Join our Waitlist for Expert Advice!

Beyond Basic SEO: When Hiring a Consultant Makes Sense In this special 'Ask Entrepreneur' feature, search engine optimization expert Danny Sullivan on the benefits of working with an SEO pro.

By Danny Sullivan

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

In this special feature of 'Ask Entrepreneur,' Facebook fan Deah Curry, from Seattle, asks: What do hired companies really do that solopreneurs can't do for themselves, and how to ensure you aren't hiring a scam artist?

Plenty of people can do search engine optimization for themselves, and it's good for anyone to integrate some of the best practices into their ordinary workflow. Understanding the key terms people may use to find your site is the starting point of SEO but, arguably, it's also a starting point for having a successful business.

'Ask Entrepreneur'
Expert Chats
You had burning business questions. We answered them. Don't miss our recent series of chats with top industry experts.
Grant Cardone's Strategies for Sales Success

Still, there are times when you want to call in a professional, as you might with any type of need. For example, I can usually unclog a drain, so I don't need a plumber for that. But to fix a burst pipe or relocate a water heater? That's when hiring a plumber makes sense.

It's no different with SEO. If you have an SEO emergency, such as perhaps your traffic from Google suddenly plunges out-of-the-blue, you might lack the time and experience to quickly solve a problem, in the way a professional can.

It's not even just about emergencies. People take their cars in for regular maintenance to ensure they keep running well. The SEO space is constantly changing with new things: Google+, rich snippets, new ways to feed content and more. A pro keeps up with all this and can help ensure you're staying well-tuned, if you've not had an SEO "check-up" recently.

It's also about time. As a business owner, you can't do everything yourself. Outsourcing make sense, if it helps you stay focused on what you do best, which is running and growing your business in the ways that only you can provide.

Unfortunately, as with many industries, everything from scam artists to incompetent workers exist in the SEO space. Anyone who cold-calls you, or cold-emails you, should probably be avoided. All those emails about how you can rank better, how you're not ranking well enough? Delete away.

Instead, you can find pros in the same way you find pros in many industries. Ask around if others have recommendations. People in related fields like web design or programming may know people.

There are also industry associations and guides to companies out there. There's Wakefield, Mass.-based SEMPO, a long-standing search marketing group. Seattle's SEOmoz, an SEO and social monitoring service, maintains a recommended list of search marketers.

But be forewarned. Belonging to an industry group or having a "badge" of any type is usually meaningless. The only qualification for such things generally is that someone wrote a check to become a member.

When you have found candidates, as in the real world, ask for references -- and check on those references.

Newport Beach, Calif.-based search engine expert Danny Sullivan is editor-in-chief of Search Engine Land, which covers search marketing and search engine news.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business Solutions

Cut Costs, Not Features with This Microsoft Bundle Deal

You get Office, Windows, Project, and Visio for $72.

Business News

You Have One Month Left to Buy a House, According to Barbara Corcoran. Here's Why.

"If you are planning on waiting a year and seeing where interest rates go, you are out of your mind," Corcoran said.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Franchise

The McRib Is Back, But Only at Select McDonald's — Here's Where to Find It

This scarcity is nothing new. In 2022, McDonald's announced a "Farewell Tour" for the McRib, suggesting that it might be the last time customers could get their hands on it.

Data & Recovery

Protect Your Business Data Without Sacrificing Privacy With Koofr Cloud Storage on Sale

Get 1TB of lifetime storage for your business with no recurring fees or data tracking.

Business News

Meta Fires Employee Making $400,000 Per Year Over a $25 Meal Voucher Issue

Other staff members were fired for the same reason, per a new report.