There’s a tendency among people to want to hire local service providers, and for the most part, this makes complete sense because you don’t want to travel to the other side of town.
But when it comes to a service like online marketing where everything’s done remotely and online – does it still make sense? Probably not, but if you’re set on hiring locally, consider these things.
Local results
If you’re looking for a Search Engine Optimisation business in a particular location (“SEO Surry Hills”), Google will provide a unique set of local results for this. The thing to keep in mind is that it’s a lot easier for a business to rank for these keywords. Therefore it’s very hard to determine the quality and trustworthiness of that business.
Local reviews
Check out the ratings and reviews of businesses listed with Google and other important Australian directories. Go further and do a quick search in Google (type in the name of the business plus the word “scam”) to see if any negative feedback appears in forums.
Ask for local referrals
There’s a good chance that other nearby business owners have hired an online marketer to assist them. If you’re keen on hiring locally, it’s ideal to get a recommendation from a local client they’ve worked with.
Want more articles like this? Check out the online marketing section.
Local meet ups
Go to a meet up or networking group in your area. This is a great place to ask questions, speak to qualified business owners, and also get recommendations.
Get a few proposals
Speak to a variety of consultants and visit many websites to get a feel for what an online marketer can do. Ask lots of questions and always keep a healthy level of skepticism.
If you can find a suitable online marketer in your area, go for it. But it probably doesn’t make sense to limit yourself to nearby consultants. A good online marketing business knows how to bridge the location gap. Their expertise and credibility will be obvious to you, and this in itself is a great indication of their expertise and commitment.
What’s your experience with hiring a local online marketer? Do you have any other tips for soloists looking to hire one – local or otherwise?
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