by Jed Jones

Created on: February 16, 2010

More than 15 years after the introduction of the public Internet, search engine optimization (SEO) remains a very necessary activity if you want to get your website ranking well on search engines. In fact, with billions of web pages online and more being added every day, it is more essential than ever to practice good SEO - or to hire someone to do it for you.

When you find yourself looking to hire a search engine optimization consultant, the challenge how to find someone worth their salt among the sea of SEO consultants willing to take your money. Which criteria should you use to evaluate prospective consultants?

The three key criteria you should use when looking for an SEO consultant are: experience, communication and accountability. Let's explore what each of these means in the context of selecting the right SEO consultant:

1. Experience:

Choose someone with experience. Anybody can read an "SEO for Dummies" book and gain a basic knowledge of the art and science of improving natural search rankings. However, you should only consider hiring a consultant who has actually done this type of work successfully for a number of clients over time. Ask to see testimonials from satisfied clients. And, request a list of websites the consultant has promoted.

2. Communication Skills:

Pay attention to how the prospective consultant communicates with you during your initial interactions. Do they speak to you in clear, straightforward terms or do they try to sound "smart" by talking over your head in tech-speak? Do they take the time to carefully explain how they will go about promoting your site? Do you feel this person treats you with respect? Use these first 1-2 interactions with him or her as a test of their communication skills. If your consultant cannot communicate clearly with you now, imagine how things will be once the actual work gets underway!

3. Accountability:

Ask your prospective consultant how they will be held accountable for their work. For example, what types of reports do they plan to issue that track the campaign's performance? How often will they be sending you these reports? Will the reports be easy for you to read and digest? If the prospective consultant has trouble telling you how they will hold themselves accountable to you, skip on to the next person.

A final note: what about geographical location? In other words, how important is it that the search engine optimization consultant you hire be located close enough for you to have face-to-face meetings? The answer is not so cut-and-dried. In short, yes, it would be ideal to hire an SEO consultant who lives and works near you so that you can meet with him or her periodically, as needed. Face-to-face meetings can also help with both improve communication and enforce accountability (see above). However, close geographical proximity should not be an absolute criterion for hiring a consultant, especially if they were referred to you by a trusted friend or colleague.

Proceed carefully and with caution and pay attention to the little things during your initial meeting or phone conversation. Then, once you have hired the person, give them your support and trust so that you can help them promote your website in the most efficient, effective way possible.

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