{"id":73286,"date":"2024-08-10T22:53:00","date_gmt":"2024-08-10T12:53:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/elements.blog-cms.envato.net\/?p=46464"},"modified":"2026-02-24T10:32:38","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T23:32:38","slug":"the-seo-consulting-process-explained-a-creatives-guide-to-seo-management-consulting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/the-seo-consulting-process-explained-a-creatives-guide-to-seo-management-consulting","title":{"rendered":"The SEO consulting process explained\u2014a creative\u2019s guide to SEO management consulting"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>You&#8217;ve created great content and shared it online. The problem? No one&#8217;s seeing it. You review analytics every day, but your traffic is flatlining. What&#8217;s next? Well, it might be time to bring in a search engine optimization (SEO) consultant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>SEO is complicated and often feels impossible to navigate. Search algorithms constantly change, and Google doesn&#8217;t exactly tell us how it prioritizes sites. It all feels like a bit of a black box, and as a small creative brand, you probably don&#8217;t have the time or budget to spend on SEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>SEO consultants can guide you through this ever-changing landscape\u2014it&#8217;s their job to stay up-to-date with the latest buzz around what works with search engines. Let&#8217;s learn more about SEO consulting and give you some tips you can use to boost your business. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">SEO consulting: what is SEO and why do I need to know about it? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Before we learn about the role of an SEO consultant, it helps to have some background on exactly what SEO is and isn&#8217;t. You can learn more in our <a href=\"https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/seo-tips-graphic-designers\">SEO tips for graphic designers<\/a>, but here&#8217;s a quick refresher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">SEO basics: The importance of being on the first page<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Think about the last time you did a Google search. Did you find what you wanted on the first page of search results or the twelfth? It was on the first, wasn\u2019t it? Odds are, the link you clicked was well-optimized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>SEO techniques give you a chance to be seen on the search engine results page or<strong> <\/strong>SERP. Top-ranking results typically use a combination of on-page and off-page techniques to help search engines prioritize the listing. For example, if you&#8217;re a videographer in London, of course, you want to appear in these results. An SEO consultant can help you get there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"866\" src=\"https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/serp-video-1024x866.webp\" alt=\"search engine results page example\" class=\"wp-image-87635\" srcset=\"https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/serp-video-1024x866.webp 1024w, https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/serp-video-300x254.webp 300w, https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/serp-video-768x650.webp 768w, https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/serp-video.webp 1456w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to boost your rankings: on-page vs. off-page SEO<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To better understand these techniques, here&#8217;s a real-life example. If you&#8217;re selling your house, I&#8217;ll bet you do two things: stage the property and advertise the listing. Think of that staging as on-page SEO: you&#8217;re making the property itself look great so that when people show up, they love what they see. Advertising the property is similar to off-page SEO. It helps more people <em>find <\/em>your property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On-page SEO tactics focus on the website itself. This consists of several factors. The best-known category is keyword usage,<strong> <\/strong>which includes using the key terms you want to be found for. Another is tagging and structuring your content in a way search engines understand. That includes header tags, text that describes images (called &#8220;alt text&#8221;), and properly organizing your site structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Off-page SEO happens away from your website. It includes actions you take on other sites to boost your site&#8217;s search ranking. These tactics help improve your site&#8217;s visibility in search results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Search engines heavily prioritize backlinks,<strong> <\/strong>which are links <em>to <\/em>your site on other websites. It&#8217;s a sort of &#8220;social proof&#8221; that search engines use to know who to trust. Needless to say, it&#8217;s important to build relevant links so that you&#8217;re a trusted domain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"Link Building - The One-Hour Guide to SEO, Part 6\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/aVbbspkVGEE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">SEO consulting process explained: what is an SEO consultant, and why do I need one?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>So what does an SEO consultant do? They\u2019re trained professionals who know how to take full advantage of the latest SEO strategies to ensure that your content is seen. The ultimate goal of an SEO consultant is to drive the right kind of<strong> <\/strong>traffic<strong> <\/strong>to your website that leads to more sales, inquiries, or however <em>you <\/em>define success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What does an SEO consultant do?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A great SEO consultant can help you develop an SEO strategy to reach your goals. They&#8217;ll review your existing results and look for opportunities. The suggested steps could include on-page and off-page tactics. Here are examples of tactics that SEO consultants have recommended to me in the past. Review them and see if you can use them for your own website:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Competitor analysis:<\/strong> if you&#8217;re targeting ranking at the top for a specific keyword, it helps to review your competition. How many backlinks do they have? What keywords do they rank for? SEO consultants can prepare this type of analysis to steer you in the right direction.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Keyword research:<\/strong> many times, there are opportunities to target keywords that have high search volume but low competition. SEO consultants can help you find these sweet spots via research.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Content strategy development: <\/strong>many times, SEO consultants are also content strategists. They&#8217;ll help you find opportunities to develop material that leads interested searchers to <em>your <\/em>site. <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Site performance optimization: <\/strong>these are technical, &#8220;under the hood&#8221; adjustments that improve the site&#8217;s performance. They include factors like ensuring that the page loads quickly and tagging content in a way a search engine can understand.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s an example of the kind of analysis an SEO consultant might provide:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-tiktok wp-block-embed-tiktok\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"tiktok-embed\" cite=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@webhivedigital\/video\/7386932433934896416\" data-video-id=\"7386932433934896416\" data-embed-from=\"oembed\" style=\"max-width:605px; min-width:325px;\"> <section> <a target=\"_blank\" title=\"@webhivedigital\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@webhivedigital?refer=embed\" rel=\"noopener\">@webhivedigital<\/a> <p>Replying to @Elin Prs Your on-page SEO needs some work, as well as your overall content strategy. Use one of the design hacks I\u2019ve shown you here to make the best use of Heading 1 on each page and make sure to optimise other pages for more niche search terms to boost your seo strategy. <a title=\"websitereview\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/websitereview?refer=embed\" rel=\"noopener\">#websitereview<\/a> <a title=\"seostrategy\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/seostrategy?refer=embed\" rel=\"noopener\">#seostrategy<\/a> <a title=\"searchengineoptimization\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/searchengineoptimization?refer=embed\" rel=\"noopener\">#searchengineoptimization<\/a> <\/p> <a target=\"_blank\" title=\"\u266c original sound - Kate Smoothy | SEO Specialist\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/original-sound-7386932463332772641?refer=embed\" rel=\"noopener\">\u266c original sound &#8211; Kate Smoothy | SEO Specialist<\/a> <\/section> <\/blockquote> <script async src=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What an SEO consultant probably <em>won&#8217;t<\/em> do<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Don&#8217;t expect your SEO consultant to do everything for you. For example, if you need to publish thought leadership content, <em>you <\/em>may actually be the right person to do the work. (Keep in mind: <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/ai-writing-tools-seo-content-businesses\" target=\"_blank\">AI-powered tools<\/a> can be a big help here.) However, an SEO consultant can help you build a list of suggested actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, remember that there are right and wrong ways to do SEO. Don\u2019t fall for consultants who promise unbelievably good results quickly. They may be leaning on shady, short-term tactics. Buying backlinks, rather than building them organically, is a common trick. So is keyword stuffing: incessantly using the same keywords in an attempt to drive up traffic. Search engines eventually catch on to these tactics and may penalize your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sure, you may be able to take shortcuts that generate page views. But if that traffic doesn&#8217;t match your ideal clientele, you won&#8217;t grow the business. Ten qualified leads a month can be far more valuable than a million page views, and organic SEO consultants ensure proper steps are taken to meet your goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A good SEO consultant can help you balance all of these factors. Frankly, to succeed in today\u2019s crowded online landscape, expert advice is essential. So why not let an SEO consultant help you make sense of search engines that may otherwise feel like a mystery?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">SEO management consulting: finding an SEO consultant<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You&#8217;ve learned the advantages of hiring an SEO consultant to help your creative business thrive. Before reaching out to candidates, it helps to define your <a href=\"https:\/\/seoprofy.com\/blog\/seo-pricing\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/seoprofy.com\/blog\/seo-pricing\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">budget to spend on SEO<\/a> so you can filter options realistically. Just like the competitive landscape in general, the market for SEO consultants is vast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Are you wondering what to ask SEO consultants? You may not know how to find a good SEO consultant that fits <em>your<\/em> needs. And how can you be sure they\u2019re reputable and don\u2019t use the junk strategies we talked about above?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe title=\"What A SEO Consultant Should Deliver\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Uw_74tXI230?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>As in hiring any other professional, there\u2019s no single process for finding an SEO consulting service. With that in mind, here are some general rules and strategies for you to try:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Set your objectives first.<\/strong> Clear goals are important. Are you trying to drive more clicks? Increase sales conversions? Develop a content strategy? All of these are important parts of SEO. However, some SEO consultants have specialized areas, and it helps to target those with matching acumen.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Explore who\u2019s out there on social media and more.<\/strong> Social media\u2014X, Instagram, and more\u2014can be good resources for finding SEO consultants. These platforms make it easier to reach out. Cast a broad net: don\u2019t talk to just one consultant. Get a feel for several candidates on social media and other marketplaces.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>See how your consultant\u2019s page ranks!<\/strong> Found a technical SEO consultant, but their own page is buried in the ranks? Frankly, that\u2019s a danger sign. A highly ranked SEO consulting page is a sign that your candidate is able to practice what they preach.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Check what consultants are available near you.<\/strong> Geographic proximity, while not required, is often useful. And similarly located consultants may understand the nuances of a country or region in ways that will help your SEO. Tools like <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/clutch.co\/seo-firms\/consultants\" target=\"_blank\">Clutch<\/a> help you search for SEO consultants by location. (You can also hire an international SEO consultant who focuses on optimizing across all areas.)<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Seek a collaborative relationship.<\/strong> Organic SEO consultants should embrace teamwork. In my experience, SEO consultants that focus on my specific goals are those that have brought me the most success.<br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Take a deep dive into client testimonials. <\/strong>Reviews and client ratings are great ways to get a feel for an SEO consulting candidate&#8217;s work. You can validate prior successes and get a feel for their work. Aim for consultants with a proven record, backed up by the success of other clients.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to work with an SEO consultant successfully<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019ve retained an SEO consultant, your working relationship is underway. But remember: the simple act of<em> hiring<\/em> an SEO consultant doesn\u2019t guarantee success. You\u2019re just getting started. Follow these steps to make sure the relationship is successful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Set clear goals<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Right from the beginning, you must agree on goals. What does that really mean? In short, it means that you set clear objectives that you and your SEO consultant will strive to meet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"sbi-embed-wrap\"><blockquote class=\"instagram-media sbi-embed\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/C6owDyjPuii\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:500px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\"><div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/C6owDyjPuii\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\"> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewBox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div><div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\"> <div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\"><div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: auto;\"> <div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div><\/div><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/div><\/blockquote><script async src=\"\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Most business builders face one of two key challenges that lead them to hire SEO consulting services:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>You have traffic, but it&#8217;s not relevant to what you&#8217;re trying to achieve.<\/strong> Maybe you have plenty of eyeballs on your site, but they aren&#8217;t converting into contact form completions or sales.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>You simply don&#8217;t have enough traffic. <\/strong>You&#8217;re converting your current visitors into &#8220;next steps,&#8221; but you need to turn up the volume.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Agree on realistic strategies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Your SEO consultant can connect these challenges to actionable strategies. They may ask you to write a series of articles, for example, to establish thought leadership in the space. The best SEO consultants can connect your <em>business challenge <\/em>to actions to take. This is the key to creating relevant traffic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s important to remember that you need to be realistic. Imagine, for example, if you have a small independent bookstore online. Having the goal of being the #1 search result for &#8220;books&#8221; just isn\u2019t going to work. No matter how good your SEO consultant is, some spaces are too mature and crowded to break into overnight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Find a niche<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To avoid those crowded spaces, zone in on a particular niche. Maybe you offer books to your local community, and ranking tip-top for &#8220;Asheville book store&#8221; is achievable. This is a realistic, defined goal that you can reach with the proper investment in the right tactics. SEO consulting services are more effective with realistic targets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bear in mind that even realistic goals take some time. Don\u2019t panic if you don\u2019t see strong results in a week or a month. SEO consulting work can bring results, but it takes time. And once implemented, it takes a bit longer for search engines to index. In other words, prepare to wait a while for gains to be seen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Keep the information flowing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Help your SEO consultant achieve results by working with them throughout the process and giving them what they need. Your average technical SEO consultant will want two things: information and collaboration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Information means allowing them access to website analytics, marketing strategies, and more. Great SEO doesn\u2019t work in a silo.&nbsp;It takes your existing business plans and goals and optimizes how they are shared online. This optimization boosts your traffic. Without this data, your consultant can\u2019t track their own performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Collaboration means sharing plans, not just data. This way, you can ensure that your message is being communicated accurately to your online clients. Don\u2019t sacrifice authentic messaging for better SEO! Similarly, be willing to adapt your message. It\u2019s perfectly normal to make these changes to better serve SEO goals. And you can do it while remaining true and authentic to your own core values and message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Monitoring progress with an SEO consultant<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019ve implemented a strategy with an SEO consultant, you&#8217;ve set the stage for growth. But to measure success, be sure to track performance so that you can see how well you\u2019re doing on the way to meeting your goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Tools for website analytics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>With the proper tools, you can remove the guesswork involved in tracking your SEO efforts. First and foremost, of course, are your own website analytics. Tools like <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/plausible.io\/\" target=\"_blank\">Plausible<\/a>, <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/usefathom.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Fathom<\/a>, and <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/analytics\" target=\"_blank\">Google Analytics<\/a> will show you key data about your site&#8217;s traffic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can use these tools as a general measure of your traffic, but remember to connect it back to the number of desired <em>actions <\/em>your audience is taking. Many analytics tools also support event tracking, which can help you track and chart actions like contact forms, purchases, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"850\" height=\"417\" src=\"https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/pageviews-plausible.jpg\" alt=\"Plausible\" class=\"wp-image-87438\" srcset=\"https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/pageviews-plausible.jpg 850w, https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/pageviews-plausible-300x147.jpg 300w, https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/pageviews-plausible-768x377.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">I use a privacy-friendly analytics tool called <a href=\"https:\/\/plausible.io\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Plausible<\/a> to track the growth of my side projects.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to track search-engine rankings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Since we&#8217;re talking about SEO optimization, let&#8217;s not forget to focus on the key: how our site ranks and how often it appears in search results. <a href=\"https:\/\/search.google.com\/search-console\/welcome\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google\u2019s Search Console<\/a> helps you track your site\u2019s performance on Google.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"850\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/camelrank-updated-screenshot.jpg\" alt=\"CamelRank\" class=\"wp-image-87440\" srcset=\"https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/camelrank-updated-screenshot.jpg 850w, https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/camelrank-updated-screenshot-300x113.jpg 300w, https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/camelrank-updated-screenshot-768x289.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">I also use a tool called <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/camelrank.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">CamelRank<\/a> to review other websites and compare results.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>There are countless other tools to embrace that help you monitor the performance of your SEO consultant and their work. Platforms like <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/seo\/\" target=\"_blank\">Semrush<\/a>, <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/moz.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Moz<\/a>, and <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Ahrefs<\/a> provide tools for metric tracking. Beautiful visuals let you instantly conceptualize how you\u2019re doing\u2014and where you are going.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"850\" height=\"248\" src=\"https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/ahrefs-domain-ranking.jpg\" alt=\"ahrefs\" class=\"wp-image-87435\" srcset=\"https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/ahrefs-domain-ranking.jpg 850w, https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/ahrefs-domain-ranking-300x88.jpg 300w, https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/ahrefs-domain-ranking-768x224.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Tools like the <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/website-authority-checker\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ahrefs Website Authority Checker<\/a> can give you a simplified indicator of your site&#8217;s standing with search engines.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Avoid vanity metrics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There&#8217;s a careful balance to maintain as you track your search engine metrics. Too many business owners gravitate toward &#8220;vanity metrics&#8221; like page views. And while it&#8217;s great to see your traffic improve, it means little if visitors don&#8217;t take action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Choose tools that align with your own SEO strategies. Then, use them regularly to track performance. Ideally, you can even set benchmarks. Targeting more contact form completions to measure opportunities to set sales calls? That\u2019s a metric by which you can measure success and identify gaps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Refine your strategies based on the data<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Use data and performance tracking to fuel shifts in your strategies too. They\u2019re especially useful if you\u2019re engaged in content marketing. If you\u2019re pushing content onto your website with the aim of boosting search engine traffic, you can easily identify what types of content perform the best, and then produce more of that content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tracking helps you stay on pace, it allows your consultant\u2019s strategies to evolve, and it helps you meet the needs of potential customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get started with SEO consulting: hire an SEO consultant today!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Now you know all about SEO consultants, what they do, and how they can help you grow your traffic. And I showed you what to look for in a successful SEO consultant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The truth is that SEO is complex and time-consuming. Hiring a professional SEO consultant is a commitment, so set clear objectives and carefully track performance. Then, revisit and evolve as your goals change. With an SEO consultant by your side, you can confidently navigate the unknown!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you need top-notch graphics and photos to revamp your site and socials, browse <a href=\"https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/\">Envato<\/a>&#8216;s extensive library of creative assets. Or check out our <a href=\"https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/seo-tips-graphic-designers\">SEO tips for graphic designers<\/a> and other <a href=\"https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/c\/marketing\/seo\">SEO tutorials<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learn about the role of an SEO consultant and how they can help you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":87916,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[157,273],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-73286","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-design","category-marketing"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73286","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=73286"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73286\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/87916"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=73286"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=73286"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/elements.envato.com\/learn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=73286"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}