You’ve probably typed “SEO expert near me” into Google at some point, maybe after your cousin’s dog grooming website outranked your business for the fifth time this year. And honestly, fair enough. Local SEO is one of those things that seems deceptively simple until you realize it’s a little like trying to win a bake-off judged by robots; robots with a thing for structured data and backlinks.
So, how do you find someone who actually knows what they’re doing?
Someone who can help your business show up when people nearby are searching for what you offer? Let’s break it down.
Start with proof, not promises.
If someone claims to be an SEO expert, they should have receipts. And I don’t mean vague testimonials with first names like “John D.” I mean real case studies, ideally from businesses in your area. If you’re in Charlotte and they helped a local HVAC company triple their traffic and start ranking for “emergency AC repair Charlotte,” that’s a good sign. If they’ve only got examples from a dropshipping site in 2017, maybe keep scrolling.
Don’t just take their word for it, either. You can use tools like Ahrefs Site Explorer or SEMrush to plug in the business’s domain and check historical traffic, backlinks, and keyword rankings. It’s like peeking behind the curtain; except the wizard is a digital marketer with a caffeine habit.
Know what local SEO actually means.
Local SEO isn’t just regular SEO with a zip code slapped on. It’s its own beast. You’ve got to deal with things like your Google Business Profile, local citations (hello, Yelp and YellowPages), and hyperlocal content that speaks directly to people in your area. Someone who knows local SEO should be able to explain how they keep your NAP—Name, Address, Phone—consistent across directories. They should know what schema markup is and how it helps search engines understand that your bakery isn’t just a bakery; it’s the bakery on Main Street with gluten-free croissants.
If they look confused when you ask about geo-targeted keywords or review-building strategies, that’s your cue to exit the chat.
Can they rank themselves?
This one’s simple. If someone calls themselves the top SEO expert in your city, they should show up when you Google something like “SEO consultant in [your city]” or “local SEO services near me.” They don’t have to be #1, especially in crowded markets, but if they’re nowhere on the first page, that’s not a great sign. It’s like hiring a personal trainer who gets winded walking to the gym.
Technical SEO: the stuff under the hood.
Good SEO isn’t just about writing blog posts and hoping for the best. There’s a whole technical layer that makes or breaks your rankings. A real expert should be able to talk about things like mobile-first indexing, Core Web Vitals, and crawl budget without sounding like they’re reading off a glossary.
Ask them about tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or how they handle XML sitemaps and robots.txt files. These aren’t niche extras; they’re the plumbing of your site. And if the plumbing’s bad, it doesn’t matter how nice the wallpaper is.
What tools are they using, and what are they showing you?
SEO without data is just guesswork. Your expert should be using tools like Google Search Console, Google Analytics, Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz. If they’re doing technical audits, they might use Screaming Frog. For local citation tracking, BrightLocal or Whitespark are solid picks.
But tools are only half the story. The real value comes from how they use that data. You should be getting reports that go beyond “your keyword moved up two spots.” Look for insights into where your traffic’s coming from, what people are doing on your site, and how that ties into actual business goals. Otherwise, you’re just collecting numbers for the sake of it.
Ask them to walk you through their plan.
SEO isn’t magic. It’s a strategy, executed over time, with a lot of testing and tweaking. A good SEO expert should be able to explain their plan for your site in plain English. That usually includes an initial audit, competitive analysis, keyword mapping, on-page and off-page tactics, a content roadmap, and some kind of timeline with actual KPIs.
If they’re vague or start promising page-one rankings in a week, that’s your red flag. Google itself says no one can guarantee rankings. And if someone does? They’re either lying or planning something shady that’ll get your site penalized later. Source
What do other people say about them?
Finally, don’t forget the human side of this. SEO isn’t just technical; it’s collaborative. You’re going to be working with this person for months, maybe longer. So check their reviews. Look at their Google profile, LinkedIn recommendations, or Clutch.co listings. Reach out to past clients if you can. Ask what it was like to work with them. Did they communicate well? Did they deliver on what they said? Were they the kind of person who actually answered emails?
Because the truth is, even the smartest SEO expert won’t help if they ghost you halfway through an audit.
So, what now?
Typing “SEO expert near me” is a decent start. But finding someone who can actually help your business grow? That takes a little more digging. Look for local proof, technical skill, transparency, and a willingness to explain what they’re doing and why.
You’re not just hiring someone to boost rankings. You’re choosing a partner in how your business shows up in the world.
And yes, Perfect Sites has helped plenty of local businesses climb the rankings and stay there. Whether you’re a dentist in Denver or a bike shop in Buffalo, we know how to make sure the right people find you; right when they’re looking.
That’s the view from the ground.
We’ll be back soon with more real-world insights.
Until then, keep building.
– Perfect Sites Blog