Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is indispensable - there is no better than organic or free website traffic.
But the question arises: who should handle your SEO strategy? Should you opt for an SEO agency, an SEO freelancer, or an in-house SEO team? Each option comes with its own set of pros and cons, making the decision a crucial one for your business.
What You Need to Know Before Hiring an SEO Professional
Before deciding to hire an SEO professional, it's important to define your business goals and understand how SEO will help achieve them.
Whether you aim to increase organic traffic, improve search engine rankings, or enhance user engagement, having clear objectives will guide you in choosing the right SEO solution.
Consider how SEO fits into your overall online marketing strategy. Aligning it with other online marketing efforts such as social media and email marketing will create a more cohesive and effective approach. This clarity will also enable you to communicate your expectations more effectively to the SEO professional, making sure that they can tailor their strategies to meet your business needs.
SEO evolves continuously with new algorithms and best practices. Staying informed about the latest SEO trends and changes in search engine policies can significantly impact your decision-making process.
Knowledge of these aspects will help you ask the right questions when interviewing potential SEO professionals and gauge their expertise and adaptability to current trends.
It will also prepare you to evaluate their recommendations critically, making sure that they are aligned with the most recent SEO guidelines and practices.
Finally, consider the metrics you will use to measure the effectiveness of your SEO efforts. It is not just about increasing traffic but also about attracting the right kind of traffic that will convert into leads or sales.
Define key performance indicators (KPIs) such as conversion rate, bounce rate, and average session duration that align with your business goals. Discuss these metrics with your SEO professional to make sure they understand what success looks like for your company.
SEO Agency Vs. SEO Freelancer Vs. In-House SEO
SEO Agency
Hiring an SEO agency offers access to a team of experts with a broad spectrum of skills and resources.
Pros:
- Diverse Expertise: SEO agencies, like Marketix Digital, employ a team of specialists, each skilled in different areas of SEO such as the technical part, off-page, on-page, content, and PR. This variety will make sure that all aspects of your SEO needs are professionally managed under one roof.
- Advanced Tools and Resources: They often have access to premium tools and the latest technologies, which might be cost-prohibitive for individuals or in-house teams.
- Scalability: Agencies are well-equipped to scale up operations as your needs grow due to their larger resource pool.
- Continuous Monitoring and Updates: With a dedicated team, your SEO strategy is continuously monitored and quickly adjusted in response to algorithm changes and market trends.
Cons:
- Higher Cost: Generally, highly skilled and reputable SEO agencies are more expensive than hiring freelancers or maintaining an in-house team, reflecting their broader range of services and resources. For a detailed discussion on SEO costs in Australia, you can refer to our in-depth blog on How Much Does SEO Cost in Australia.
- Less Control: Working with an agency may offer less direct control over day-to-day activities than an in-house team. However, SEO Agencies like us (Marketix Digital) provide regular updates on what’s happening, so our clients can focus on the core business, which, at some point, becomes an advantage from the client’s perspective.
- Potential for Misalignment: There is a risk of goals not aligning perfectly, especially if the agency handles many clients and cannot fully customise its approach for each one. Though the chances are small, because agencies typically strive to understand and meet each client's unique needs, discrepancies can still occur.
SEO Freelancer
Opting for an SEO freelancer can be a flexible and cost-effective solution for smaller-scale projects.
Pros:
- Cost-Effectiveness: Freelancers typically have lower overheads than agencies, presenting a more budget-friendly option. Rates can vary significantly based on their expertise and reputation. Top-ranked freelancers on platforms like Upwork may charge higher fees due to their proven track records and extensive portfolios. Conversely, newcomers to freelancing, despite possessing relevant experience, might offer more competitive rates to attract clients and build their portfolios.
- Flexibility: Freelancers can quickly adapt to changing requirements and usually offer more personalised service due to handling fewer clients.
- Direct Communication: Direct interaction with the person handling your SEO will ensure clearer communication and more immediate feedback on strategies and results.
- Specialised Expertise: Many freelancers specialise in particular aspects of SEO, offering in-depth knowledge and skills in specific areas.
Cons:
- Limited Resources: Freelancers may not have access to advanced SEO tools like Ahrefs and Semrush, and the deep resources that agencies typically possess, potentially limiting the scope and depth of their SEO services. Often, clients may need to bear the cost of necessary tools, as covering these expenses can be financially impractical for freelancers. Although some freelancers come equipped with the necessary tools, they often handle multiple clients simultaneously. You don't want yours to get compromised by a freelancer who single-handedly works on multiple clients, right? So, you need to carefully assess your prospective freelancer.
- Risk of Inexperience: There is a risk involved in hiring a freelancer who might accept projects beyond their expertise simply due to the need for income. This can lead to substandard results and potential setbacks in your SEO strategy. It’s crucial to conduct detailed evaluations and potentially engage in initial trial tasks to gauge a freelancer's true capabilities and reliability.
- Availability Issues: Freelancers juggling multiple clients might not always be available, potentially leading to delays in your project.
- Scalability Challenges: A single freelancer may find it challenging to scale services rapidly, limiting their ability to handle large or sudden increases in workload.
- Variability in Quality: The quality of work can vary significantly depending on the individual’s expertise and workload, requiring thorough vetting and possibly trial projects.
In-House SEO
Building an in-house SEO team integrates search engine optimisation seamlessly with your ongoing business processes.
Pros:
- Complete Control: You have full control over the SEO strategies and the team, facilitating a tailored approach to align with specific business goals.
- Immediate Access and Communication: Direct access to the team improved communication, allowing for quick strategy changes and problem-solving without external delays.
- Dedicated Focus: An in-house team works solely on your projects, ensuring dedicated resources and attention without the distraction of other clients.
- Alignment with Company Culture: Team members fully understand the company culture and ethos, which can lead to more cohesive and synergistic marketing efforts.
Cons:
- Higher Costs: Initial setup costs, ongoing salaries, employment benefits such as Health Care Plans and pension plans, and training can be significantly higher than outsourcing to freelancers or agencies.
- Recruitment and Training: Finding the right talent can be challenging and time-consuming, requiring a continuous investment in training and development.
- Resource Limitations: Unlike agencies, an in-house team may not have immediate access to certain advanced tools and resources, potentially limiting their capabilities. You have to cover all necessary SEO tools needed for the in-house employee to perform the tasks.
- Limited Technical Expertise: In-house teams may lack the breadth of technical expertise and proven processes that specialised SEO agencies possess. This can be a significant drawback when dealing with complex SEO projects or when needing to make strategic shifts that require deep SEO knowledge and experience. The insularity of working within a single organisation might also prevent them from staying on the cutting edge of SEO innovations and best practices, which are critical for driving improvements in search rankings.
Which One Should You Hire?
"Our recommendation at Marketix Digital, grounded in data, is to opt for an SEO agency.
Evidence strongly supports that partnering with a reputable SEO agency significantly boosts client satisfaction. Agencies provide a wide array of expertise, advanced tools, and well-rounded strategies, equipping them to offer robust and scalable SEO solutions." - Marketix Digital
Monthly spending is closely linked to client satisfaction in SEO. It raises the question: do you indeed "get what you pay for" when it comes to SEO services?
According to Backlinko, the answer is yes. They discovered that clients spending over $500 per month were 53.3% more likely to report being "extremely satisfied" compared to those who spend less than $500 per month.
Moreover, there is a distinct relationship between dissatisfaction levels and expenditure on SEO services. Specifically, business owners who allocated less than $500 per month to their SEO efforts were 75% more likely to express dissatisfaction compared to those investing at least $500 per month.
This correlation highlights the potential risks associated with skimping on SEO services, as lower investments often lead to subpar results and heightened dissatisfaction.
Determining the right SEO solution—whether it be an agency, a freelancer, or an in-house team—should factor in not just the cost but the value delivered.
We also highly recommend assessing the reputation and credibility of the SEO professional. Check for client testimonials, case studies, and service reviews.
Agencies like us (Marketix Digital) often have a portfolio of case studies and references you can review.
Freelancers should be able to provide references or examples of their work showing specific rankings for a given set of challenging keywords.
For in-house teams, consider the potential hire’s reputation in the industry and past work experiences + results.
Consider getting a proposal with Marketix Digital if you're interested in partnering with a conversion-focused SEO agency or would like to learn more about our detailed SEO process.
