19 Simple Questions to Ask Your Prospective SEO Specialist

Deciding which SEO specialist to engage is an important decision and, as with any other important decision, should be made only after some searching questions have been asked if costly mistakes are to be avoided. Deciding exactly which questions to ask can present a challenge in itself.

Many of the lists of questions available online, provided to aid this decision, include technical questions designed by SEO specialists which pre-suppose the interviewer has a thorough grounding in SEO principles.

These questions have been designed therefore to enable a successful vetting process to be undertaken either by a lay person or somebody more experienced. They are expressed in simple every day language and are capable of being answered likewise.

1. Can you get me to number 1 in Google?

Your prospective SEO specialist should NOT say yes. If he does, then run a mile. This question cannot be answered without first knowing which keyword is being discussed. Even if the keyword is clear, it is not possible to make a cast iron commitment. You may even already have a number 1 ranking without realising it. This commonly occurs for the business name or brand name.

2. Who 'controls' the links on other websites that point to my website?

Your prospective SEO specialist should explain how he will go about earning links from other websites that will be crucial to your site ranking highly. Some SEO providers may improve your rankings in a very short space of time by buying links or by placing links on web properties that they own themselves. If the SEO provider is in control of the links then they can decide to remove them. This may not present any problems in itself but you need to understand whether your overnight success will also disappear overnight if you terminate the services of your SEO provider.

3. Do you offer any guarantees and, if so, what are the terms?

Your prospective SEO specialist should be up front about the terms of any guarantee they offer. As in the rest of the business world, the purpose of a guarantee is not a promise that products or services will be as marketed but to explain what remedy will be provided for any shortcomings. If a money back guarantee includes an easy "get out clause" like "provided Google doesn't change its algorithm" then it is a hollow offer.

4. What do you consider to be your 3 best achievements and why?

Your prospective SEO specialist should be able to explain the accomplishments of which they are most proud and what makes the results exceptional.

5. Can you provide evidence of these achievements?

Your prospective SEO specialist should be able to prove the results that they have obtained and also that it was indeed they who attained them and not, for example a previous SEO specialist or even their client.

6. Can you describe what you did to achieve these results?

Your prospective SEO specialist should be able to explain the steps they took to achieve their results and which actions brought about which results.

7. What are the most commonly infringed search engine guidelines?

Your prospective SEO specialist should be able to explain, in simple terms, some of the common techniques employed by unethical SEO specialists which breach search engine guidelines and confirm that they always have and always will adhere to all search engine guidelines.

8. Will you ever work for my competitors?

Your prospective SEO specialist should be prepared to explain their stance with regard to your competition. In some cases, working for your competitors may disadvantage you but in other cases there may be no conflict of interest. Transparency is the important thing here.

9. How will you decide which keywords to target?

Your prospective SEO specialist should be able to outline the process they will follow and to what degree you will be involved. They should be able to explain which factors they will take into account when choosing between one keyword and another and why.

10. What rankings will you be able to achieve?

Your prospective SEO specialist should be able to provide realistic targets (for specified keywords) and an estimate of timescales. If they promise or guarantee a number 1 spot, then this should be taken as a warning signal. ANY SEO specialist can attain a number 1 ranking for a useless keyword. NO SEO specialist can be certain of attaining a number 1 ranking for a prized ie very lucrative keyword.

11. Will you provide a rankings report at the outset?

Your prospective SEO specialist should provide a report showing existing rankings as soon as the keyword targets have been agreed. Without this, you may not be able to tell whether they are improving or worsening your rankings.

12. By rankings, do you mean organic ie free search results?

Your prospective SEO specialist should confirm this. Astonishingly, some SEO specialists claim to have achieved a page 1 ranking because your pay per click adverts are appearing on page 1. You can buy these and they are not what is generally meant by rankings.

13. Can I call your references?

Your prospective SEO specialist should be able to provide references and give examples of their work. Ideally, you will be able to talk freely to one or two of their clients and question them about their SEO specialist's work.

14. What are the risks?

Your prospective SEO specialist should be open about any risks that you might be facing by taking them on and how those risks can best be minimised. One possible such risk might be damaging existing rankings or even being banned from the search results by one of the search engines.

15. Do you use any automated techniques?

Your prospective SEO specialist might employ automated techniques for the purposes of acquiring large numbers of subscriptions to search engines, business directories, social media sites etc. It may sound impressive but it isn't necessarily effective. Ask them to explain how they go about acquiring subscriptions or other kinds of links to your website.

16. Who will do the work?

Your prospective SEO specialist may subcontract work either within the UK or outside it (often India). It is important for you to be in control of the quality of any work affecting your website (and brand, reputation etc.) by knowing who will be carrying out the work so that you are able to form a view about their competence.

17. What will I be buying?

Your prospective SEO specialist should be able to explain what he is committing to deliver. Since it is not possible to make a contractual commitment about what rankings can be achieved, ask them what commitments they are able to make.

18. Will I be asked to sign a contract?

Your prospective SEO specialist should inform you in advance of any contract you will be asked to sign. If you are, make sure you read it and understand it. Do not sign it if you are not sure what you are buying and what commitments you are making.

19. Why should I choose you?

Your prospective SEO specialist should be able to explain clearly what benefits he will bring to you that others will not. It's an obvious question but it doesn't hurt to ask. If they aren't sure themselves, you'll probably sense it.