Why Choose an SEO Consultant?

People make their decisions with online search.

The number one place that people search for answers is Google. Sure, there are studies that show people use social media to search for some things but a vast majority of searches still take place in Google. While Gen Z is said to use social media for search, 60% of them still report using Google. That will likely decline as young people drop the naivety that TikTok somehow has the better interest in mind.

53% of shoppers research before they buy something. Do they go to the library? Do they call the store? Do they wait for commercials? Nope, they Google it. That number would probably be higher if the stakes were higher for many products but its unlikely that you search for toilet paper types or what is the best cucumber.

However, 93% of people use online search to find local businesses. So basically all local traffic is heavily influenced by what people search online.

Very few people understand how search works.

Just like a wide majority of people can’t code, lots of people don’t know the complexity of the searches they are making. It isn’t that they couldn’t learn. It’s that they don’t have the time!

A search consultant is an affordable way to get the help you need with ranking your website. A good consultant is someone with 10+ years of experience and a track record for ranking websites. You will see lots of consultants online running courses or selling cheap, one-time offerings with promises of #1 rankings. Both are are shorter than consultants, they are just cons.

You could learn how SEO works. You could practice and spend money and time. Or you can hire a person to do that work for you. Agencies are a great answer for many. But if you are constrained within a budget or you aren’t comfortable signing long contracts, an SEO consultant is a cheaper way to get similar results.

SEO Consultants are Contracted Professionals.

You aren’t hiring employees or bringing on a new team member. You won’t need to provide them benefits or vacation. You aren’t paying the premium of a fancy downtown office or a work vehicle. With a consultant, you are hiring a contractor to advise and/or complete the SEO goals you set mutually.

Good consultants are honest about expectations and what they can or cannot do. Given that they help lots of people, your time to talk to them might need to be scheduled. An expert in SEO is qualified and ready to get you the work that needs done in a timely and affordable manner.

This is a Long-Game Investment.

Anyone who promises you the #1 spot fast is either lying or gaming a system that will likely be penalized later. A great SEO consultant does their best to work within the confines of best SEO practices. Technically, any SEO activities outside of adding content to your site are publicly frowned upon by Google. But what they say and what they do varies widely.

Your current website will need many changes. Your consultant will advise you on how to optimize it for best performance. But the majority of why you rank is outside of your website, the myriad of signals out on the internet that communicate to Google that your website is valuable. This includes improving directories, map listings, references, and links. A great consultant not only can tell you what you need to do, they know how to actually create those signals pointing to you.

A Consultant is the Affordable Solution.

Again, an SEO consultant does not have the extra costs that you would have with an agency. While you might be able to meet an agency in person or access a large suite of marketing services, the cost to do SEO has to have a higher profit margin for them to justify. If you simply need SEO work done and are conscious of a budget or are simply smart with your money, a consultant is a smart and cheaper solution.

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