Affordable SEO – Outsource the Job or Give it to Bob?
Casual conversations and discussions about SEO pop up a lot, and we’re not the type to bill for every word that 
comes from our mouth – clients and contacts know it so it’s not uncommon to get a lot of questions. One of the most typically and common questions we’re asked is whether or not professional SEO (search engine optimization) can be done effectively when a company relies on in-house talent.
You might expect us to lead business owners away from that due to our self interest and bias as an affordable search optimization service however our answer is typically “yes”. It is possible to achieve great results with SEO when you rely on in-house talent. Unfortunately for every instance and case study where see SEO success from in-house talent there are dozens of cases where a business would have had far better results by outsourcing due to failure with in-house SEO.
If you’re considering placing your search engine optimization with an internal team rather than outsourcing to an affordable search engine optimization company then review these critical questions first:
1. Do I Have the Necessary Resources to Get Professional Results?
To get results with SEO you need to have time – a lot of it. Your team or the individual handling SEO will need to have a great deal of budgeted time for SEO. This includes all the research time needed before the campaign even launches. Do you and your team have the resources and know how to find and analyze the target audience, local and identify money keywords and longtail key phrases? Does your team have the website copywriting skill necessary to combine keywords naturally with marketing content for the best conversions and visibility combined? What about A/B testing? Who will monitor the progess and course-correct as needed? Consider that the person or individuals in charge of your SEO will need to look at the website and your company in a unique light as they marry sales, marketing and IT together.
If not managed properly, or aggressive risk is taken with your SEO campaign, the results can be damning to your search visibility. Remember that without the right resources and enough time, no individual – no matter how talented – can succeed where SEO is concerned.
2. Which Departments are Going to Be Involved?
If you own a retail outlet it’s obvious. You don’t have departments. In a corporate environment there is that marriage of several divisions. This also includes permissions and red tape from executive levels. The individual in charge of SEO will need to work with varying departments to ensure a consistent message. They’ll also need to work through IT to understand the limitations of the content platform driving the website. The relationship with sales is vital to determine what types of leads the company is looking for. Unfortunately these departments are often at odds within many companies. Can you bring them together or is it better to outsource to an affordable search engine optimization company?
3. Who is Accountable for the Results?
This might not seem like the most important consideration, but it’s important to the success of your campaign. If you simply take the responsibility of SEO onto the job description of just another employee and tell them to learn and “do their best”, there’s no real worry about errors or mistakes – or achieving success. Whether you do it in house or you outsource to an affordable SEO company, someone needs to be responsible for showing progress, describing hurdles, explaining setbacks, and driving results. Accountability is a must – can you hold your in-house team accountable?
4. What are the Costs?
You need to decide how much it will cost you to do it in house vs. outsourcing to an affordable search engine optimization company. Consider that with an in-house team you have the labor and administrative costs of restructuring, the costs of training, the loss of those people from their existing job to another division and the cost associated with replacing those individuals (including retraining of new hires). Compare that to the cost of working with a professional SEO agency long term and determine which makes the most sense for your budget.
5. Lastly, “Am I Willing to Take Risks?
This is important, because when you rely on in-house staff you’re taking a risk on a less-qualified individual. Relying on a neophyte for your SEO can lead to a lot of potential problems in a very short period of time. Are you will to take that risk or is it smarter to play it safe where brand visibility is concerned online?
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