There are a variety of SEO professionals who can help you achieve your goals. But which one is right for you?
In this article, I’ll discuss the different types of SEO pros and how to choose the right one for your business.
Table of contents
Types of SEO professionals
Just like choosing the right tool for the task, it’s important to choose the right type of SEO professional(s) for your business. Let’s start by understanding who they are.
SEO coach
An SEO coach has a strong experience in SEO in general and has great teaching skills.
Ideal for: Those new to SEO who want to learn and do it themselves, or those who want to improve their existing SEO knowledge and skills.
Your Focus: Personal development and skill-building in SEO.
Method: Self-guided courses, 1:1 SEO coaching to help you learn and implement SEO best practices yourself.
SEO mentor
An SEO mentor has a hand-on experience in your specific niche. An SEO mentor is amazing at 1:1 conversations.
Ideal for: Those with some SEO experience who want personalized guidance and support from a more experienced professional.
Your Focus: Long-term professional growth and strategic guidance in SEO.
Method: Shares experiences, knowledge, and advice to help you make informed decisions and navigate your specific SEO journey.
SEO consultant
An SEO consultant is great at doing things. She or he has direct experience implementing changes and being more responsible for the outcomes of those changes than the other types of SEO vendors.
Ideal for: Those who want someone to handle their SEO entirely or need expert help with specific tasks such as rank drop investigation or website migration issues.
Your Focus: Specific SEO tasks and project implementation.
Method: Analyzes your website, develops an SEO strategy, and executes specific tasks (e.g., keyword research, content optimization, link building) on your behalf.
SEO strategist
This role focuses on the big picture. They develop comprehensive SEO strategies aligned with overall business goals. They conduct in-depth market research, competitive analysis, and audience analysis to identify the best approaches for long-term success. Think of them as the architect of your SEO plan.
Ideal for: Businesses that need a comprehensive, long-term SEO vision and roadmap, or those struggling to align SEO with broader business objectives.
Focus: Defining overarching SEO goals, understanding your target audience, and developing a customized strategy for sustainable growth.
Method: Conducts in-depth market research, competitive analysis, and audience profiling. Develops a tailored SEO strategy encompassing technical SEO, content marketing, link building, and more.
SEO manager
An SEO manager is like the conductor of your SEO orchestra. They oversee all SEO activities, from strategy and planning to execution and analysis, ensuring everyone and everything works together harmoniously to achieve your organic search goals. SEO managers are essential for larger businesses with complex websites and in-house SEO teams.
Ideal for: Larger companies with in-house SEO teams or those with complex websites and ambitious SEO goals needing a dedicated leader.
Focus: Overseeing all SEO operations, managing the SEO team, allocating resources, tracking performance, and reporting on progress.
Method: Develops and implements SEO campaigns, manages budgets, analyzes data, collaborates with other departments (marketing, development), and stays up-to-date on the latest SEO trends.
SEO analyst
An SEO analyst is like a detective for your website traffic. They dig deep into data, using tools like Google Analytics and Search Console to uncover hidden opportunities and identify areas for improvement. SEO analysts are crucial for understanding what’s working and what’s not in your SEO strategy.
Ideal for: Businesses that want to gain deeper insights into their website traffic, identify areas for improvement, and measure the effectiveness of their SEO efforts.
Focus: Data analysis, performance tracking, identifying trends, and uncovering opportunities to improve rankings and organic traffic.
Method: Uses tools like Google Analytics, Search Console, and other SEO software to analyze website data, track key metrics, conduct keyword research, and provide actionable recommendations.
SEO copywriter
An SEO writer is a wordsmith who crafts compelling and informative content that both users and search engines love. They understand how to optimize content for relevant keywords while maintaining a natural and engaging style. SEO copywriters are essential for creating content that ranks well and drives traffic to your website.
Ideal for: Businesses that need high-quality, optimized content for their website, blog, or other marketing materials to attract both users and search engines.
Focus: Creating engaging, informative, and keyword-optimized content that aligns with your SEO strategy and target audience.
Method: Conducts keyword research, understands search intent, writes compelling copy, and optimizes content for readability, user experience, and search engine rankings.
SEO specialists
An SEO specialist is an expert in a specific area of SEO. For example, there are SEO specialists who specialize in technical SEO, content marketing, or link building. SEO specialists can be a great option for business owners who have specific SEO needs.
- Link building specialist: These professionals specialize in acquiring high-quality backlinks to your website. They employ various tactics, such as outreach to other websites, guest blogging, and creating shareable content, to build a strong link profile that boosts your website’s authority.
- Technical SEO specialist: This role focuses on the technical aspects of SEO, ensuring your website is crawlable, indexable, and accessible to search engines. They address issues like site speed, mobile-friendliness, structured data, and site architecture.
- Local SEO specialist: If you have a local business, this specialist is key. They focus on optimizing your online presence for local searches. This includes managing your Google Business Profile, building local citations, and ensuring your website is properly geotagged.
- Ecommerce SEO specialist: For online stores, these specialists optimize product pages, category pages, and the overall site architecture to improve rankings for product-related keywords and drive conversions.
- International SEO specialist: If you’re targeting audiences in multiple countries, this role is essential. They handle the complexities of international SEO, including website localization, hreflang tags, and managing content in different languages.
Side by side comparison
Let’s look at a more detailed comparison with costs and engagement options for the three types of SEO professionals.
Features | SEO coach | SEO mentor | SEO consultant | SEO strategist | SEO manager | SEO analyst |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Focus | Skill-building | Long-term growth | Project execution | Developing a long-term SEO strategy | Overseeing all SEO activities and team | Identify trends, issues, and opportunities |
Method | Courses (MOOC, CBC), 1:1 coaching | Advice, experience sharing, regular calls | Analysis, strategy, implementation | Conducts in-depth audits | Manages budgets, analyzes data | Using SEO tools for keywords research and data analysis |
Ideal for | Beginners, skill development | Owners/managers with some SEO experience | Needing hands-on help | Helps align SEO with business objectives | Larger companies with in-house SEO teams | Businesses that want data-driven insights |
DIY | Yes | Yes (but with guidance) | No | Tricky, usually requires extensive experience | Not recommended, unless you have a strong background in SEO | Not recommended, data interpretation requires experience |
Engagement | Hourly and sessions per month | Hourly and sessions per month | Hourly, retainer, project-based | Typically retainer-based, sometimes project-based | Usually full-time employment or long-term contracts | Hourly, project-based, or retainer-based |
Cost | $50-$200/hr or $500-$2,000/mo | $100-$300/hr or $1,000-$3,000/mo | $150-$500/hr or $2,000-$10,000+ per project | Averages $1,500-$5,000/month | Average annual salary in the US is around $70,000-$120,000 | From $75-$250/hour or $1,000 – $5,000/month on retainer |
Cost of SEO
The cost figures in the table above are ranges based on my own experience and industry surveys like this one by Ahrefs. Ahrefs polled 439 people to identify average costs of various SEO related services.
It’s important to remember that when it comes to SEO cost you get what you pay for. Cheap or affordable SEO services are unlikely to drive any significant results. SEO coaches, mentors and consultants are services based on experience and experience costs. Check this SEJ post to better understand SEO pricing options.
Recalling the Picasso’s napkin story:
A Parisian admirer reportedly asked Picasso for a napkin sketch. He obliged, but charged a hefty sum: one million francs.
The lady was shocked: “How can you ask for so much? It took you five minutes to draw this!”
From JG Contemporary
“No”, Picasso replied, “It took me 40 years to draw this in five minutes.”
Your coach, mentor or consultant is much like Picasso and his napkin story. A good coach is dedicated years, made mistakes and learned from them so you don’t have to.
Step-by-step process
Here is a step-by-step process of finding and choosing your SEO vendor, be it a coach, mentor or consultant.
Step 1: Consider your needs
Always start with your specific case. SEO vendors need specifics from you to help you.
- What specific areas of SEO do you want to improve?
- What is your monthly/total budget?
- Do you want them to handle your SEO or do you want to DIY?
- How comfortable are you with SEO yourself?
Step 2: Research coaches
Read their blogs, listen to podcases, watch their videos, and see if their approach aligns with your goals.
The SEO industry has matured and many practitioners have a great grasp on fundamentals. What differentiates them is their personality and experience in your specific fields.
Your goal is not to find the best, but to find the right SEO coach, mentor or consultant.
Step 3: Read reviews
See what other clients have experienced before making a decision. It sounds obvious but sometimes overlooked because low trust in customer reviews.
Yes, SEO consultants, coaches and mentors will only feature positive reviews on their websites. But see if you have find 3rd party websites with more objective reviews. When looking at negative reviews, pay attention at how the practitioner responded, if responded at all.
Look for reviews featuring your specific needs. For example, if you’re looking for an eCommerce SEO, look for reviews that mention eCommerce SEO details and issues solved by the SEO consultant, mentor or coach.
Step 4: Schedule a discovery session
Many coaches, mentors and consultants offer free consultations to discuss your needs and see if you’re (company, niche) a good fit. Take advantage of those discovery sessions.
In preparation to the call provide your vendor with as much input as you can in a short form. This will help you use the 15-30-minute exploration discussion in the most productive way.
Treat the discovery call as an interview, not as a way to get free SEO consultation. Ask questions about their experience in your field. Try to meet them (virtually or in person) and learn about them as a person beyond SEO.
Feel free to book a meeting with me.