If you want your business to be discoverable, you can’t leave SEO out of your marketing equation. Since it focuses on organic growth, SEO is more affordable than paid channels overall, but the upfront costs can be off-putting for many organizations.
It takes a long time for an SEO strategy to show results, so it’s hard to tell if the SEO marketer or agency you hired is worth the investment until it’s too late. What you can do is hire a fractional SEO expert and have them evaluate your existing efforts. They can also help fine-tune your strategy to ensure your website is visible to the right audiences—all at a reasonable price.
This article will show you what a fractional SEO specialist can do for your business and how to approach the process of hiring them. We’ll also introduce you to a platform that can connect you with top-notch experts in this niche.
What Is a Fractional SEO Marketer?
A fractional SEO marketer is an experienced professional who dedicates a fraction of their time to multiple employers, helping them improve their online visibility and boost organic traffic. They usually work part-time but can effectively function on a full-time basis, depending on the specific needs of the companies they engage with.
Legally, fractional SEO marketers are contractors, but unlike freelancers, they’re employed by a company and regarded as a part of the collective. They’re also not necessarily tied to a specific project and may establish a more long-term relationship with a particular employer.
Still, due to their limited availability, the scope of their work is narrower than that of full-time SEO marketers. They typically focus on a specific area, such as strategy or consultancy.
The table below breaks down the differences between various work models to help you understand them:
Key Roles and Responsibilities of a Fractional SEO Marketer
The duties of a fractional SEO specialist vary across businesses and depend on the current needs. They may include:
- Analyzing current SEO strategies and ranking
- Building SEO strategies in line with business objectives
- Checking the website for technical SEO
- Planning the execution of strategy (on-page and off-page SEO, PPC, and link building)
- Developing or managing the content calendar
- Setting up performance metrics, tracking them, and using them to improve strategy
- Guiding and training SEO and marketing teams
All these activities aim to help the company’s website rank as high as possible in SERPs, provide a satisfying user experience, and generate traffic, leads, and eventually sales.
Oftentimes, it can take up to a year to get any tangible results and evaluate for success. Also, Google’s search engine algorithm is hard to grasp and constantly changes, so best SEO practices are changing, too. Whether fractional or not, an SEO specialist must keep up with these trends and stay informed.
Key Benefits of a Fractional SEO Marketer
Hiring a fractional SEO specialist comes with many perks, most notably:
- Affordable expertise: Some companies don’t need a full-time SEO expert, while others can’t afford it. Fractional marketing is ideal for such companies, allowing them to access high-level expertise and pay only for the time they need
- Faster hiring: A fractional contract isn’t as expensive as a full-time one, so you don’t need to wait to get the necessary funding. Also, fractional experts are usually more adaptable and readily available
- Flexible engagement: SEO is typically not a year-round effort. Fractional hiring is preferable because it lets you increase the marketer’s hours during crunch time and reduce them during quieter periods
- Team integration: SEO agencies often don’t have a complete picture of your company’s needs. Fractional SEO experts are integrated into your business and are more similar to full-time employees in that regard. They’re familiar with your requirements and dynamics and can thus devise bespoke strategies as well as participate in their implementation
- External perspective: Working with one company can limit an expert’s ability to think outside the box and assess current efforts objectively. A fractional SEO specialist has the advantage of diverse experience and can come up with innovative solutions. They’re also a less biased evaluator
When To Hire a Fractional SEO Marketer
You should bring on a fractional SEO marketer as soon as you have the means for it. Like all marketing strategies, SEO takes time. So, the sooner you start doing it right, the sooner your business will take off.
Here are some common situations that warrant hiring a fractional SEO specialist:
What To Look For in a Fractional SEO Marketer
The first factor you need to pay attention to is technical skills. Your chosen fractional SEO marketer must be experienced and knowledgeable, particularly in the following areas:
- Keyword research
- Link building
- Technical SEO
- UX principles
- Marketing analytics
They also need to be proficient with relevant tech, including keyword research, analytics, and content optimization tools.
The other traits you should look for include:
- Analytical thinking
- Communication skills
- Adaptability
- Organization skills
- Cultural fit
To source a fractional SEO expert, you’ll need to post job ads, ask for referrals, or tap into your professional network. You’ll also need to screen, interview, and assess candidates, then check their references before deciding who to offer the position to.
Optimizing the Relationship With Your Fractional SEO Marketer
Follow these best practices to make the most of the collaboration with your fractional SEO expert:
- Define your expectations: Be clear about what you want your SEO expert to achieve and ensure you’re aligned on crucial points. Define trackable goals and use metrics to assess objective progress
- Communicate effectively: Since your collaboration is limited, it’s vital to communicate transparently and regularly. Exchange feedback, forward relevant updates, and use the available tools to facilitate cooperation. Doing so will strengthen your relationship and ensure efficient work
- Provide autonomy: While you should check in with them, you must also avoid micromanaging and trust the expert to do their job. Otherwise, you might make them feel disrespected and stifle their motivation and creativity
Challenges of Hiring a Fractional SEO Marketer
Whether you’re an SEO expert yourself or not, finding an individual who has the technical know-how, sports a compatible personality, and is also reliable isn’t easy. The sourcing, screening, and interviewing process is as resource-intensive as it’s necessary.
Even if you do everything by the book, there’s no way to know how the candidate will handle the role once they take it on. If they don’t deliver on the promises, you’ll have to repeat the recruiting process, spend even more resources, and wait even longer to achieve the results your business needs. Also, an incompetent SEO can do plenty of damage to your business if you don’t realize it in time.
You can avoid such costly mistakes by partnering with an on-demand recruiting agency or platform that pre-vets candidates and offers satisfaction guarantees—such as MarketerHire.
Why Is MarketerHire the Best Choice for Hiring a Fractional SEO Marketer?
MarketerHire is a matchmaking platform founded and run by seasoned marketing experts. With over 25,000 successful matches since 2018, it has a proven track record of recruiting success. MarketerHire’s clientele, which includes big names like Netflix, HelloFresh, and HP, can also attest to that.
The platform has a diverse network of pre-vetted expert marketers and can match you with a fractional SEO specialist based on your unique needs. It uses a proprietary MarketerMatch system that combines AI and human insight to pinpoint your ideal match. If you realize the marketer isn’t the right fit during the trial week, you’ll get rematched for free.
MarketerHire offers a white-glove service, which means it requires minimal effort on your part and provides support during and after the recruiting process. You can focus on your primary work and enjoy peace of mind knowing MarketerHire’s experts will take care of your hiring needs.
With MarketerHire, you don’t need to worry about talent quality. Each candidate undergoes a rigorous vetting process that consists of comprehensive skills reviews, live interviews, and test projects. Only the top 3% of applicants are admitted into MarketerHire’s expert network. Many of them have also worked with big brands, such as Uber and PayPal.
Need to reduce your SEO expert’s hours? Looking to bring on additional marketing talent? Say no more. With MarketerHire’s short-term, no-obligations contract, you can scale up, scale down, or cancel the collaboration as needed.
How MarketerHire Works
The recruiting process with MarketerHire is effortless and entails only three steps:
- Hop on a short call with your dedicated marketing manager to describe your needs
- Meet your fractional SEO marketer within 48 hours
- Start working with your new hire within three days
Besides SEO experts, MarketerHire can connect you with many other types of expert marketers, including fractional CMOs, paid search marketers, and marketing analysts. The platform can also help you recruit full-time Expert Assistants if your marketing, design, or sales team is stuck with any repetitive tasks.
Contact MarketerHire today, get in touch with leading fractional SEO experts, and start dominating SERPs in no time!
Other Fractional Hiring Resources To Check Out
You can find our other guides on fractional hiring in the table below: