SEO Agency versus In-House SEO: Does It Really Matter?

Writing by Nick Stamoulis Tweet

This is a guest post from Amanda DiSilvestro of ResourceNation.com

It is no secret that SEO is crucial to the success of a small business, but what many do not realize is that there are different ways to fulfill this crucial need. Many new business owners work with SEO on their own; meaning they decide which keywords to target, focus on getting back-links and have worry about Google rankings and penalties. However, many more established companies choose to use an SEO agency. Consider some of the positives and negatives to each:

In-House SEO

1.In-House SEO Advantages

Control – You have complete control, so you will be able to change things instantly if you ever change your mind. Sometimes it can be time consuming to create an SEO strategy and then have to go back and change it, but if you do it yourself you know you will have it the way you want it right away.

Experts – You will be able to hire the SEO expert who you think knows your target audience and industry the best. Agencies sometimes worry about a lot of different types of companies, but bringing someone in-house will help keep them focused.

2.In House Disadvantages

Risky – There is a chance that you could get SEO wrong. Sometimes SEO can be confusing, and it takes a long time to master. If you don’t hire an expert or you hire someone new, there are places where you can make mistakes. It’s important that you understand HTML, keyword research tools, and keyword tracking tools and much more.

Expensive – Some people are swayed into giving SEO a try on their own because they think it is inexpensive, but the truth is the right tools will cost you. It is important that you have the right software to complete keyword research and tracking, and this can sometimes cost up to $1000.

Time – It takes a great amount of time to master SEO, but it also takes a great amount of time to see results. This means that if you’re making a mistake, you probably won’t realize it until a good amount of time has passed.

SEO Agency

1.SEO Agency Advantages

Fast and Simple – The agency will do all the work, so all you will need to do is look it over and make sure you agree with the approach.

Stay Focused – If you hire a SEO agency you will not need to change the focus of your business in any way. You will not need to use any office resources for a new employee. The agency will work for you without disrupting business.

2.SEO Agency Disadvantages

Cost – Although this is a disadvantage to in-house SEO as well, it’s still a part of hiring a SEO Agency. The cost of an SEO agency varies depending upon your expectations and workload, but in general it will cost approximately $200-$5,000 per month.

Miscommunication – You run the risk of miscommunication when working with a SEO agency. You will be in charge of telling them your internet marketing goals, objectives, budget, and giving them deadlines. Therefore, it is important that you are organized and comfortable talking with people. You need to make sure you know what you want, and then make sure that the company follows through. It’s also a good idea to do a full background check on the company to make sure that they have had success and will be offering you real experts to help your efforts.

The most important thing to remember is that SEO is important—very important. You want to make sure that you know exactly what you are doing and that you are not cutting corners when it comes to SEO. If you’re starting a small business and just getting your feet wet with SEO, it is going to take some time before you see results. However, once you do start seeing results you will also likely begin seeing an increase in online traffic.

About the Author
Amanda DiSilvestro is a writer on topics ranging from social media to credit card processing. She writes for an online resource that gives advice on topics including medical billing software to small businesses and entrepreneurs for one of the leading b2b lead generation websites, Resource Nation.