You’re a business owner who wants to improve your website’s organic visibility, but you don’t know where to start. You realize investing in an organic search engine optimization (SEO) consultant could be the answer, yet finding the right one feels overwhelming. With so many options, how do you choose? The ideal consultant not only comprehends your business goals but also brings strategic insights tailored to your niche. As you evaluate prospects, prioritize specialists invested in understanding your products, customers, and what makes you unique before proposing recommendations. Once you find an organic SEO consultant who clicks with your mission and style, get ready to enhance your site in ways you never imagined possible. Let the organic visibility and revenue gains begin!
What is an organic SEO consultant?
An organic SEO consultant helps businesses improve their search engine rankings through optimization techniques that follow search engine guidelines. Instead of paying for ads, organic SEO focuses on optimizing your actual website content and structure. The goal is to make your site as relevant and authoritative as possible in the eyes of search engines like Google.
Keyword Research
The first step is researching what keywords your target customers are actually searching for. An SEO consultant will identify keyword phrases that are relevant to your products and services. They can then optimize your site content around these terms to help you rank higher in search results.
On-Page Optimization
On-page optimization means optimizing elements on your actual website pages like content, page titles, meta descriptions, image alt text, internal linking, and page URL structures. An SEO consultant will review your site and make recommendations for improving on-page optimization based on search engine best practices. Implementing these recommendations can significantly improve your search rankings over time.
Technical SEO
Technical SEO focuses on issues that could prevent search engines from properly accessing and indexing your website. Things like slow page load times, broken internal links, lack of mobile-friendliness, and XML sitemaps. An SEO consultant will audit your site for any technical errors and provide solutions to fix them. Resolving technical SEO issues is foundational for achieving and maintaining strong search rankings.
Ongoing Monitoring
A good SEO consultant will also track your key metrics over time to measure the impact of their optimization efforts. Things like keyword rankings, organic traffic, and lead conversions are monitored and reports are provided at regular intervals. Ongoing monitoring allows the consultant to see what’s working, make further recommendations for improvement, and help achieve your overall SEO goals.
In summary, an organic SEO consultant can be invaluable for gaining visibility in search engines and attracting more organic traffic to your website. By optimizing your on-page content, resolving technical issues, building high-quality backlinks and monitoring your progress, a consultant helps ensure your site ranks as high as possible in search results for your most important keywords and phrases.
What Does an Organic SEO Consultant Do?
As an organic SEO consultant, your job is to help your clients improve their search engine optimization through natural, unpaid strategies. This means optimizing their website content, structure, and technical aspects to rank higher in search engines like Google.
Keyword Research
The first step is researching the keywords and phrases that your client’s target audience is searching for. You’ll identify the terms that are most relevant to their business and have the highest search volume. These become the keywords you optimize the website around.
On-Page Optimization
With the keywords in hand, you then optimize the actual website content. This includes placing keywords in strategic locations like page titles, URLs, headings, and the body content. You also make the content compelling, clear, and concise for both search engines and human readers.
Technical SEO
Technical SEO focuses on behind-the-scenes issues that affect a website’s search performance. You address things like page speed, mobile-friendliness, URL structures, and crawlability. Fast, mobile-optimized sites with clean code tend to rank better.
Content Strategy
A good content strategy helps to boost rankings and traffic. You develop a content plan tailored to the client’s business goals and keywords. This may include blog posts, videos, infographics, and other media. New, high-quality content gives search engines more pages to index and helps to build authority.
Link Building
Link building involves acquiring high-quality backlinks from other reputable websites. These incoming links pass “link juice” to your client’s site and signal to search engines that the content is valuable and authoritative. You build links through outreach, guest blogging, link exchanges, and more.
Reporting and Monitoring
Finally, as an SEO consultant you track key metrics to measure the success of your efforts. You monitor things like keyword rankings, organic traffic, and lead conversion rates. Then you report back to your client on a regular basis with updates, insights, and recommendations to keep improving their search engine optimization.
With time and dedication, an organic SEO consultant can have a huge impact. By optimizing content, fixing technical issues, building links, and monitoring progress, you help businesses gain more visibility and reap the benefits of higher search rankings.
How Much Does Organic SEO Cost?
The Consultant’s Experience and Expertise
The fees charged by organic SEO consultants can vary significantly depending on their experience, expertise, and the complexity of your needs. Typically, you can expect to pay between $50 to $500 per hour. Seasoned consultants with a proven track record of success and certifications may charge on the higher end of that range, especially if you need highly technical SEO work.
The Scope and Duration of the SEO Campaign
The overall cost will also depend on the scope and duration of your SEO campaign. A short-term 3-6 month campaign focusing on some basic on-page optimization and content strategy may cost between $3,000 to $10,000 total. A long-term, comprehensive 12-18 month campaign involving a full SEO audit, extensive link building, and ongoing monitoring and adjustments could cost $50,000 or more.
Additional SEO Services
Extra services like paid advertising management, social media marketing, and conversion rate optimization can increase the total cost. Some consultants may bundle these complementary services together for a packaged monthly fee. Make sure you understand exactly what’s included in the consultant’s services and fees.
Ongoing Maintenance
Once your SEO campaign is complete, ongoing maintenance is required to sustain results. Most consultants will charge a monthly retainer fee for continued monitoring, reporting, content creation, link building, and optimization. Retainer fees typically range from $500 to $3,000 per month depending on the level of service.
Choosing a Consultant Within Your Budget
With some research, you can find an experienced organic SEO consultant that fits your budget. Get proposals from different consultants, compare their fees and services, and look for one that balances cost with capability. An SEO firm may charge a bit more but also provide more resources. A freelance consultant could save you money. Choose what’s right for your needs and budget.
In summary, the cost of hiring an organic SEO consultant will depend on their experience, the details of your campaign, additional services, and ongoing maintenance needs. But with some comparing, you can find an option to suit your budget. Increased visibility and revenue from a successful SEO campaign will ultimately offset the initial investment.
What to Look for in an Organic SEO Consultant
Experience and Expertise
You want to find a consultant with experience in your industry and expertise in organic SEO best practices. Ask about their background, qualifications, and client results. An experienced SEO pro will be up to speed on the latest techniques and tools to help move the needle for your business.
A Customized Strategy
A one-size-fits-all approach won’t cut it. Look for a consultant who will develop a customized strategy based on your business goals, target audience, and website. They should conduct an audit of your current SEO to determine what’s working, what’s not, and make recommendations specific to your needs. A tailored, well-researched strategy will yield the best results.
Technical Skills
SEO requires both marketing savvy and technical skills. Your consultant should have a solid understanding of web technologies like HTML, CSS, and Google Analytics. They need to be able to optimize your website for search engines by improving page load times, fixing any errors, and ensuring your site is mobile-friendly. Strong technical SEO skills are essential.
Reporting and Results
Ask potential consultants about their reporting methods and key metrics they will track. Look for someone who will provide regular reports on rankings, traffic, conversions, and ROI. Make sure they are willing to tweak the strategy as needed to continue progress. The best SEO consultants get results and can show real-world examples and case studies of success.
Affordable Pricing
SEO doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Look for a consultant who offers affordable pricing for small to mid-size businesses. Be wary of deals that seem too good to be true, but also avoid overpaying. A good SEO consultant will charge based on the scope of services, providing transparency around costs and billing. Compare proposals from different consultants to determine a fair price range based on your needs.
With some research, you can find an SEO pro with the experience, skills, and affordability to help boost your business. The right consultant will get to know your company inside and out, developing an SEO strategy tailored to your goals and actually driving results you can measure.
Is organic SEO better than paid?
When it comes to search engine optimization (SEO), you have two main options: organic SEO or paid search, also known as pay-per-click (PPC). As an SEO consultant, I’m often asked which approach is better. The truth is, it depends on your business goals and priorities.
Organic SEO builds authority and trust
Organic SEO focuses on optimizing your website to rank higher in the natural, or organic, search results. This approach allows you to build authority and trust in the eyes of search engines and users over time. However, it can take months or even years of continuous optimization and content creation to achieve top rankings for competitive keywords. If quick results are a priority, PPC may be a better option.
PPC delivers fast results but costs money
With PPC, you can get instant visibility at the top of search results by paying for ads. The downside is that it requires an ongoing budget and costs money each time someone clicks your ad. PPC also doesn’t provide the same long-term benefits as organic SEO. If budget is a concern, organic SEO may be more practical.
A balanced approach is often best
For many businesses, a combination of organic SEO and PPC is the winning strategy. Focus your SEO efforts on ranking for informational and non-commercial keywords. Use PPC to target more commercially-focused keywords and drive conversions. Over time, your organic rankings and traffic will improve, allowing you to scale back your PPC budget.
The approach you take ultimately comes down to your priorities and resources. Organic SEO and PPC both have important roles to play. As an SEO consultant, I recommend developing an integrated strategy that leverages the benefits of both to achieve your business goals. With the right balance, you can enjoy the best of both worlds.
Questions to Ask Potential Organic SEO Consultants
Once you’ve found some promising SEO consultants, it’s time for an initial consultation call. Here are some essential questions you should ask to determine if they’re the right fit for your business.
How do you approach keyword research? The consultant should have a proven process for identifying keywords that match your business’s goals. Ask about the tools and strategies they use to find high-potential terms. They should provide metrics like search volume, competitiveness, and conversion potential to support their keyword recommendations.
What on-page optimization techniques do you implement? On-page SEO refers to optimizing your actual web pages. Discuss their approach to page titles, meta descriptions, page structure, internal linking, and content optimization. Make sure their strategies align with Google’s best practices.
How do you address technical SEO issues? Technical SEO focuses on behind-the-scenes aspects like site speed, mobile-friendliness, and crawlability. Ask how they evaluate your site for technical issues and what solutions they would recommend to fix any problems. Fast site speed and mobile optimization are especially important ranking factors.
What’s your content creation and link building process? Creating high-quality, relevant content and earning authoritative backlinks are key to an effective organic SEO strategy. Discuss their approach to content planning, production, and promotion to build links. See if they can provide examples and metrics from previous content marketing campaigns.
Can you share case studies and results from your clients? Reviewing case studies from the consultant’s other clients is one of the best ways to determine if their services are effective. Ask for examples of clients in your industry or targeting similar keywords. Make sure any rankings, traffic, and conversion results they share are realistic and substantiated.
With the right questions, you can find an SEO consultant who aligns with your needs and has a proven track record of success. Be wary of unrealistic promises and be sure to check their references—your business’s search visibility depends on it!
Expected Results From Working With an Organic SEO Consultant
Working with an organic SEO consultant can yield significant benefits for your business. Within a few months of optimizing your website and content, you should start to see improvements in your search engine rankings and organic traffic.
As your rankings for target keywords improve, more people will find your website in the search results. This means you’ll gain greater visibility and exposure, allowing you to reach new potential customers. With an increase in qualified organic traffic, you can expect a boost in brand awareness and interest in your products or services.
An experienced SEO consultant will also help you gain valuable insights into your target audience and customers. Through keyword research, they can determine what search terms your potential customers are using, their interests, and questions they need answering. You can then use these insights to create content and optimize web pages that directly address your audience’s needs.
Over 6-12 months of working with an SEO consultant, you should achieve significant improvements in your search rankings, traffic, and conversions. Your website may rank on the first page of Google for many of your target keywords, driving a sizable increase in monthly visitors. With an optimized site focused on your audience’s needs, your conversion rates will likely improve as well.
The long-term effects of organic SEO can be game-changing for businesses. After a year or more of continuous optimization, you can expect your website to become an authority in your industry and rank very highly for most of your important keywords. The increase in brand visibility, traffic, and revenue can help take your business to the next level.
While results will vary for each business, organic SEO done right by a skilled consultant can have an enormous impact. By focusing on your audience, creating great content, and building authority, your website can become a lead and revenue generating machine. The key is finding the right consultant, defining clear goals, and sticking with an effective long-term SEO strategy.
Organic SEO Consultant vs SEO Agency vs in-House SEO
When it comes to organic search engine optimization (SEO), you have a few options for handling it: hiring an independent consultant, working with an SEO agency, or managing it in-house. Each has its pros and cons, so you’ll need to weigh them based on your business’s needs and resources.
An organic SEO consultant is usually a one-person shop. They can provide specialized, customized service since they get to know your business and website inside and out. However, their availability may be limited if they have multiple clients. SEO agencies, on the other hand, have a team of SEO professionals, so they can typically take on more clients and larger projects. But with a bigger team, you may end up working with multiple people and the service may feel less personalized.
Doing SEO in-house means training your existing employees or hiring new staff specifically focused on organic search optimization. This gives you full control and the ability to integrate SEO deeply into your operations. The downside is SEO can be complex, constantly changing, and time-consuming. Without proper experience, in-house SEO efforts may not be as effective.
In the end, for most small to mid-sized businesses, an independent SEO consultant or small SEO agency is a good place to start. They have the expertise to help you develop an effective SEO strategy and also provide guidance to your in-house team so they can start taking over some responsibilities. You can then re-evaluate in the future whether you want to bring even more of the work in-house or continue outsourcing to an agency. The right approach for you comes down to balancing control, customization, expertise, availability, and budget. With an open mind, you can find an SEO solution that meets all your needs.
Reviews of Organic SEO Consultants
Finding the right organic SEO consultant for your business can feel like an overwhelming task. With so many options out there, how do you choose? Start by checking out reviews from their past and current clients. Look for consultants with a proven track record of success in your industry or niche. See what other businesses say about their experience, expertise, communication, and results.
Some things to consider in the reviews:
Do clients report an increase in organic traffic and rankings after working with this consultant? Improved search visibility is the goal, so this is a key indicator of their effectiveness.
How responsive and proactive is the consultant? Look for mentions of clear communication, quick follow-up, and a willingness to explain strategies and optimize the process. An SEO campaign requires collaboration and adjustments over time.
Are they up-to-date with the latest Google algorithm changes and best practices? The SEO industry is constantly evolving. You want a consultant who stays on the cutting edge of trends and technologies to keep your site optimized.
Do they offer tailored solutions or take a one-size-fits-all approach? Every business and website is unique. Look for a consultant who customizes their SEO recommendations based on your specific goals, content, and customers.
Are their services and fees transparent and fair? Watch out for unrealistic promises of first-page rankings or massive amounts of traffic. Ethical SEO consultants will be upfront about fees, timelines, and the level of impact you can expect.
While SEO consultant reviews shouldn’t be the only factor in your decision, they can provide valuable insight into what other clients have experienced. Look for consultants with a combination of expertise, customization, transparency and a proven track record of success. And when you’re ready, don’t hesitate to contact them to discuss your specific needs and see if they’re the right fit. With the help of the right consultant, you’ll gain greater visibility and organic growth.
FAQs About Hiring an Organic SEO Consultant
So you’ve decided to hire an organic SEO consultant to help boost your website’s search rankings and drive more traffic. That’s great! But before you start interviewing SEO professionals, you likely have some questions about what to expect. Here are some of the most common FAQs about working with an organic SEO consultant:
Typically, an SEO consultant will offer keyword research, on-page optimization, technical SEO fixes, content creation, and link building. They help make your website as search engine-friendly as possible through optimizing both the content and the technical elements.
SEO consulting fees can vary depending on the consultant’s experience and the scope of services. On average, you can expect to pay between $50 to $500 per hour. Some consultants charge a monthly retainer fee, typically starting around $1,000 to $5,000 per month. The total cost will depend on how much work is needed and how competitive your industry is.
Improving your organic search rankings is an ongoing process that takes time and patience. Most SEO consultants will provide an initial optimization and content plan to implement over 3 to 6 months. You should start to see gradual improvements in your rankings and traffic within a few months if you follow the recommendations. The full impact of an SEO campaign can take 6 to 18 months.
Some SEO consultants require long-term contracts of 6 to 12 months to ensure they have enough time to achieve results. However, many reputable consultants offer flexible month-to-month agreements, especially when first starting out. Look for a consultant that is willing to start with a short-term trial period so you can evaluate if they’re the right fit before committing long-term.
It depends on your team’s experience and workload. An experienced SEO consultant can help develop an optimization strategy, provide guidance to your team, and handle technical issues. However, if your team has a strong grasp of best practices and sufficient time to focus on SEO, you may be able to handle it in-house with the consultant providing an initial audit and recommendations.
Conclusion
So there you have it. From in-depth keyword research to on-page optimization and link building, the right organic SEO consultant can help take your business to the next level. With the tips outlined here, you should now be equipped to find someone who understands your target audience, aligns with your business goals, and brings the strategic insight needed to boost your website traffic and revenue. Approach the vetting process carefully, ask the right questions, and don’t hesitate to request examples of past work. In doing so, you’ll be well on your way to developing the kind of high-quality, long-term partnership that drives sustainable growth. Now get out there, do your research, and start dominating those critical SERPs!
