Nearly every business owner understands the importance of SEO reputation management – but not everyone understands the nuts and bolts of making it to the top of Google searches.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a long-game strategy that involves a plethora of tactics. The goal is to get your website to show up when people Google your products, services, or information about your products or services.
Simply put: SEO isn’t a job for a random afternoon or free weekend.
Seeing profitable results takes a dedicated approach managed by experts.
No matter how big your company is, you’ll eventually be faced with the question:
Do I hire an SEO agency or hire SEO professionals in-house?
There are plenty of pros and cons to each. But the answer depends on a few different factors.
Let’s talk about it.
What’s the Major Difference Between SEO Agencies vs In-House SEO
First and foremost, let’s talk about the key distinction between an SEO reputation management agency and having in-house SEO experts.
An SEO agency is a full team of professionals that serve a mix of clients. Agencies work with companies from all corners of the business world – and some focus on one or two specific industries.
When you team up with an SEO marketing agency, you get a group of specialists handling ongoing tasks such as:
- SEO audits
- Keyword optimization
- Content writing
- Link building
- Technical SEO
You’ll typically pay the agency a monthly retainer or an hourly rate.
On the other hand, if you hire in-house SEO specialists, you have full-time employees who focus on the tasks mentioned above.
The main difference is that in-house SEO specialists concentrate solely on your company’s SEO needs, while an agency works with a large portfolio of clients.
Let’s discuss the pros and cons of both options.
Pros of Hiring an SEO Agency
SEO Reputation Management Agencies Are More Affordable than In-House Specialists
Hiring in-house means salaries, benefits, employee training, tools, career advancement plans, and so on.
Outsourcing SEO to an agency doesn’t require any of this from you.
They’ve got everything set up to manage your SEO campaign from A to Z – with flexible pricing options, hourly rates, project-based fees, or retainer agreements. This is typically a better fit for small to medium-sized businesses that don’t have the cash to support full-time SEO employees.
Even in larger companies, hiring an SEO reputation management agency is usually more cost-effective.
You Get a Complete SEO Team
Most search engine professionals know the ins and outs of SEO, but likely specialize in one particular aspect. An SEO reputation management agency brings all these specialists together under one roof for a complete service package.
This includes:
- Strategists
- Content writers/editors
- Data analysts
- On-page SEO specialists
- Off-page SEO specialists
- Technical SEO experts
These professionals work as a team with battle-tested processes. Essentially, when you hire an SEO agency, these people take care of everything you need to start generating more website traffic via search.
Your role is to turn those new leads into customers.
You’re Getting Years of Proven SEO Experience
The people working for SEO agencies have experience managing SEO campaigns for companies in all different industries.
By hiring an SEO agency, you’re investing in more than just services; you’re tapping into a wealth of knowledge backed with results.
Most importantly, these professionals stay up-to-date on the latest changes in Google’s algorithms (which change on a daily basis), track their outcomes, and continually refine their strategies for your benefit.
You Can Scale Your SEO Services as Needed
A growing business equates to evolving SEO needs.
SEO agencies account for this.
Most have service packages for startups all the way to enterprise-level businesses.
Additionally, many agencies can scale their services up or down based on your requirements. For example, they can ramp up SEO efforts during a product launch or scale down during a slow period to keep costs under control.
When you hire in-house specialists, you’ll need to pay them regardless of what your SEO requirements look like.
You Don’t Have to Pay for Expensive SEO Tools
It’s no secret that SEO software is expensive.
Agencies are equipped with the industry’s leading SEO reputation management tools and technologies.
They use these for tasks like finding your best keywords, tracking your search rankings, analyzing competitors, monitoring website traffic, and more. This allows them to develop company-specific SEO strategies and continuously improve their approaches.
You Get Results Fast
SEO agencies keep clients by delivering results, and their goal is to do this as quickly as possible.
But keep in mind, SEO results don’t appear overnight. You’ll usually start seeing favorable outcomes around four to six months in, maybe even longer depending on the situation.
A seasoned SEO agency has a game plan to set you up for success from day one. This usually involves:
- Sprucing up your website’s content to enhance its structure
- Fine-tuning the tech aspects of your site for better indexing by Google’s bots
- Optimizing your Google My Business Profile
- Handling your off-site SEO – backlink profile, citations, and so on
These agencies understand what it takes to gain momentum out of the gate, and they don’t waste a moment getting things moving.
Disadvantages of Hiring an SEO Agency
You Don’t Have Complete Control
When you work with an SEO agency, you’re not making all the calls in the strategy; you’re trusting your search presence to a third party.
As a business owner, you’re used to calling all the shots. Letting go of control can be tough, we totally get it. But it’s important to trust that the SEO agency knows their stuff and has your back.
The good news is you don’t have to trust these agencies blindly. Most are very good at explaining their tactics and why they are important. Additionally, they will set clear expectations so everyone is on the same page day after day.
The Agency May Not Be Familiar with Your Business/Industry
SEO agencies work with a bunch of different clients.
They’re not going to know the nitty-gritty details of your business as an in-house team would. They might need a little time to pick up on these nuances and get the hang of your industry’s specifics.
Also, most SEO agencies have set processes they use for executing SEO campaigns – and there’s a good chance they use them for all their clients. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with a dependable process, but this could lead to a less tailored approach to your SEO strategy.
There May Be Quality Issues
We’ll be real with you: not all SEO reputation management agencies are on the same level.
Some agencies might use shady or outdated tactics to game the search engine algorithms – which can potentially hurt your website’s search engine rankings. That’s why it’s super important to do your homework before hiring an SEO agency. This means:
- Scoping out their online reviews
- Looking through their case studies
- Asking for references from past clients (good agencies won’t mind sharing them)
These are just a few steps to make sure the SEO agency is using white hat (trustworthy) methods and has a solid history of success.
There’s Always a Risk of Communication Lapses
Like any other service provider, communication is key when you’re working with an SEO reputation management agency.
When you hire a trustworthy SEO partner, you can expect regular meetings and updates to keep you in the loop on your SEO campaign’s progress, results, tactics, and what’s coming up next.
The best agencies are super easy to reach and take the time to explain what they are doing, without drowning you in confusing industry lingo.
We hate to say it, but not all SEO agencies are awesome at communication. If there are breakdowns, it can lead to mix-ups and delays, which can mess with your results.
Hiring an SEO agency is ideal for most small to mid-sized companies.
Agencies are significantly less expensive than hiring in-house SEO – and much more scalable.
Hiring an SEO agency is ideal for 9/10 small to mid-sized companies. If your company makes less than $10 million in revenue every year, hiring an SEO reputation management agency is probably your best bet.
Some green flags when searching for an SEO agency include:
- Month-to-month contracts (no long-term commitments)
- Detailed case studies
- Strong communication skills
- They are happy to provide references
- They don’t make bold promises about results
These are just a handful of indicators of a good agency.
Pros of Hiring an In-House SEO Team
You Have Complete Control
Without a doubt, the biggest perk of having an in-house SEO squad is that you’re 100% in charge of your own game plan.
You can tailor your SEO tactics to fit your needs specifically – and make sure everyone is on the same page with your company’s values and goals. Plus, your in-house crew should (hopefully) know all the ins and outs of SEO in your industry so they can build a strategy that really works for you.
Easy Communication
A lot of SEO agencies are great with communication – but nothing compares to having an in-house team.
You can meet with them whenever you need to discuss progress and make changes accordingly. Most importantly, everyone involved in your SEO campaigns is following the same process and working cohesively.
Your In-House Team Knows the Small Details About Your Business
When you hire an SEO team in-house, they are focused on your business – no one else’s. They will know all those little nuances and details that an SEO agency might overlook, allowing them to develop a hyper-personalized approach to SEO reputation management.
Additionally, they’ll be working hand-in-hand with your sales team, customer service, web designers, and other departments to make sure your SEO strategy blends seamlessly with everything else you’ve got going on.
Cons of Hiring an In-House SEO Team
You’re Looking at High Overhead Costs
There’s no sugarcoating it: hiring an in-house SEO team is going to cost you.
Keep in mind, you can’t just hire a bunch of cheap entry-level SEO analysts and expect the world from them. You need people with experience. This spells decent salaries, health insurance, 401Ks, vacation packages, development opportunities, and everything else to attract talented professionals.
On top of that, you’ll need to invest in SEO reputation management tools and resources for your team – and these don’t come cheap, either.
Expertise Could Be Limited
SEO campaigns are full of surprises, twists, and turns.
Unless you’re prepared to shell out serious money for senior-level SEO experts, your in-house team probably won’t have the same level of expertise as an SEO reputation management agency. These agencies bring together experts with years of battle-tested experience to manage campaigns – no matter what fate throws at them.
Trouble Staying In Tune with Industry Trends
Google updates its search engine algorithms every day. An in-house team full of entry-to-mid-level analysts may not have the capacity to keep up with these shifts.
The professionals working in SEO agencies are trained to read up on the latest industry developments – and update their approaches accordingly.
Design Staff’s Take
Hiring a professional SEO team in-house is great – but you’ll have to shell out some serious cash. Going the cheap route with entry-level talent won’t get the results you want, and will still put a drain on your pocketbook.
An in-house SEO team is usually best for enterprise-level companies with a sizeable budget. Additionally, there are extensive SEO needs that call for a dedicated team to move the ball forward.
If you’re not sure whether to hire an SEO agency or in-house SEO experts, we recommend starting with an agency. If it’s clear your SEO needs exceed the agency’s capabilities, you may consider the in-house route.
The Wrap Up
Every company could use a solid SEO reputation management plan, but the specifics are not black and white.
If you’re a growing business on a limited budget, consider partnering with an SEO reputation management agency – like Design Staff. This way, you’ll get access to a skilled SEO team without breaking the bank.
If your company’s SEO needs call for dedicated support (and you can afford it), you might want to think about hiring an in-house team of SEO specialists to focus solely on your campaigns.
At Design Staff, we’re all about web design, development, SEO, and content creation for growing businesses. Feel free to book a FREE consultation. Even if we’re not the perfect match, we’ll point you in the right direction.
