In-House SEO vs. SEO Agency in 2024: Weighing the Pros & Cons

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Considering the prevalent use of search engines
today, search engine optimization (SEO) has
become a crucial tool for small and medium
businesses looking to build a solid online
presence. After all, what better way to attract
leads than to appear in the search results every
time potential customers search for your product
or service? As a small or medium business owner,
you've likely considered the best way to invest
in SEO. In particular, should you handle it
in-house or hire an SEO agency? Both options have
pros and cons, and understanding them can help
you make the right decision for your
business. This SEO guide will explore the
differences between in-house SEO and working with
an agency, providing insights into several key
factors. What is in-house SEO? With in-house
SEO, your business manages its SEO efforts
internally, meaning your employees create and
execute search engine optimization strategies.
Companies go about this differentlysome hire
dedicated SEO specialists, some consult with SEO
experts, and others train existing team members
in the processes involved.
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In any case, the creation and implementation of
the strategy is kept entirely within your
organization. What is an SEO agency? An SEO
agency is a third-party service provider
specializing in improving search rankings for
their clients' websites. These agencies typically
have teams of SEO experts, web developers, and
content creators handling various aspects of SEO,
including keyword research, content optimization,
and technical improvements. Agencies may
specialize in specific processes or types of SEO,
such as local SEO, tech SEO, and enterprise SEO,
or clients from particular industries. What are
the pros of in-house SEO? Keeping your SEO
efforts in-house does offer several benefits
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Understanding your brand No one understands your
brand and its unique identity better than you and
your team. This knowledge of your products,
services, target audience, and industry nuances
can translate to more authentic, brand-aligned
content and strategies. Communication and
collaboration Because your SEO staff is part of
your regular workflow, it's easy for them to
closely collaborate with your marketing, sales,
and product teams. As a result, they can adjust
strategies in real time and coordinate SEO
efforts with broader marketing goals. Control
over the strategy Keeping SEO efforts in-house
gives you full control over strategies,
timelines, and how resources are used. You can
change or prioritize specific goals without
competing for a third-party agency's attention
and resources.
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Understanding your brand No one understands your
brand and its unique identity better than you and
your team. This knowledge of your products,
services, target audience, and industry nuances
can translate to more authentic, brand-aligned
content and strategies. Communication and
collaboration Because your SEO staff is part of
your regular workflow, it's easy for them to
closely collaborate with your marketing, sales,
and product teams. As a result, they can adjust
strategies in real time and coordinate SEO
efforts with broader marketing goals. Control
over the strategy Keeping SEO efforts in-house
gives you full control over strategies,
timelines, and how resources are used. You can
change or prioritize specific goals without
competing for a third-party agency's attention
and resources.
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Possible cost savings Especially if your SEO
needs are basic, handling them internally might
enable you to save some money. In certain cases,
it is cheaper to pay for your team's salaries and
purchase the necessary SEO tools than spend on a
long-term contract with an agency. What are the
cons of in-house SEO? However, in-house SEO also
has some downsides Limited expertise SEO
constantly evolves as best practices and search
engine algorithms change. Your in-house team may
be unable to keep up, especially if they handle
SEO on top of other responsibilities. Higher
demand for resources SEO requires time, effort,
and ongoing training and attention to produce
results. If your team is already stretched thin,
adding SEO to their responsibilities may lead to
burnout, mistakes, and poorly developed and
implemented strategies.
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Missing out on tools SEO processes like research,
monitoring, and analysis often require advanced
tools that may be too expensive and impractical
for small businesses to invest in. As best
practices and techniques change, you may also
have to purchase additional tools to keep
up. What are the pros of hiring an SEO
agency? Instead of building your own SEO team,
you can hire an agency and enjoy the following
benefits Access to experts When you partner
with an SEO agency, you don't get just one
personyou get an entire team of professionals.
These pros usually have years of experience
handling one or several aspects of website
optimization, from content creation and link
building to technical SEO and competitor
analysis. Updated industry knowledge SEO
agencies consider it their full-time job to stay
up-to-date on Google's algorithm updates and the
latest industry trends. This is very
advantageous, especially for small businesses
with larger competitors crowding the market.
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Scalability and flexibility As your business
changes, so do your SEO needs. Hiring an SEO
agency allows you to scale up or down your
services according to demand instead of hiring
and training new team members, as well as
investing in new tools. More bang for your
buck While it might seem expensive upfront,
working with an SEO company can be more
cost-effective than building an internal team. It
saves you time and the cost of software,
additional salaries, and continuous training for
SEO staff. What are the cons of hiring an SEO
agency? You might encounter the following
disadvantages with SEO agencies Less direct
control While most agencies work collaboratively
with their clients, you might feel like you have
less control over the finer details of your SEO
strategy. Communication may also be slower
compared to an in-house team.
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Potentially high costs Depending on the agency
and the scope of your business's needs, you may
face steep costs. Long-term contracts may also
lock you into working with an agency even if
you're unsatisfied with the results. Possible
incompatibility Choosing the wrong agency can
lead to wasted resources and much frustration, so
you need to thoroughly considring your choices
before signing a contract. Make sure to hire an
SEO agency that shares your vision, understands
your business, and can deliver results. Handling
SEO internally and hiring an agency both have
their own benefits and downsides, and which
option you choose should depend on your needs,
budget, and available resources. If you have a
marketing-savvy team with time to learn and
execute SEO strategies, then the former may be
the better choice.
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However, if you lack internal expertise or
require more advanced tactics, then working with
an agency may be the more cost-effective
choice. Alternatively, you might want to
consider a hybrid approach in which an in-house
team handles basic SEO tasks while outsourcing
more complex strategies to an SEO agency. In any
case, assess your business's current capacity,
budget, and long-term goals before making a
decision. Whether you decide to go in-house, hire
an agency, or find a balance between the two,
investing in SEO will undoubtedly help your
business grow and thrive in 2024.
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