Start by defining what you actually need. Most businesses hiring their first SEO specialist confuse tactics with strategy. You don't need someone who just builds links or writes blog posts. You need someone who audits your site's technical foundation, identifies ranking opportunities your competitors missed, and builds a roadmap that aligns with your revenue goals. Evaluate candidates on three dimensions. First, technical competence: ask them to walk through how they'd diagnose a traffic drop or explain how Core Web Vitals affect rankings. Second, strategic thinking: request a sample audit or competitive analysis for your industry. Third, communication: if they can't explain their process in plain language, you'll struggle to justify the investment to stakeholders. At Ottawa SEO, we screen specialists by having them audit a real client site and present findings within 48 hours. Red flags to watch for include guarantees of first-page rankings within specific timeframes, exclusive focus on one tactic like link building, reluctance to share previous work samples, and pricing that seems too good to be true. A capable specialist in Ottawa or Montreal charges $75–$125/hour freelance. Agencies typically bundle services at $2,500–$5,000/month for small businesses, $5,000–$15,000 for competitive industries. Check their portfolio critically. Ask for Google Search Console screenshots showing traffic growth, not just rankings for obscure keywords. Request client references and confirm those clients still work with them. High turnover usually signals misaligned expectations or poor results. Decide between freelance, agency, or in-house based on your situation. Freelancers work for companies needing 10–20 hours monthly with clear direction. Agencies suit businesses requiring full-service execution across content, technical, and off-page. In-house makes sense above $500K annual revenue when SEO becomes a core growth channel. Most Canadian SMBs in the $1M–$10M range get better ROI from agencies because you access senior-level strategy without six-figure salaries and benefits.