Don’t Hire Blind — Start with an SEO Audit
Hiring your first marketing lead is a big milestone. But here’s the thing: no one person can do it all. The smartest move you can make before you even post the job? Run an SEO audit.
Think of it as checking under the hood before you hand someone the keys to drive growth.
- Is your content showing up in search?
- Are there technical issues dragging down performance?
- What’s working — and what’s not?
An SEO audit gives you a clear picture of where your digital marketing stands today — and what your new hire will need to improve.
Use the Audit to Guide Your Interviews
Instead of asking, “What would you do in your first 90 days?”, now you can say:
“Our SEO audit shows low rankings for key search terms and slow site speed. What would you focus on first, and why?”
This helps you see how candidates think, solve problems, and make decisions with real data — not theory.
What to Look For in a One-Person Marketing Team
If this is your first full-time marketer, you’re likely hiring someone to both strategize and execute. Here’s what to look for:
- Prioritization
Ask: “What would your first 90 days look like?” - Hands-On Execution
Ask: “Can you tell me about a time you built or launched something solo?” - Strategic Thinking
Ask: “How do you decide what not to do when resources are tight?” - Data Literacy
Ask: “How have you used analytics or audits to guide marketing decisions?” - Smart Delegation
Ask: “What would you outsource, and what would you keep in-house?”
Bonus: Give Them a Scenario
Prep a simple one-pager with a brief business overview and the results of your SEO audit. Then ask:
“Based on this, what would your top three marketing priorities be?”
You’re not looking for perfect — you’re looking for how they think.
Final Thoughts
Your first marketing hire doesn’t need to be a superhero. They need to be smart, resourceful, and focused on what will actually move the needle.
So before you make the hire:
✅ Run the SEO audit
✅ Clarify your marketing goals
✅ Interview with data in hand
Start with insight. Hire with purpose. Then give your marketer the runway to grow.
Need Help Getting Started?
Not sure how to run an SEO audit or interpret what it’s telling you? Reach out — I’m happy to share tools or point you in the right direction.you? Reach out — I’m happy to share tools or point you in the right direction.</p>