How to Interview a Web/Dev Professional for SEO/GEO Tasks

Sometimes SEO/GEO professionals need to work with web developers to implement our strategies. This can be for technical audit findings or even adding content to the website, depending on how the site is built.

I’m working with a client now whose site needed web/dev support for us to implement a number of our SEO/GEO updates. I was tasked with putting together a shortlist of developers for the client to choose from.

To find developers, I went about a similar search process that many of my clients use to find me: I went to ChatGPT and input a detailed prompt about the project, its requirements, and other constraints (like location and budget) and then reached out to the recommended developers for a consultation.

Some of the developers NEVER got back to me. Suffice to say, we didn’t go with them. Others got back to me that same day. That initiative gave me confidence to interview them for the job.

Here are the questions I asked when I was looking to hire a web developer for an SEO/GEO project:

1. Which content management systems (CMSs), development frameworks, and technologies do you specialize in?

Your goal is to establish whether the developer has experience with your website’s technology stack, whether that’s WordPress, Shopify, Webflow, or a custom-built website. In some cases, they’ll need to see the backend of the website first to verify they’re familiarity, and sometimes they may even have recommendations for updates, like to themes.

2. What experience do you have implementing (technical) SEO recommendations?

This is a good place to either ask for previous project examples or list your recommendations (redirects, canonical tags, XML sitemaps, robots.txt, structured data, etc.) and ask if they’ve done them before. Many developers will offer “SEO” services, but it’s not their specialty in most cases, so it helps to trust but verify their knowledge.

3. How do you approach website performance optimization, particularly Core Web Vitals and mobile usability?

Most web/dev resources can improve things like Core Web Vitals, but the part of the answer you’re looking for is how they achieve good website performance without sacrificing on functionality or design. A good developer understands that everything comes down to the user’s experience, not the scores they receive in simulated testing tools.

4. How do you typically collaborate with SEO/GEO consultants or other marketing professionals?

You want a developer who knows how to be a part of a team and communicate accordingly. The last thing you want is a developer who does their own thing, won’t take feedback accurately (or graciously), and doesn’t communicate well. If work gets completed, or mistakes or challenges happen, you want to work with a developer who’ll let you know these things immediately.

5. What is your estimated budget and timeline for the project, and what does your estimate include?

At this stage, you’re just looking for a rough estimate, as the final will depend on variables like how the website is built. Still, you can clarify details like project scope, hourly versus fixed pricing, deliverables, anticipated turnaround times, and whether revisions or post-launch support are included.

Key Takeaway

You don’t necessarily need a developer who understands SEO/GEO; you need one who’s knowledgeable about implementing the specific recommendations you have for your project. In fact, it’s not uncommon for developers to have legacy SEO knowledge that can introduce complications, so I’d almost prefer to have a developer who only focuses on web/dev and not SEO, but it’s ultimately your choice.

Outro

I’ve written before about the magic of the SEO/GEO and developer relationship. When it’s right, you can efficiently implement strategies and see results quicker. That said, most SEO/GEO professionals have horror stories of web/dev partnerships gone wrong. Use the questions above when interviewing your next developer, and ultimately, trust your gut.

If you need guidance with your SEO/GEO strategies (including building a team to implement them), feel free to contact me. I’m an independent consultant helping brands and agencies.

Until next time, enjoy the vibes:

Thanks for reading. Happy optimizing!

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