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SEO In-House vs. Outsourced

The Case for Outsourcing SEO

Time
By having an SEO firm handle the work, a business can save time that it can apply to its core competencies. A company should be involved in the project, but it doesn't need to focus on all of the analysis and implementation.

Expertise
If a business already has the best expert on staff, they don't need to worry about outsourcing to get the experience they need. Many companies, however, don't have the SEO knowledge on hand. Or, if they do, it's fragmented among different staff members or of limited awareness. In other words, maybe a marketer or webmaster knows some aspects of SEO, but not all or enough. An SEO firm, equipped with a full range of programmers, writers, marketers and business strategists, can offer considerable insights. If a business needs to go to the trouble of training someone or a team, it will take even longer to gain high search engine visibility for competitive keywords. In fact, an SEO firm brings an enormous amount of perspective by being entrenched in the industry and by working with a wide array of clients.

Budget
It's one of the biggest myths with the in-house/outsource debate. Yes, SEO can be expensive. It's not uncommon for the monthly price to go anywhere from a few hundred dollars to more than $2,000. A qualified SEO professional could cost much more if brought in-house. Count on at least $50,000 per year depending on the part of the country where the business is located. And that's just for some experience. Yes, you get more time from an in-house expert. Even if they charge a project fee, it still comes down to hours. You have to wonder what level of service you're getting if someone only charges $30 an hour. Some firms essentially charge much more than $100 an hour. Given their perspective, however, SEO firms can make tactical decisions and accomplish a great deal for each client. They also aren't just motivated by money. Legitimate SEO firms want to do right by clients aside from the numbers in the contract. As they succeed, they stand a better chance of learning from the experience, being able to tout a case study and gaining references.

Focus
One of the best reasons for outsourcing is to ensure focus. If a business is paying for a service, it should expect consistency, performance and deliverables. A good SEO consultant will stay on track. Companies, on the other hand, can shift priorities and attention in a flash. If they ask someone to handle the SEO, that person could be doomed for many reasons. For example, maybe they already have a full-time job and this is one more task than they can bear even if they have some interest or training. If their priorities change, and they're told to concentrate on SEO, you have to wonder what's not getting done. What is the "opportunity cost" of having them work on SEO to the best of their ability? Could their job be modified three months into a program? Will they be sidetracked with another "crisis of the moment" that will draw attention to their performance? Employees will favor the tasks that will help them keep their jobs or earn promotions - even if those don't involve SEO.

Impartiality
Turf wars can instantly choke an internal SEO initiative. When a company makes a commitment to SEO, and it brings on a consulting firm, political battles may not disappear but could dissipate. An outsider comes in and makes a series of recommendations that need to be implemented if the business wants to work toward an ROI. A professional SEO firm will insist on a clear action plan with planned approval checkpoints. In a general sense, the marketing representatives won't need to be burdened with the actual SEO and IT won't need to make actual page changes that the SEO firm can handle with permission. Again, consultants should bring in a rich perspective. They've been busy working with many marketers, IT leaders, C-level executives and other stakeholders. Excellent SEO consultants won't just know how to handle the technical aspects of the work-they'll be excellent communicators who can gain the trust and support of clients.

No Learning Curve
SEO firms charge a lot of money because they offer professional services and have overhead to cover. They also charge for the value of their knowledge. In-house programs will suffer if they don't have the eight people in place or if the employees that companies hire or promote can't get everyone to work together and reach (or surpass) program goals. SEO consultants already know what it takes to succeed. On top of that, they're continually keeping up with search engines and industry trends and standards. They're familiar with the pros and cons of each topic because they're active in forums, keep up with blogs and newsletters, attend conferences, read books, and tune into webinars. In other words, they live and breathe (and even dream) about SEO. It's their passion.

Fewer Hassles
Conflicting perspectives can truly slow down an in-house project. SEO consultants are busy doing what they do best, but internal resources can get discouraged. If a full-time or part-time SEO specialists has a handle on his or her job, someone else in the company will begin to exert their "expertise" by talking about how to handle site maps, how and when to submit to search engines, how to get links (and how many). In-house SEO programs may have a tough time taking flight as the leadership struggles to define roles and responsibilities. Additionally, there will be certain issues about program performance and measurement. If a company identifies a new SEO expert, who will supervise this person and how will the company know whether they're doing a good job in light of their training and the company's sales and marketing objectives? SEO consultants can guide companies in effective ways to measure a program.

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Fathom SEO is a market-leading firm dedicated to Search Engine Marketing (SEM), with an emphasis on natural Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Fathom SEO provides link building, pay-per-click (PPC) bid management, web analytics, and custom and integrated Opt-in Email Marketing services. Clients include Eaton Corp., the Cleveland Clinic, Little Tikes, FedEx Custom Critical, Sauder, Bissell and Darice.