15 essential questions to ask when choosing the right SEO specialist

Are you looking for an SEO specialist to improve your business’s online visibility? Making the right choice can mean the difference between online success and stagnation. But how do you know which SEO partner, such as SEO Ninja, is right for your business? Asking the right questions is key to assessing the expertise, strategies and approach needed to choose the right SEO specialist. In this comprehensive guide, we cover the 15 most important questions you should ask to find the best SEO partner for your business:

1. How can SEO help us achieve our business objectives?
2. What does your SEO strategy look like?
3. What tools do you use?
4. How do you carry out keyword research?
5. How do you analyse our competitors?
6. What is your link-building strategy?
7. Can you help us with technical SEO?
8. How do you measure success?
9. How do you report on progress?
10. Can you guarantee results?
11. Do you have any experience in our sector?
12. How do you optimise your content for SEO?
13. What do you do in terms of local SEO?
14. How do you keep up to date with SEO updates?
15. Can you provide any customer testimonials or case studies?

Choosing the right SEO specialist

1. How can SEO help us achieve our business objectives?

SEO shouldn’t be separate from your business strategy; rather, it should align seamlessly with your business objectives. Perhaps you want to drive more traffic to your website, boost your brand awareness, generate more leads or boost your online sales. A good SEO partner not only helps you attract more visitors, but also focuses on attracting the right kind of traffic – visitors who are ready to convert.

At SEO Ninja, we start with a thorough analysis of your business objectives. We want to know exactly where your focus lies: do you want greater local visibility, better performance at a national or international level, or are you more focused on specific products or services? Our SEO strategies are tailored to this, so that we not only generate more traffic, but above all attract the right visitors who contribute to your business objectives.

2. What is your approach to SEO?

SEO is a broad field and every specialist has their own methods. That is why it is important to understand how an SEO specialist works, so that you know what to expect. Does the approach focus on quick results or on sustainable growth? Are all aspects of SEO covered, such as technical SEO, content optimisation and link building?

Our approach begins with a thorough audit of your website. We look at technical aspects such as loading time, mobile-friendliness and the structure of your site. We then carry out a comprehensive keyword analysis , looking not only at the right keywords, but also at competitors and search intent. We then optimise both the technical aspects and the content on your website, ensuring it is search engine-friendly and closely aligned with the needs of your target audience. We don’t stop at one-off optimisations, but work continuously to improve and refresh the content and build high-quality backlinks.

3. What tools do you use?

A sound SEO strategy cannot be achieved without the right tools. Tools for keyword analysis, performance monitoring and competitor analysis are essential for optimising your website in all key areas. It is important that an SEO specialist uses modern, tried-and-tested tools to gain insights and implement improvements.

At SEO Ninja, we use industry-leading tools such as Ahrefs to carry out in-depth keyword analysis and competitor research. Ahrefs provides us with a vast database of information on keywords, backlinks and rankings. We also use Google Search Console to monitor your website’s performance, and Google Analytics 4 to analyse how visitors behave on your site. This gives us a complete picture of what’s going well and what could be improved.

4. How do you carry out keyword research?

Keywords are the backbone of SEO. The right keywords ensure that your website is visible to people who are looking for your products or services. But it’s not just about high-volume keywords. It’s about finding keywords that are both relevant and achievable to rank for, and that match the searcher’s intent.

We start with a brainstorming session in which we work with you to draw up a list of potential keywords. We then analyse the search volume, competition and relevance of each keyword. This helps us draw up a list of focus keywords – covering both short-tail and long-tail terms – that align with your business objectives and the search intent of your target audience. Using these keywords, we’ll develop a strategy for both direct optimisation and content creation, ensuring your website ranks well for terms that really make a difference.

5. How do you analyse our competitors?

SEO is also a competitive game. It’s important to know what your competitors are doing, so that you can learn from their successes and capitalise on their weaknesses. A detailed competitive analysis provides insight into which keywords they use, which backlinks they have and which content ranks well.

Once we have identified the focus keywords, we analyse the top competitors for these terms. We investigate why they rank highly and where the opportunities lie to outperform them. This could, for example, be through better content, stronger backlinks or faster loading times. Based on this analysis, we draw up an action plan aimed at outperforming your competitors on key search terms.

6. What is your link-building strategy?

Link building remains one of the most effective ways to boost your website’s authority. The more high-quality websites that link to your site, the more trustworthy you’ll be seen as by search engines such as Google. However, it’s important that these links come from relevant and reliable sources.

At SEO Ninja, we focus on acquiring high-quality backlinks from websites relevant to your industry. We do this through outreach, by building relationships with influential websites and by creating valuable content that attracts natural links. We avoid dubious tactics such as link farms or paid links, as these can be harmful to your website in the long term.

7. Can you help us with technical SEO?

Technical SEO is crucial to ensuring that search engines can crawl and index your website effectively. This includes factors such as page load speed, mobile usability, URL structure and your site’s internal linking structure. Without a strong technical foundation, it is difficult to achieve good rankings, even with the best content.

We have a strong focus on technical SEO and can make changes directly within WordPress. For other CMS systems, we work closely with your developers. We ensure that your website meets the technical requirements of search engines and that users enjoy a fast, seamless experience. We guide you through this process from start to finish, so you don’t have to worry about the technical side of things.

8. How do you measure success?

Measuring success is an integral part of any SEO strategy. It is important to know which KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) are used to measure progress. Success can be measured in terms of keyword rankings, organic traffic, conversions or a combination of these factors.

At SEO Ninja, we use various KPIs, depending on your business objectives. We measure the rankings of your most important keywords, the organic traffic to your website and the conversions. We use Google Tag Manager to ensure that all key conversions are accurately tracked in Google Analytics 4. For online shops, for example, we check that the e-commerce tracking is working properly, so that we know exactly which campaigns are leading to sales.

9. How do you report on progress?

You always want to stay up to date with the progress of your SEO campaign. Regular reports are therefore essential for seeing what has improved and what actions are still planned. Transparency is the key here.

Every month, you’ll receive a detailed report in which we discuss the performance over the past month. This report is compiled in Google Looker Studio and is linked to all key data sources, such as Google Analytics, Google Search Console and Ahrefs. We discuss not only the results achieved, but also the next steps and potential improvements. This enables us to continue optimising our approach.

10. Can you guarantee results?

SEO results are difficult to predict and depend on many factors, such as the competition, the current state of your website, the quality of the content and your willingness to invest in improvements. No SEO specialist can guarantee specific rankings.

We do not promise specific rankings on Google, as we know that SEO depends on a number of factors. What we do guarantee, however, is a solid strategy based on experience and proven methods. We’ll work with you, step by step, towards sustainable growth and measurable results. Thanks to our 20 years’ experience, we’re well placed to assess which actions will be most effective for your business.

11. Do you have any experience in our sector?

Every sector has its own dynamics and competitive landscape. That is why it is important that your SEO partner has experience in your specific market. For example, SEO tactics that work for an e-commerce business may be very different from those for a service-based business.

We have extensive experience across a range of sectors, from the floristry trade and technology to e-commerce and cyber security. Whether it’s local SEO or international campaigns, we know how to develop a strategy tailored to your specific industry and target audience. Furthermore, we have experience with multilingual SEO in languages such as English, German, French and Spanish, enabling us to assist companies operating internationally as well.

12. How do you optimise your content for SEO?

Content is the foundation of SEO. Search engines assess your website based on the value you offer your visitors. Good SEO content aligns with your target audience’s search intent and provides clear answers to their questions.

At SEO Ninja, we help with both creating new content and optimising existing content. Based on the chosen focus keywords, we come up with topics that are relevant to your target audience. We then write content that is not only optimised for search engines, but also appeals to the reader and encourages them to take action. Existing content is continuously updated to ensure it remains relevant and performs better in search results.

13. What do you do in terms of local SEO?

If your business focuses on a specific region, local SEO is of great importance. This helps you to be more visible to customers in your immediate vicinity, for example via Google My Business.

We optimise your Google Business Profile so that customers can easily find you through local searches. For WordPress websites, we even offer a special SEO Ninja plug-in that synchronises your business details with your website, including reviews, opening hours and contact details. This ensures you’re easily found locally.

14. How do you keep up to date with SEO updates?

SEO is constantly evolving. Search engines such as Google regularly update their algorithms, which can affect your rankings. It is therefore important that your SEO partner always stays up to date with the latest developments.

We follow reputable SEO sources and experts on a daily basis via blogs and social media to keep up to date with the latest trends. In addition, we regularly test new techniques ourselves and experiment with various SEO strategies. This ensures that our methods are always up to date and effective.

15. Can you provide any customer testimonials or case studies?

Real results speak for themselves. Always ask for examples of successful SEO campaigns that your SEO partner has carried out in the past. This will give you an idea of their expertise and experience.

Although we are cautious about sharing client information online, we can showcase relevant case studies during a face-to-face meeting. Over the past 20 years, we have helped numerous businesses with their SEO strategies, ranging from small local firms to international companies.

Choosing the right SEO specialist

Choosing the right SEO specialist can make all the difference between online success and failure. At SEO Ninja, we believe in a transparent and measurable approach that is fully tailored to your business objectives. By asking these 15 questions, you’ll gain a good insight into how we can help your business grow through SEO.

Would you like to know how SEO Ninja can help your business grow through SEO? Get in touch with us today Get in touch for a no-obligation chat and find out what we can do for you! With our bespoke strategies and years of experience, we’ll ensure that your investment in SEO delivers real results.