8 Characteristics of Highly Effective SEO Professionals

There’s a reason why Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has been part and parcel of any business in the modern world. It’s the cornerstone of every successful business of the 21st century, with Google being the main repository of knowledge in the world today. This fact is all the more emphasized today as most of the world is closed due to the global pandemic. Everything important happening now -- is happening online. The thing is, not all SEO professionals are created equal. So if you’re thinking of starting a business or finally incorporating SEO to your existing operations, here are 8 essential characteristics you need to look out for when choosing an SEO expert. 1. Knows all three levels of Search Engine Optimization Search Engine Optimization is basically how you tweak content and certain factors on your website, such that it is one of the first things to pop up when someone searches for a particular keyword. To do this, SEO has three important parts. First is the technical aspect of SEO which involves the structure of your site. This part determines how fast search engines can index your content among others. Second is on-page SEO, which includes content creation, keyword generation, and other strategies that optimize each individual webpage. Finally, there’s off-site SEO which involves having to build your site reputation and authority through link building and guest posting. If you know more about this than your SEO expert, you may want to reconsider if he or she is actually the expert they say they are.   2. Has a deep understanding of the current market To become an effective SEO professional, your SEO expert shouldn’t just be an SEO “nerd.” SEO is simply a subset of marketing. This means that it should work hand in hand with other marketing goals, like activations and offline advertising. Therefore, highly effective SEO experts are those who also showcases a deep understanding of current market trends and how they will turn this knowledge into good results for your business.   . Possesses impeccable communication skills Just as effective communication skills are a large part of  environment for any company, that same factor is an important quality to look for in your SEO professional. No matter how adept at SEO a person is, without proper communication skills, he or she will not be effective. Communication, in this case, is not just about proper execution, but also includes interpersonal communication skills with the client. You can’t really work towards one goal with an SEO professional if he or she doesn’t know how to listen and respond to queries promptly and appropriately.   4. Long years of success With hundreds of people claiming to be SEO experts, one quick way to distinguish an effective one from a “newbie” is to check their track record. Ask for previous projects and see for yourself how the SEO professional was able to help boost sales or at least online traffic for a certain company. Ultimately, what you’re asking is for them to provide you proof that you’re experienced in SEO. And if you know anything about SEO, you know that it’s not a topic or class you’re offered in college, so that just goes to show you that in certain instances, experience matters more than education. So, for an SEO professional to claim to be an expert, they can only claim that title from years of experience. Remember that all marketing campaigns will take some time  before it generates any sales. So don’t go for just any SEO company with less than a year of experience.   5. Flexible and knows what you want to achieve with SEO You may have contacted the best SEO expert in your area, let’s say a You need someone who is not only local but also has chemistry with your team so that they can build a healthy, long-term relationship that will most likely yield better results. For instance, if your business is in Kansas City, you’ll want to go with the best Kansas City SEO professionals in that area.   6. Has the passion to see things through The best SEO expert has a passion for execution and can’t fully relax until the job is done, no matter how long it takes. If you find a credible SEO expert like that, then hold on to them because not everyone who starts a project has the desire to see things through until the very end.   7. Can think on their feet. Highly effective SEO experts are natural critical thinkers. They can make and execute the right decisions without constantly having to consult you if the situation calls for it. This characteristic is not just applicable to SEO consultants, but to any employee, too.   8. Knows other processes related to SEO In order for SEO to work, experts in the field also need practical know-how of other relevant processes. These include analytics, programming skills, and sometimes even graphic design. Having these skills will make it easier for you to integrate SEO work with other processes and will definitely be a plus for your business. Just keep in mind that it’s not a necessity... It’s more of an added bonus. SEO experts are highly competent people who are willing to do more than necessary to make their marketing campaign a success. The kind of SEO expert you hire can either make or break your company’s reputation. So choose wisely.