People are more likely to click on the first to third results on the search results than any other. This means, if you aren’t on the first page, it’ll be like you’re non-existent for many users online.

A study by Ignite Visibility reveals that Position 1 gets over 43% of all clicks and the number decreases to 3% for Position 10. It’s a huge difference considering that they’re both on the first page. Even so, this doesn’t negate the fact that a front-page position brings traffic.

Ranking a website is no longer as easy as it was several years ago though. The competition is much stiffer. Plus, the constant updates in search algorithms make it harder to stay on top of your SEO.

As a business owner or manager, keeping up with the trends in digital marketing is something you won’t always have time for. It’s possible that you don’t have the advanced skills to make your campaign happen either.

In this case, enlist the help of a remote SEO specialist to gain more visibility and drive traffic to your site.

Here’s How to Hire a Good SEO Specialist

Refer to track records

Many turn to marketers in their vicinity for the mere fact that they’re close by. The problem is, just because they know SEO doesn’t mean they’re good at it. They may end up a thorn in your side in the future instead.

If they’re not ranking on the web, it’s too risky to hire them. If their past clients aren’t ranking for competitive terms, they probably lack experience. Look for hard evidence of their qualifications rather than rely on their words.

Find someone who ranks for some keywords, such as “SEO consultant” or “SEO expert”. Don’t limit yourself to your current geographic location either. It’s easy to find reliable SEO services in the Philippines or Nicaragua too.

Don’t forget to check out LinkedIn for potential candidates. Most profiles provide a glimpse of their work history so you know who are worth contacting about the role you have available on your team.

Post listings for the job

AngelList, Craigslist, and Indeed are common places to post job listings, but don’t stop there. Consider publishing listings on local job sites too, so you can have access to their talents. One example is JobStreet in the Philippines or Indonesia.

The job description should provide an overview about the position while listing down the responsibilities. Know what details to include by consulting employees in the same team or role.

In the interview, ask them what rankings they’ve brought people to. Make sure they show you their portfolio or results to confirm their claims. Enquire about the campaigns they’ve previously handled and how they worked out.

Also, request case studies, testimonials, and references to serve as proof of their competence. Consider calling their previous clients if you’d like to learn more about what the candidate achieved for them.

Give them a live test

Have them look at your website during the video interview to put them on the spot. Find out what they think about your present ranking and how they could change it for the better.

Ask them to list 5 things that they believe you should improve on. They don’t need to provide the full-blown process of how they’ll fix things; just the mistakes that they think should be corrected soon.

If they’re able to point out issues that you already know, that’d be great. Otherwise, they may not be as impressive an SEO specialist as they claim to be.

An experienced SEO specialist in the Philippines or elsewhere should be able to look at your website – or its source code – then tell you what’s wrong within a few minutes of you asking.

Avoid assigning this as homework. This gives applicants time to research it or ask someone else about it. You don’t want to hire someone who has to turn to other people to figure out their job.

Start with a small project

In the beginning, give them a key phrase or web page that’s not too competitive. Then, observe them for 1 to 2 months to see if they’re doing things right and following your instructions.

Use the Google Search Console to check the number of impressions and clicks that the page is getting since it’s been assigned to them. Pay special attention to the impression count which goes up as your rankings increase.

The number of clicks may lag behind, but as long as the impressions are going up, then you can tell they’re doing a good job. You should be able to see other numbers improving, such as bounce rate.

Assign them a few more small projects until you’re confident in what they’re capable of. That’s the time that you can begin giving them slightly bigger projects to handle.

Hire the Right SEO Specialist Now

If you follow the steps outlined above, you’ll be hiring an SEO specialist in the Philippines or Nicaragua that doesn’t suck.

Avoid going for the first candidate that you find, even if their resume looks impressive. Be sure that they’re actually able to provide top SEO services in the Philippines or elsewhere.

We at Remote Workmate can assist you in hiring an SEO specialist that will produce results and be worth paying a salary to. Our specialists are mainly based in the Philippines and Nicaragua so you can enjoy impressive talent at more reasonable costs.