"Hello, I am new to the world of SEO. I recently had my website designed and was advised to hire an SEO expert, which I did through Fiverr. However, as a novice in this area, I am unsure how to verify if the expert has completed the required tasks. Despite good reviews, the expert did not provide detailed explanations of the process and only asked for keywords and location before completing the project. I am hesitant to accept the work without fully understanding it. Can someone provide some guidance on what to check to ensure the expert has done what was expected? Also, I am curious about how long it takes for Google to rank a page and whether over-optimization can be detrimental. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you."
It’s important to understand that SEO is an ongoing process, and results don’t happen overnight. While good SEO practices can improve your website’s visibility and traffic, it takes time for Google’s algorithms to recognize and rank your website.
Here are some steps you can take to verify if the SEO expert has done their job properly:
- Review the keyword research: Ask for a list of the keywords they used and their target search volume. This will give you a sense of their understanding of your industry and the search terms your potential customers use.
- Check for on-page optimization: Ensure the expert has implemented best practices such as title tags, meta descriptions, header tags, and alt tags for images. You can use free SEO tools like Moz or SEMrush to check the website’s on-page optimization.
- Look for backlinks: Quality backlinks are crucial for SEO. Ask for a list of the websites they’ve contacted to obtain backlinks. Evaluate the quality of these websites and ensure they’re relevant to your industry.
- Review website analytics: The SEO expert should have tracked your website’s performance before and after implementing their strategy. Look for improvements in organic traffic, keyword rankings, and bounce rate.
Over-optimization can indeed be detrimental to your website’s ranking. Google penalizes websites that use “black hat” SEO techniques, such as keyword stuffing and link farming. If you suspect the SEO expert has engaged in these practices, it’s crucial to address this with them and potentially find a new expert.
Remember, SEO is a collaborative effort. It’s important to communicate with your SEO expert throughout the process and ask questions to ensure you understand their strategies and goals.