SEO outsourcing has many advantages over keeping your operations in-house. It’s far more cost- and time-effective as you don’t have to build an in-house team. Plus, you can rely on the experience and expertise of a consultant or agency to achieve sustainable results for your business.
Yet, the outsourcing process can be tricky.
There are many common pitfalls you need to avoid. Plus, it’s crucial that you thoroughly assess your options before deciding between an agency and an SEO consultancy. For example, going with an agency may be best for large-scale projects, while consultants cost less and guarantee faster delivery times.
So, to help you get it right, we’ve created this guide.
We’ll discuss the costs of using an in-house team and the benefits of SEO outsourcing. We’ll also tell you:
- How to hire the right consultant or agency
- The best practices for successful SEO outsourcing
- 7 common mistakes to avoid when outsourcing SEO
In-house SEO vs. outsourcing SEO costs
First, we’ll compare the costs of in-house SEO with the costs of outsourcing your SEO operations. This will help you understand the most cost-effective option for your business.
| In-House SEO | Outsourced SEO |
|---|---|
| High cost: ~£247,916/year | Lower cost: from £21,600/year |
| Salaries for 5+ roles needed | One monthly fee covers full expertise |
| Must buy tools and software separately | Tools usually included |
| Requires internal hiring, HR, and onboarding | No recruitment or team management |
| Fixed capacity; harder to scale quickly | Flexible; easy to scale up or down |
| Full control and in-house collaboration | Less control, but easier execution |
In-house
Generally, keeping your SEO in-house is associated with high costs. For instance, the average UK salary for an SEO specialist is around £34,000 per year. Of course, you’ll also need to hire people to fill the other in-house roles.
Typically, you’ll need to hire (Remember that this is only a benchmark and may change depending on many factors such as location, business, etc)
- An SEO manager: £42,600 per year
- A technical SEO specialist: £82,000 per year
- At least two content writers: £28,596 per year (each)
- An SEO analyst: £32,124 per year
Plus, you’ll need to budget for any tools and software your team needs, such as reporting, testing, tracking.
With all these costs, building your own in-house team quickly becomes very expensive. If we use the average salaries we listed above, it would cost around £247,916 per year.
Outsourced SEO costs
On the other hand, outsourcing SEO is usually less costly than building an in-house team, as you don’t need to pay the team’s salaries or pay for any tools and software.
Still, the costs of hiring an SEO agency or a consultant vary widely. For example, you may only require SEO services for several hours a week. Or you might need an agency to work on your business’s SEO full-time, which will cost more.
The prices also vary depending on the pricing structure of the agency or consultant you hire. Some SEO agencies and consultants charge by the hour, while others operate under monthly contracts.
Our enterprise SEO services start at around £2,400 per month to give you a general idea of the costs. If we go with the lower price of £1,800, it works out at £21,600 per year–less than the cost of hiring one full-time content writer.
As you can see, SEO outsourcing tends to be much more cost-effective than keeping it in-house.
3 Benefits of outsourcing SEO services
Now that we’ve discussed the costs of building an in-house team, we’ll look at some of the benefits of SEO outsourcing.
1. Expertise and experience
Outsourcing SEO allows you to use a consultant’s experience and expertise. Consultants are highly skilled professionals with years of experience in their field.
This means you don’t need to dedicate time and resources to training and upskilling your own team in SEO. Instead, you can rely on a consultant to create an effective SEO strategy for you that incorporates the latest industry trends, best practices and the most advanced tools.
On the other hand, in-house SEO teams tend to be fairly small, and they often become heavily reliant on key individuals for expertise. While it’s good that these individuals gain SEO knowledge and experience, it can leave you vulnerable.
For instance, let’s say one team member has become highly proficient at technical SEO. However, right in the middle of one of your most important SEO campaigns, they leave the company. This will leave a huge gap in skills and knowledge that will be difficult to fill, especially on short notice. This problem is eliminated when you hire an SEO consultant.
2. Fewer time constraints
Running successful SEO campaigns is incredibly time-consuming. It involves a wide range of tasks, such as:
- Keyword research
- Technical audits
- Content strategy
- Link building
- Performance analysis
- SEO strategy (most importantly)
If you keep your SEO efforts in-house, it gives you and your team less time to focus on other aspects of your business, like customer acquisition and retention. This is because most in-house teams spend around 29 hours per week focusing on SEO-related tasks.
3. Improved scalability
Using outsourced SEO services also enhances the scalability of your overall SEO strategy. As your business grows, you can easily expand your SEO efforts without hiring and training more employees, as you would have to with an in-house team.
We already have the necessary tools, workflows and experience to scale your SEO campaigns accordingly without compromising quality. This allows us to create sustainable growth for your company while operational costs remain relatively stable.
Choices for outsourcing SEO
As you can see, there are many reasons to use outsourced SEO services. Still, it can be difficult to choose the right service for your business.
When outsourcing your SEO, the two main options are hiring a consultant or an agency. Let’s analyse the key differences between the two.
The role of an SEO consultant
An SEO consultant is an expert who provides specialist advice and guidance related to your site’s SEO. Consultants tend to pinpoint the aspects of your strategy that need work and provide recommendations to you or your in-house team to implement.
Due to this, consultants are usually a better option for businesses with at least some level of in-house SEO capabilities. Generally, they won’t be able to handle all aspects of your strategy.
However, at Growthack, our consultants have a very high level of expertise and experience, and we specialise in many different services, including:
Plus, we value active communication with our clients and can provide faster delivery times than agencies.
In terms of costs, consultants usually charge daily, hourly or project-based fees. This is highly beneficial for businesses looking for tailored, flexible, and cost-effective solutions.
SEO agencies
SEO agencies have teams of specialists that deal with all aspects of SEO, so they’re the best option for companies who want to outsource all of their SEO services.
Typically, agencies have set pricing packages that are more cost-effective for organisations with larger projects. Just bear in mind that the costs can increase if you require additional services.
Factors to consider when outsourcing to an SEO agency or consultant
Whether you choose to outsource to an agency or a consultant, there are a number of factors you need to consider to ensure your partner aligns with your business needs. So, let’s discuss the most important considerations.
Experience
It’s crucial that your partner has a high level of experience within the SEO industry. An experienced agency or consultant must have up-to-date knowledge of SEO best practices and industry trends.
Plus, they should have a deep understanding of search engine algorithms and ranking factors. This allows them to develop effective strategies for different types of businesses and industries.
There are several ways you can assess an agency or consultant’s experience, such as:
- Reviewing past client work and case studies. Check out our case studies to see what our clients say about us.
- Analysing performance metrics like traffic growth and ranking improvements from past projects.
- Examine customer success stories from businesses within your niche.
Flexibility
SEO is constantly evolving, so your partner must be highly flexible in their approach. This means they can adapt their strategies to meet changing circumstances and ensure you continue to get the best results possible.
One reason flexibility is necessary is that Google regularly updates its algorithm. This can significantly affect the way results are ranked and can have a significant impact on organic traffic.
So, the partner you choose needs to stay informed of the latest Google algorithm updates and be able to adjust your strategy as necessary.
Transparency
Transparency is another key consideration when choosing your partner. They should be open about their processes, strategies and results. This means that they:
- Give you regular performance updates.
- Explain their strategy in clear, understandable terms.
- Promptly address any questions or concerns you have during the process.
Working with an agency or a consultant should be a collaborative experience that fosters a sense of trust. They should welcome your input and be fully transparent about how they achieve success for your business. Consultants tend to offer more transparency than agencies as they provide open lines of communication throughout the project.
Best practices for successful SEO outsourcing
Now, we’ll outline some of the best practices you can follow to ensure you get the most out of the SEO services you choose.
Establish your goals
You need to establish firm goals before you contact an agency or consultant. You also need to set the budget for your campaign and decide on the timelines for achieving your goals. If you don’t set your budget correctly, measuring the ROI for your SEO strategy can be complicated.
The most common goals when outsourcing SEO include:
- Increasing organic traffic
- Improving your rankings and outranking your competitors
- Attracting more qualified visitors to your site via search engines
- Increasing click-through rates (CTR)
- Fix major technical SEO factors during brand restructuring
- Establishing your brand as a voice of authority within your niche
- Increasing conversions and improving return on investment (ROI)
You must identify these goals before assessing your consultant or agency options. This will help you to determine which SEO services are best suited to delivering success for your business.
Submit a request for proposal (RFP)
An RFP is an important document that lays out your project requirements. It helps agencies and consultants assess whether they fit your organisation well. They will submit a proposal tailored to your specific SEO needs if they think they are.
Here’s what you should include in your RFP:
| Purpose statement | This includes your business info, budget, project goals, history, products/services info, and submission timelines. |
| SEO goals and current performance | Outline your main SEO objectives and provide your current SEO performance data so the agency can use this as a baseline. |
| Project expectations | This details the specific things you expect from the consultant or agency. For example, the frequency of reporting that’s required and which communication channels you expect them to use. |
| Required SEO services | Be specific about the types of SEO services you need, such as technical SEO audits and content creation. |
| Budget | Provide a budget range so that potential partners can offer you a realistic proposal within your financial constraints. |
| Submission questionnaire | The questionnaire asks for key information from the agency or consultant, such as their proposed SEO strategy and relevant case studies. |
| Evaluation criteria | Tell agencies and consultants what criteria you’ll use to evaluate their proposals. This includes relevant experience and pricing/value. Doing so helps them understand exactly what you’re looking for in an SEO partner. |
| Cost estimate | Ask for an in-depth breakdown of the costs of the project. This includes monthly service costs, any one-time fees, and all other potential costs. |
Monitor results
Whether you hire a consultant or an agency, they should provide you with full performance reports that cover all aspects of your strategy.
Either way, ensure you schedule regular meetings with your SEO partner so they can demonstrate the success of their efforts and confirm that deadlines will be met.
You also need to check that the strategy’s performance is aligned with your brand’s overall SEO goals.
7 Mistakes to Avoid When Outsourcing SEO
Now that you’re up to speed with the best practices, we’ll discuss the seven most common mistakes companies make when outsourcing SEO.
1. Choosing based on price alone
Of course, pricing is a key factor in SEO outsourcing. However, you shouldn’t base your consultant or agency choice on the upfront costs.
For instance, agencies with very low prices tend to produce poor results. They’re likely cutting corners and using outdated tools and tactics to keep the costs down.
Instead, focus on finding a partner that offers excellent value for money by prioritising expertise over upfront pricing. This is the best way to ensure long-term, sustainable SEO success.
2. Focusing on vanity metrics
Some agencies and consultants only include vanity metrics like website traffic and page views in their reports while neglecting the most critical indicators of success.
While vanity metrics certainly shouldn’t be ignored, they must be analysed alongside other metrics, such as bounce rate, time on site, and generated leads, to understand user behaviour.
You should discuss this in detail with your consultant or agency before you start working with them. Make it clear that you expect a holistic approach with a wide range of performance metrics.
3. Failing to integrate SEO with the overall marketing strategy
Another common mistake is failing to align your SEO with other marketing channels like paid advertising, email, and social media once you’ve outsourced it.
If you fail to integrate SEO with your broader marketing strategy, it can lead to adverse outcomes like:
- Inconsistent messaging across your various channels weakens brand identity and reduces user engagement.
- If your marketing channels aren’t integrated, you can miss out on opportunities to leverage successful content across multiple platforms, like repurposing SEO content from your site to use on social media, email, and YouTube.
4. Overlooking the importance of regular communication
Transparency and open communication are vital parts of outsourcing SEO. Overlooking this is a big mistake.
To avoid this, make sure you:
- Provide regular feedback about what is and isn’t working.
- Establish your preferred communication methods, like email, virtual meetings, and project management tools.
- Never hesitate to raise concerns or ask tough questions while working with the consultant or agency.
- Schedule meetings on set dates (once per week, once per month, etc.).
5. Not understanding the SEO process
Even if you outsource every aspect of your SEO campaign, it’s still beneficial to develop some understanding of the processes involved.
This doesn’t mean you need to become an expert, but understanding the basics helps you to:
- Assess progress reports
- Ask genuinely informed questions
- Provide constructive feedback and participate in decisions about some elements of strategy.
If you don’t understand the SEO process, it becomes challenging to collaborate effectively with your partner. Disreputable agencies or consultants may take advantage of your lack of understanding and provide you with poor service at a high cost.
6. Expecting immediate results
You should be wary of any SEO services that offer success in very short timeframes.
According to an Ahrefs survey, 58% of marketers say it takes three to six months to see the results of SEO.
Clearly, SEO takes time and effort to get right (which is one reason why it’s a good idea to outsource it in the first place). The aim is to adapt and improve over time to build a strong foundation for long-term success.
Often, agencies and consultants that promise lightning-fast results use shady tactics to manipulate search engine rankings. This is an unethical approach that can lead to penalties and ranking demotions.
So, look out for SEO services that make realistic promises and focus on sustainable success.
7. Ignoring red flags and unethical practices
Unfortunately, some agencies and consultants use unethical practices known as “black hat” tactics. These tactics are designed to manipulate search engine rankings to get quick results. However, they risk being penalised by Google, which can significantly hurt your rankings and your brand’s reputation.
Some of the most common black hat tactics include:
- Buying backlinks from link farms (sites used to artificially inflate a site’s backlink profile).
- Participating in link exchanges
- Stuffing content with irrelevant keywords
- Engaging in negative SEO against competitors
Most agencies or consultants engaged in black hat tactics are unlikely to admit it to you, but there are red flags you can look out for. For example, they may promise:
- Top rankings in a very short timeframe
- To be able to get you particular ranking positions
- Dramatic and near-instant increases in traffic
So, ensure the partner you hire isn’t engaged in black hat tactics, as this poses a significant risk to your SEO success.
How long does it usually take to see results from outsourced SEO efforts?
The time it takes to see results when outsourcing SEO depends on several factors, like the competitiveness of your niche, the current state of your website, and the specific strategies the agency or consultant uses.
Generally, you should see some improvements during the first three to six months. However, it often takes longer than six months to achieve significant results.
What are some red flags to watch out for when selecting an SEO agency or consultant?
The most common red flags to look out for when choosing an agency include:
- A lack of transparency
- Making unrealistic promises
- Poor communication
- A lack of experience
- Unwillingness to learn about your business or niche
Final Thoughts
Outsourcing SEO has many advantages over using an in-house team, such as cost-efficiency, scalability, and expertise. However, you must choose an agency or consultant based on value and experience. A consultant is the best option if you’re looking for a tailored and flexible approach.
You must also follow best practices like integrating SEO with your overall marketing strategy and establishing SOPs.
