SEO specialist? What does an expert with 15 years of experience do?

Introduction

Every day, thousands of potential customers search for products or services like yours. The question is: Will they find your company, or will they end up at your competitor every time? Without strong search engine optimization (SEO), you are missing out on customers and sales. The solution: hire an experienced SEO specialist. They know exactly how to score higher in Google, attract more quality traffic to your site and grow faster online.

Recognize this? You have a great looking website, but...

• It is not visited as often as you would like.
• Customer business is disappointing and there is no real growth
• There are no clear goals and strategy to address them

Are you serious about improving your company's online visibility? Find out here why an SEO specialist can make the difference for you.

What is an SEO specialist?

• An SEO specialist is a professional who makes sure your website is more findable in search engines like Google.

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. This specialist optimizes your website so that potential customers find your company when they perform relevant searches.

The level of expertise ranges from junior (0-3 years of experience) to senior (5+ years of experience). A junior SEO specialist focuses mainly on basic technical tasks and supervised content optimization. A medior (3-5 years of experience) works independently on more complex projects and strategy. Seniors oversee complete SEO projects, train teams, advise at the strategic level and solve complicated technical challenges.

When is it smart to hire SEO specialist?

Many business owners hesitate about the right time to hire an SEO specialist. Yet there are clear situations in which it is smart to hire an expert:

When launching, redesigning, moving or merging one or more websites

While building or revamping a website, crucial SEO aspects are often forgotten. An SEO specialist ensures that your website performs well from day one.

You are hardly findable in Google

If your website is virtually untraceable, you are constantly missing out on new customers. An SEO specialist helps to quickly improve your visibility and generate more traffic.

Your website attracts traffic but does not generate sales

It can happen that you attract visitors, but hardly generate any new customers. A specialist analyzes what can be done better so that visitors actually become customers.

Your website attracts much less traffic than before

It can happen that the number of visitors you attract suddenly drops off significantly. A specialist will analyze why that is and advise what needs to be done to restore traffic.

You have no time or knowledge to do SEO properly yourself

Good SEO requires constant attention, knowledge of algorithm updates and data analysis. A specialist takes this work off your hands, so you can fully focus on your core business.

Your competitors dominate the search results

If competitors continuously rank higher than you, you will lose customers. By hiring an SEO specialist, you will catch up and make your business stand out online.

What does an SEO specialist do?

For many business owners, the work of an SEO specialist is something of a black box. The work of an SEO specialist is also very diverse, but roughly they can be divided into five main categories:

1. Keyword research and competitive analysis

An SEO specialist usually starts with an in-depth keyword research. This means he investigates which words and search terms potential customers use when they are looking for your products or services. In addition, he analyzes competitors: what are they scoring on, and what opportunities are there to beat them?

2. Technical optimization

The technical side of your website is essential for good findability. An SEO specialist looks at, among other things:

• Website speed and mobile usability
• Correct structure and logical structure of your website
• Fix problems that block indexing by Google (such as broken links, duplicate content or poor URL structure)

3. Content optimization

Good, relevant content is crucial for SEO success. A specialist ensures that texts not only match the needs of your target audience, but also how Google evaluates content. Consider:

• Writing or improving texts with the right keywords
• Optimizing titles, headers and meta descriptions
• Advise on blog posts and landing pages for better findability

4. Strengthen link building and authority

An SEO specialist also improves the authority of your website. He does this by:

• Getting quality links from relevant websites
• Actively seek opportunities for collaborations (such as guest blogs, mentions or partner collaborations)

5. Monitoring, reporting and result analysis

SEO is a continuous process. A specialist regularly monitors performance and makes improvements. This includes:

• Analyze web traffic and visitor behavior
• Report results and recommend adjustments
• Responding to new opportunities and changes in the Google algorithm

How do you recognize a good SEO specialist?

Not every specialist delivers the same quality. To ensure that your investment in SEO really pays off, it is important to recognize a good SEO specialist. In doing so, pay attention to the following characteristics:

1. Proven experience and results

• Ask for examples of previous successful SEO projects.
• Good specialists can show cases and references showing that they achieved results before.

2. Transparent approach and communication

• A reliable specialist clearly explains what work he does and why.
• He actively shares results, areas for improvement and provides clear reports.

3. Up-to-date knowledge of SEO trends and Google updates

• SEO changes constantly (and then again, it doesn't). A good specialist follows developments closely and adjusts his strategy accordingly when necessary.
• For example, ask what he thinks about AI overviews, and how he handles algorithm updates.

4. Realistic expectations and promises

• A good SEO specialist does not make unrealistic promises such as "guaranteed number 1 positions."
• He clearly communicates achievable goals, timelines and potential risks. After all, there are always those.

5. Broad view of (online) marketing

• An experienced specialist understands that SEO is part of a broader marketing strategy.
• He thinks about other channels, such as SEA (search engine advertising), social media and content marketing.

6. Strategic and analytical skills

• Good SEO specialists work based on data and not on feeling.
• Ask how the specialist analyzes data and what tools he uses to do so.

Get the most out of working with an SEO specialist

Hiring an SEO specialist is an investment that can bring entrepreneurs a lot. To get the maximum return from this partnership, as a business owner you can do the following:

1. Make clear agreements about goals and KPIs.

• Set clear and measurable goals in advance, such as the number of visitors, conversions or higher positions in Google.
• Set KPIs so that together you know exactly when you are satisfied with the results.

2. Communicate regularly

• Make sure you receive regular updates from your SEO specialist, such as monthly reports and consultation moments. We
• Be proactive in your communication, ask through and give clear feedback.

3. Provide access to necessary information and tools

• An SEO specialist needs access to your website, Google Analytics and Google Search Console. Make sure he gets this access easily.
• Share relevant information about your business, target audience and competition to make his work more effective.

4. Be patient but stay involved

• Truly impressive SEO results take time. Give the specialist room to work, but stay involved in the process. Improvement may also be visible in the short term.
• Ask questions about the chosen approach, without demanding quick results right away.

5. Ensure integration into your overall marketing strategy

• SEO works best when it is part of your broader marketing plan. Therefore, coordinate it with other marketing activities such as content marketing, social media and advertising.
• Involve the specialist in strategic decisions so that SEO is used to its fullest potential.

Common mistakes

Many business owners take the step of hiring an SEO specialist, but make the same mistakes in the process. By being aware of these pitfalls, you will avoid disappointment and get more return from the collaboration. These are the most common mistakes:

1. See SEO as a one-time job

SEO is not a one-time project, but an ongoing process. Entrepreneurs sometimes stop after an initial optimization, leaving results minimal. The power of SEO lies precisely in its incremental value.

2. Having unrealistic expectations

Some business owners expect top positions and quick results right away. SEO requires patience; results are usually visible only after several months.

3. Too little involvement and communication

Leaving all responsibility to the SEO specialist without regular consultation often creates ambiguity and false expectations.

4. Only looking at short-term results

Entrepreneurs often want quick wins and forget that good SEO actually produces sustainable, long-term results.

5. Not giving input on their own market and target audience

No one knows your target audience better than you. Entrepreneurs regularly underestimate how important their own input is to effective SEO.

6. Focusing on the wrong KPIs

Entrepreneurs often focus only on rankings, when ultimately conversions, revenue and quality traffic are more important.

Conclusion

A good SEO specialist makes the difference between barely being findable and growing structurally in visitors and revenue. By engaging an experienced expert you save time, improve your competitive position and ensure lasting results. So do not wait until your competitors are even further ahead, but take action now.

Have your website analyzed by an SEO agency with only experienced specialists or schedule a consultation, so you too can soon benefit from strong online findability and get more revenue from your website!

Resources

Backlinko (2024). SEO Strategy Hub. https://backlinko.com/seo-strategy

Google Search Central. (2024). Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Starter Guide.https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/seo-starter-guide

Moz. (2024). The Beginner's Guide to SEO. https://moz.com/beginners-guide-to-seo

Semrush (2024). SEO Fundamentals Course. https://www.semrush.com/academy/courses/seo-fundamentals-course

Yoast. (2024). SEO for beginners. https://yoast.com/seo-for-beginners/