What should I look for when hiring an online marketer? Basically, I want to offload some of the work of seo/content marketing/social media/etc but, not being experts in the subject, would like some guidance about how to evaluate various candidates. Are there metrics or standards one could ask for to demonstrate expertise?
According to me you should talk with them about what you need and what he is suggesting ..... If you have knowledge of SEO then you can understand easily that what he can do for you. To get additional expertise you can ask for portfolio, existing website, online reputation etc.. But my recommendation is invite candidate for for talk on SKYPE or hangout or according to your ease because in chat or talk candidate have to give you answer quickly and by this way you can understand easily that what he can do for your website.
The best thing you could do is get a referral from a colleague or business partner who has had success with such a marketer. If you cannot do that, you need to be sure to carefully check (i.e., speak with) references for any such person or company that you are thinking of hiring. It is really easy to make unsubstantiated claims and success stories online, so you have to be very careful in this regard.
Successful online marketing campaigns are within the reach of any business, no matter what your budget. By following the five basic steps above and committing to the follow-through, you can create a cost-effective campaign with a substantial return on investment.
Go to LinkedIn. Find the marketing leads at companies you respect. Reach out to them and ask if they'd be interested in an interview so you can understand their daily responsibilities in order to learn from their experiences. Use Rapportive to help you guess people's emails.
Well just give them a proper interview on skype for example ,ask them about the task you need help with and tell them to share their experience with you .This will allow you to know if this people can do the work you ask for