Starting an SEO Program with a Solo Professional

Starting an SEO Program with a Solo Professional

Hiring a solo SEO professional can be one of the fastest and most affordable ways to start your SEO program. Many companies go this route because someone in leadership knows an SEO expert or finds one on LinkedIn. In fact, according to Databox, this is the top choice for 55% of companies who need one person to handle all SEO.

Sometimes, hiring one person can be a smart move, especially when compared to the time and money it takes to build an in-house team or hire an agency. But, like any decision, it has pros and cons. Here’s a look at some factors to help you decide if this is the best path for your business.

The Success Equation

Many companies think hiring a single SEO expert is straightforward:

(Experience + Knowledge) x Investment = Results

It seems simple: hire someone experienced, invest in their efforts, and see the revenue roll in. But it’s rarely this easy—you often won’t see what you’re truly getting until you’re committed.

Hiring SEOs Can Be Unpredictable

The truth is, you might not know if the person is the right fit until a year or more down the line. Let’s break down what you should consider before making this commitment.

Part One: Experience

This is tricky. How much experience is enough to build a successful SEO program—3 years? 5 years? 10?

How Much is Enough?

After hiring SEOs for over 20 years, I can say there’s no magic number. While experience is valuable, finding the right person is still challenging. Because SEO skills can be exaggerated, I often focus on attitude, character, and other intangibles—qualities that make a lasting impact. While many companies choose someone with 3–5 years of experience, keep in mind that experience today is different from 20 years ago.

Strong SEOs Are Curious by Nature

SEO has evolved. When it began in the 90s, there were no tools or established practices. SEOs back then learned by testing, experimenting, and reverse engineering. This was true even into the early 2000s when it was a competitive field with multiple search engines, each with unique algorithms.

Today, SEOs focus almost exclusively on Google. While the algorithm has advanced, core principles haven’t drastically changed. Yet, only those with deep experience have faced drastic algorithm changes that can impact rankings overnight.

Not All Experience is Equal

Once you’ve experienced an algorithm change, you know Google’s primary goal is its own interest—delivering what it deems relevant to each search. SEOs with 3–5 years of experience may not be familiar with such challenges. They may lack the resilience needed when things go wrong.

Part Two: Knowledge

The internet now offers a wealth of SEO knowledge, making it easier to learn the basics. However, not everything online is accurate, and many SEOs present themselves as experts without testing their strategies. The right candidate should understand not just SEO but how it integrates with other channels like paid search, CRO, email, and social.

When interviewing, ask candidates how they would respond if organic traffic dropped overnight. Their response should reveal both their expertise and ability to stay calm under pressure.

SEOs Need a Broader Marketing Vision

For instance, in one of my previous roles with a large hotel chain, we spent over $2M monthly on paid search due to SEO issues. After optimizing SEO, we recaptured organic branded searches, reducing paid search costs by half and affiliate marketing spend by 90%. A well-rounded SEO pro should be able to recognize these opportunities and adjust accordingly.

Part Three: Investment

The investment required for SEO success varies widely. I’ve seen million-dollar teams achieve little and small teams achieve millions. Success doesn’t always come down to money but often depends on hiring, training, internal support, and leadership. However, whether it’s $80k or $1M, investment should match goals, supporting SEO pros with fair pay, tools, and encouragement.

Cost Should Not Drive the Decision

Starting with cost as the main factor is a mistake. While SEO is often seen as a “free” marketing channel, it still needs adequate investment in talent, tools, and resources. Value perception can be an issue, with some leaders undervaluing SEO’s worth compared to paid search.

The Equation’s Sum: Results

With experience, knowledge, and investment varying widely, how can you ensure the right results? Start by defining the results you expect. This clarity helps determine if you need a single person, a team, an agency, or a hybrid approach.

The Pros of a One-Person SEO Show

Pros of a One-Person SEO Show

  1. Cost-Effective: Hiring one person saves money, with salaries typically ranging from $80-150k annually, depending on experience.
  2. Reduced Risk: It’s easier to pivot if performance falls short, compared to switching an entire team or agency.
  3. Unified Vision: A single person provides consistency without multiple opinions that can delay decision-making.

The Cons of the One Person SEO Show

  1. Limited Capacity: One person can only do so much. Expecting them to manage strategy, execution, and cross-team communication can lead to burnout.
  2. Fewer Resources: A single SEO may not have the budget for essential tools or support from leadership.
  3. Isolation: SEO can be lonely without colleagues to brainstorm with or catch mistakes, especially if their manager isn’t well-versed in SEO.
  4. Risk Exposure: Relying on one person can be risky. If they leave, the program may stall while you find a replacement.

SEO Hiring Checklist: Finding the Right Fit for Your Business

1. Define Your Goals:
Are you looking for quick SEO wins, or is your primary focus long-term growth?
What specific outcomes are you aiming for (e.g., increased traffic, better ranking for certain keywords, lead generation)?

2. Assess Your Resources:
Do you have the budget for a full team or agency, or does a single expert make more financial sense?
Can you provide the necessary tools and support for a solo SEO to succeed?

3. Evaluate Experience Levels:
How much experience aligns with your business needs? Decide whether 3-5 years, 10+ years, or agency experience best suits your goals.
Consider whether industry-specific SEO knowledge (e.g., e-commerce, B2B) is important for your business.

4. Test for Broader Marketing Knowledge:
Can the candidate integrate SEO strategies with paid search, content marketing, and other channels?
Ask scenario-based questions: How would they respond to an overnight drop in organic traffic?

5. Review Their Problem-Solving Skills:
Has the candidate experienced major SEO updates and adapted successfully?
Do they use a test-and-learn approach to refine strategies?

6. Verify Their Approach to Reporting and KPIs:
What metrics do they use to measure SEO success, and do these align with your company’s goals?
How often will they report on progress, and what tools will they use for tracking?

7. Prepare for Long-Term Considerations:
If hiring a solo SEO, plan for future scalability: Will you eventually need an in-house team or an agency to support growth?
Establish backup plans if the initial hire doesn’t meet expectations. How quickly can you pivot if results are lacking?

8. Finalize Budget Expectations:
Understand that while SEO doesn’t have direct ad spend, it still requires a meaningful investment in skilled professionals, tools, and resources.
Determine if your budget allows for a single SEO expert or if you can support a broader team with specialized skills.

Final Thoughts

There are situations where a one-person team is ideal—when your organization is new to SEO, doesn’t know where to start, or lacks the budget for a full team. The key question becomes: Who will manage hiring to ensure the right fit? Who has the knowledge to assess the right person?

Choosing the foundation of your SEO program will impact your business for years. Whether that impact is positive or negative depends on planning and understanding SEO’s role in your strategy.

This is the first of an upcoming five part series. In the pipeline are:

  • The Reality of Outsourcing to an SEO Agency
  • The Reality of Building an In-house SEO Team
  • The Reality of Hybrid SEO Program
  • The Reality of Hiring an SEO Consultant

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