5 Signs That You Should Watch Out For If You’re Looking For An SEO Expert

Normally, it would be best to do things yourself, especially if you want it done right. But that adage only applies when you have a profound and comprehensive understanding of the task at hand or when the task doesn’t necessarily require a lot of skill and knowledge to successfully perform.

However, search engine optimization is not such a task. It requires a lot of skill and mastery to do properly (take note, properly, not successfully). Which is why sometimes people either take the time to learn the craft themselves, or they instead decide to hire someone who already has the knowledge and experience to do the task for them.

There are many unscrupulous characters on the internet who like to take advantage of people who need SEO help. Normally, it would be much easier to simply work with one of the companies listed on BestSEOCompanies.com, but if you insist on working with freelancers, then these are some of the most important signs to watch out for in order for you to be able to avoid these kinds of people:

Exaggerated Guarantees

Search engine optimization takes a lot of time and effort to get rolling. When a candidate claims that they can get you ranked in the top results in a few days or even a week, then you better start searching for your next candidate. This is because nobody can accurately determine when and how high up a certain webpage is going to rank. The algorithm is a closely-guarded Google secret and is not publicly available. Anyone who claims otherwise is lying through their teeth.

Poor Communication

When a candidate takes too long to respond to your inquiries, that should already be a sign that they may not even be responsive enough when it comes to matters of true importance. Poor communication is not only a sign of a lack of professionalism, but it could also be a sign of a lack of transparency, which is much more sinister. Either way, walk away.

Lower-Than-Usual Pricing

As previously established, search engine optimization is no easy task. It takes a lot of skill and time to do and as a general rule, the more difficult the task, the higher the compensation required. A lower-than-usual pricing scheme can only mean negative things; either the candidate does not fully understand the difficulty of the task or they lower their prices in order to attract more would-be victims.

A Lack of References

When you’re dealing with people online, you’re not going to have a lot of clues or background to rely upon other than previous reviews. Reviews, after all, are proof of accomplished work and competence. Not only that, but references are going to be able to give you a deeper insight into a candidate’s work ethic. A lack of references can mean a lack of successful work or a lack of experience. You want neither of those.

No Comprehensive Methods

One important thing that you should be able to ascertain during the interview are the methods that your candidate employs to get results done. This is important because there are guidelines on proper SEO methods, and using black hat SEO methods will be extremely detrimental to your website ranking.