEO efforts, have them show you what they have done in the past. Better yet, ask for references and actually call those references! Hearing from others about the work that someone did for them is a great way to instill confidence in someone you’re about to pay a good amount of money. Plus, you’ll weed out the people who don’t have any references or refuse to give you any. (If they refuse to give you any because “you can just trust them”, that’s a red flag…)

DON’T: Believe promises that seem to good to be true!

We live in a time where scams and taking advantage of people is the NORMAL. It’s sad, but they are all over the place online.

I’ll tell you this right now: Your website is not going to get to page 1 on Google in 30 days. I’m sorry. I really wish it was that way, but it’s not.

And it’s also going to cost more than $50/month (unless the person doing your SEO is paying for your SEO out of their own pockets). If that’s the case — HIRE THEM — because they are a saint…

Ranking on Google is different for every business and for every city. There are a TON of factors that go into it and pricing will vary depending on those factors.  So don’t fall for the sweet talk or the empty promises. SEO takes time, it takes work, and it takes money. Cutting corners and hiring someone for too cheap can actually mess with your SEO and cost you a lot more money in the long run.

DO: Ask questions

It doesn’t matter that you don’t know all the tech terms. All you need to know is how to choose the right person. It may not be the “computer guy” who has been doing this all his life. And it may not be the new college graduate who got a degree in programming. The person you want to find is the one that shows a combination of having experience AND genuinely wanting to help your business.

Ask questions. You should be interviewing them, not the other way around. Yes, they’ll need some time to explain what they can do for you, but this is about you getting to know them. Ask questions about their background, where they went to school, what they studied, what they do in their free time, etc. Interview them.

Then when it comes time for them to explain what they can offer — ask more questions and make sure they explain things in a way you can understand. You don’t want to work with someone who is impatient, only speaks in high-tech lingo, or doesn’t give you the time of day. After all, you are probably going to be working with your internet person for a long time…

Find someone who takes the time to listen to your questions and concerns and addresses each one of them patiently. People like this care about their clients and generally are the ones that really aim to give them the best results.

You know your gut. Find someone that is authentic and who you can really trust.

DON’T: Apologize if you don’t understand something.

This is not your area of expertise. Your internet guy or gal is an expert in their craft and they should be there to support your business, as the expert of your craft!

If someone makes you feel stupid for not understanding something, do not go along with it or apologize. Just move onto the next candidate. If you’re going to pay someone to help you build your business, make it someone who understands you, who doesn’t talk down to you, can explain things simply and keep you involved, and who truly cares about your success!

Let’s Wrap Up

What I’m trying to say is…we are all experts in our field. You know you need to get your website seen to attract more customers but you know you can’t do it yourself. Find someone who can show proof of their skills, someone who cares about you and your business, and someone you’ll enjoy working with for a long time.