Handling SEO Needs Individually Vs. Hiring an SEO Team, Part 3
June 17, 2021In parts one and two of this multi-part blog series, we’ve been looking at all the relevant factors for business owners or online marketing pros choosing whether to keep SEO services in-house or outsource them. There are benefits to both these approaches depending on your needs and the circumstances of your business, but knowing the ins and outs of each is important as you decide.
At SEO Werkz, we’re proud to offer the best SEO agency services you’ll find on the market, with services ranging from local optimization to link-building plus related areas like PPC, web design and others. In today’s final entry in our series, we’ll go over some of the themes and questions you should be looking into when choosing which type of SEO pro to invest in.
Cost and Services
Like with any other service you’re paying for on the market, one of your top considerations should be the cost and what you get for the money you’re spending. SEO costs can vary incredibly widely depending on your business size and needs, plus the goals you have for your online presence.
Generally speaking, there will be four pricing methods available within the realm of SEO outsourcing: Hourly work, project-based jobs, monthly retainers or specific SEO packages (most common among agencies like ours). Individual SEO consultants often charge hourly; packages are usually most popular because they give you the best idea of what you’re getting.
Some general services to ask about while investigating your optimal partner:
- Proof of previous results and tactics
- Experience in your industry
- Up-to-date with latest Google and other search engine algorithms
- Link building strategies used
- Analytics and reports generated
- Packages or payment programs involved
- Can they work with a third-party contractor for certain services?
Be Wary of Guarantees
One big red flag to be extremely wary of during your search for SEO pros: Any freelancer or agency who says they can “guarantee” particular results or sales could be trying to take advantage of you. This is a constantly-evolving industry where even the top professionals can never be 100% sure of results – we have a great understanding of algorithms and how to best position you for success, plus how to avoid penalties and get results over time. But we will not promise any particular benchmark, and neither will other top pros.
Results-Based Payments?
Another area that’s generally a no-no within the SEO world, for similar reasons, is a contract where you pay an SEO professional only based on the results they generate. While certain freelancers may offer such options to try and generate business, we don’t recommend going this route – SEO results can take time to show up in many cases, and are absolutely a long-term investment. You need SEO pros who can be flexible with their strategies, and this means trusting their judgement and expertise to some level.
For more on choosing to outsource SEO versus keeping it in-house, or for more on any of our SEO, PPC or other services, speak to the staff at SEO Werkz today.
