With the ever-changing ecosystem of search algorithms, it can be difficult to come up with relevant technical SEO questions to examine your SEO candidates. Yet at the same time, you want to make sure the person you hire can excel in your growing Digital Agency. Then, how about using some Free SEO Testing Tools?
There are a lot of SEO skill exams out there. A lot of them come with yearly pay subscriptions, and then some are free. Free is always worth checking out what’s available out there. Thus, we put together a list of the top free resources to help you hire the right SEO candidate.
Not for Beginners
At this rate, you are most likely looking to hire an SEO technician with some serious skills. For that reason, I’m not going to get into SEO exams for beginners. This is for “SEO experts.”
How You should Present These SEO Testing Tools To Your Candidate
How you choose to give out the exam is something to take note of. All of the following tests are online, and the applicant could be tempted to do some side-searches to get an answer correct. Whether the test will be taken virtually or in person, you’ll want to make sure that searching for answers is not a possibility.
With all that said, let’s explore!
The Low Down
- Exam Level: Expert
- Time to complete: 15 min
- Number of questions: 53
- Time for each question: No time limit
- Easy for a candidate to cheat online?: Yes
Taking this exam was like taking a shot of espresso: it is sure to shake off the cobwebs. Moz didn’t play around with this. The questions are on the expert level and there are a lot of them to answer. Does your candidate need to know a lot of these answers to be productive to your agency? Probably not.
The Verdict
I don’t think this skill testing tool is ideal if you’re looking to hire some SEOs. In my opinion, failing this test does not mean that someone is not a good hire. I don’t even think Moz created it for that purpose, honestly. This exam really drills in on small technicalities, which you wouldn’t use daily along with, terminology, troubleshooting situations, and definitions. Passing this test will definitely earn you bragging rights, but I believe that is its only purpose. Let’s move on.
LinkedIn SEO Assessment
The Low Down
- Exam Level: Difficult
- Time to complete: 15 min
- Number of questions: 15
- Time for each question: No time limit
- Easy for a candidate to cheat online?: Yes
To take this test, the candidate would have to have a LinkedIn profile. To access the test, they would have to view their profile in live mode, head down to their skills section, and click on “Take Assessment Test.” A pop-up opens and they’ll have to scroll down until they reach the SEO test.
The Verdict
I found this test to be thought-provoking and relevant. From reading in forums, I understand that the questions are constantly updated. The fact that there’s a timer ticking down from 2 minutes adds some heat to the pressure. I really think this is a good test to try out for your candidates. Be aware, however, that there are a lot of sites out there that offer a cheat sheet. The way the scoring works is based on an algorithm between the number of times this test has actually been taken and how many people passed it. You won’t get an exact score. If you pass, however, they will give you a percentile of where you fall within this ratio. For instance, if you pass, you may get a grade of being in the 70+ percentile.
The Low Down:
- Exam Level: Difficult
- Time to complete: No time limit
- Number of questions: 20 multiple choice
- Easy for a candidate to cheat online?: Yes
Head over to Search Engine Land and you’ll discover an SEO test written by regular guest blogger Eric Enge. Enge is the General Manager of Perficient Digital, a full-service, award-winning digital agency. Any test that’s found on Search Engine Land sounds pretty good to me.
The Verdict
This SEO Testing Tool was a difficult test, but it was also a lot of fun to take. As a result, I think that anyone who can pass this test with an 80% or higher, would be a great candidate to hire for your SEO position. Some of the multiple-choice answers only differ by one word or even just a comma, so you really have to be on your feet. Also, some of the choices are not necessarily wrong- it’s just that there is a more accurate answer out of the two. This one is a go!
The Low Down:
- Exam Level: Basic
- Time to complete: 30 min
- Number of questions: 15 Multiple Choice Questions
- Time for each question: No time limit
- Easy for a candidate to cheat online?: Yes
Simplilearn is the world’s #1 online Bootcamp for digital economy skills training focused on helping people acquire the skills they need to thrive in the digital economy. They help people thrive in the digital economy of today. They also happen to offer a free SEO exam which can only be taken by what appears to be an email list signup.
The Verdict
The questions revolved around topics such as ranking factors, SERPS, and SEO audits. I found it to be beginner level and would not recommend you use this as one of your SEO Testing Tools to hire an expert. If you are okay with SEO internships, that’s another story.
Does Your Agency Use SEMRUSH for Your SEO?
Do you require your applicants to have experience using SEMRUSH? If so, be sure to explore the robust library of exams that SEMRUSH Academy offers, all depending on where you want their focus to be. These exams focus less on your knowledge of SEO and more on how to use their Platform. That being said, however, if they can pass any SEMRUSH exam, then they are most likely already very good at SEO.
My Personal Choice
In my opinion, the LinkedIn Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Assessment is your best choice for Free SEO Testing Tools. Just be sure to look at their LinkedIn profile to see whether or not they already took the test. You would be able to tell because their profile will show off the SEO badge.
If they already took the LinkedIn exam, then go for Eric Enge’s SEO Exam via Search Engine Land. If they already took and passed the LinkedIn SEO test, and THEN pass Search Engine Land’s SEO exam, well you have found yourself a quality candidate.
About Premium SEO Testing Tools and Exams for your Candidates
Today we went over all of the free resources out there to quiz your candidates. There is also a large range of SEO exams that come with a fee. That fee could be monthly (assuming that you are always hiring) or for a one-time exam. Sites such as iMocha, Test Gorilla and Mettl are all paysites, but if you are serious about hiring, they may be worth the price.
Conclusion
Knowing the skill level of your candidate for hire is crucial to help you grow your agency. These tests do all of the hard work for you by exploring trending questions and definitions. But take everything with a grain of salt. I wouldn’t rely 100% on these questions alone. Figure out what other criteria are necessary, based on your work culture, for them to be a perfect fit.
