Business
Bringing in an intern for your SEO agency? It's not as easy as it sounds. Most agencies rush to hire because they’re overloaded but without a plan, that intern ends up lost, copying AI content, or stuck doing tasks that teach them nothing.
In this episode of SEO Kwentuhan, Gab and Gelo get real about the right way to hire interns from knowing when you’re truly ready to bring someone in, to making sure you actually have something worth teaching. They share the hard truths about delegation, the red flags of internship programs gone wrong, and how to create an environment where interns grow and might even turn into future full-time team members.
Transcript Summary:
00:00 – 01:03
Gab & Gelo
Gab introduces the episode's topic: Hiring your first SEO intern.
They decide to tackle it from two angles:
For agency owners hiring interns
For aspiring interns
01:07 – 02:41
Gab
Before hiring, ask: Why do you want an intern?
Internships help others get hands-on experience.
Ensure tasks are clear and manageable.
Differentiate freelance interns vs. school-accredited internships (which often have stricter requirements like office presence or business registration).
02:43 – 05:12
Gelo & Gab
Gelo asks: Should you hire only when you have repeatable processes?
Gab agrees.
Gab shares his real estate SEO experience, where SOPs helped with delegating work (e.g., content uploading).
Hiring without SOPs leads to confusion and inefficiencies if someone leaves.
05:16 – 06:03
Gelo
Gelo suggests creating video SOPs and checklists for guidance.
Having accessible tools (even paid ones) signals readiness to hire.
06:11 – 07:10
Gab
Most SEO tasks can be delegated if there’s a clear SOP.
Avoid giving complex strategies.
Interns can do basic audits, suggest meta tags, etc., with proper tools and guidance.
07:22 – 08:26
Gelo & Gab
Interns can help with prospecting and vetting leads.
Avoid letting them handle brand-sensitive communication unless they’re trained.
08:26 – 09:09
Gab & Gelo
It depends. Gab prefers handling back-end access himself.
If tasks are basic (e.g., updating pages), limited access might be okay.
Warns about site breakage risks from unintended clicks or updates.
09:42 – 10:03
Gab & Gelo
Only assign client-facing roles if the intern has prior experience (e.g., sales).
Otherwise, limit them to internal or admin tasks.
10:12 – 11:10
Gab
Interns start by setting up their own WordPress site.
Depending on their strengths (design, grammar, etc.), they’re assigned to specific SEO areas.
Weekly learning stages are implemented before assigning real client tasks.
11:14 – 12:14
Gab & Gelo
Interns are assigned based on their displayed strengths and interest.
Gab watches if they’re passionate about their work even if it’s not perfect.
12:15 – 13:02
Gelo & Gab
Interns first observe or do sample tasks (e.g., 10 lead prospects).
Only after they show accuracy are they given more responsibility.
13:09 – 15:26
Gelo & Gab
Important to explain not just the “how,” but the “why” of SEO strategies.
Gab includes summaries in SOPs explaining what the task is for (e.g., internal linking = better crawlability).
Keyword research is the hardest to teach because it requires understanding business goals and user intent.
15:34 – 19:14
Gelo & Gab
Big concern: interns relying too heavily on ChatGPT and copying templates.
Gab emphasizes context and personal thinking when using AI tools.
Gelo warns that overreliance damages industry reputation and individual growth.
20:18 – 22:03
Gab
Curiosity and resourcefulness are essential.
Communication and time management help when dealing with clients and task prioritization.
Interns must manage time well and know when to pause redundant tasks (like excessive lead gen).
22:04 – 25:01
Gelo & Gab
Interns should be open to feedback and admit when they don’t know something.
Proactiveness and curiosity help solve more SEO problems.
Clients appreciate when SEOs go beyond tasks (e.g., noticing missing reviews on GMB).
26:03 – 28:11
Gelo & Gab
Yes. Gab has hired interns who showed initiative and consistency.
Some interns don’t take it seriously, just aiming for a certificate.
Genuine effort stands out and leads to real opportunities.
28:15 – 29:30
Gab
Gab shares how his internship mindset and enrolling in Glenn Dimandal’s bootcamp shaped his journey.
It opened his eyes to agency-level processes and helped him build his own agency.
29:39 – 30:14
Gab
Mistake: relying too much on one intern.
Learning: always build SOPs and have backups.
30:23 – 31:28
Gab & Gelo
Not hiring at the moment due to current intern load.
Will announce new internship openings in their Facebook groups: SEO Workout & Local SEO Masterclass.
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