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We’re not looking for just another SEO specialist. We’re looking for someone who lives and breathes SEO. Someone who understands where search is heading: generative engines, AI-driven discovery, and human-first search strategies. Our site, Wandering Weddings, was significantly impacted after Google's original Helpful Content Update in 2022. Traffic started to decline in October 2022 and despite serious efforts (content updates, SEO tweaks, technical fixes), the downward trajectory hasn’t stopped. We’ve gone from 1,000+ daily views to barely 100 views a day and placement is 38 in search results. We have just under 1,800 pages live, but not all of them are the problem. We want to focus on our core pages first and find out: -Is there a needle in the haystack dragging everything down? -Bad pages? Topical dilution? Crawl issues? Sitewide quality issues? Or something deeper? We’re also looking beyond classic SEO recovery — we want someone who can help future-proof our brand for the age of AI search. (Generative Engine Optimization experience is a huge plus.) Scope of Work -Deep audit and diagnosis of current SEO health (content, technical, site structure, authority) -Identify true root issues vs symptoms -Prioritize core pages. No brute-force auditing of 1,800 pages. -We want some to find patterns across groups of pages, not nitpick individual meta descriptions. -Site-level problems need site-level solutions, not page-by-page tinkering. -Build a phased recovery and growth roadmap -Incorporate forward-thinking strategies for Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) -Clear communication with explainable, actionable steps, not just audits Ideal Candidate -Proven experience helping sites recover from major algorithm hits -Deep understanding of Helpful Content Update, E-E-A-T, topical authority -Actively studying / experimenting with Generative Engine -Optimization (GEO) -Strategic thinker. Not checklist-driven. -Strong communication skills and can explain the "why" behind recommendations -Bonus: Familiarity with WordPress Compensation & Working Relationship We believe great partnerships start with mutual alignment. To make sure this is the right fit for both of us, we have a two-step process: 1. Quick Strategic Challenge (Unpaid, 30 minutes max) We invite final candidates to complete a short real-world thinking exercise. This isn’t about doing free work — it's about giving you a chance to showcase your expertise, your thought process, and how you approach diagnosing and strategizing complex SEO challenges. (We respect your time and have designed this to take no more than 30 minutes.) 2. Weekly Retainer Engagement If the strategic challenge goes well, we’ll kick off an ongoing engagement structured as a flexible weekly retainer: -Estimated 5–10 hours/week to start (with room to scale up or down based on project phases) -Prioritized work based on your diagnosis and recovery roadmap -Competitive, flexible rates based on your level of expertise and strategic value Our goal: To build a strong, long-term partnership where your skills directly drive meaningful growth and recovery — and where we can trust your judgment and strategy moving forward. Unpaid Short Real-World Knowledge Tests Test 1: Strategic Mini-Audit Challenge Prompt: Our site (Wandering Weddings) has suffered a massive traffic decline since October 2022, right after the Helpful Content Update. We have ~1,800 pages live. Traffic has dropped from ~1,000 daily views to ~100 views/day. Based on this information alone: -What 3–5 hypotheses would you investigate first? -What quick diagnostic steps would you take before touching content? -What potential "hidden" causes might often be overlooked after a core update? Test 2: GEO Knowledge Check Prompt: AI search is evolving rapidly (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, etc.). If you were tasked with future-proofing Wandering Weddings for visibility in generative search engines: -What are 3 key strategies you would prioritize today? -How would these strategies differ from classic Google SEO? Test 3: Recovery Roadmap Draft Prompt: Without seeing our site directly yet: -Sketch a rough outline of how you would approach diagnosing and recovering our traffic loss. -Prioritize your steps (audit, fixes, monitoring, long-term plays). -Bullet points welcome!
Keyword: Content Strategy
Price: $50.0
SEO Strategy Technical SEO Organic Traffic Growth SEO Audit SEO Backlinking