Marketing

Is SEO Outsourcing for You? 6 Factors That Will Help You Decide

Team Pepper
Posted on 23/03/227 min read
Is SEO Outsourcing for You? 6 Factors That Will Help You Decide

Table of Contents

  • How Useful Is SEO?
  • What Is SEO Outsourcing?
  • What Are Some Benefits of SEO Outsourcing?
  • 6 Factors to Consider When Outsourcing SEO
  • Conclusion 
  • Key Takeaways 
  • FAQs

The COVID-19 pandemic is still around, and businesses are still struggling to sustain themselves. However, digital marketing companies have been doing well, thanks to SEO outsourcing and the ease with which you can work remotely. The internet is a vast playing ground, presenting millions of opportunities. However, everyone may not be aware of all of them.

In today’s technologically advanced world, everyone wants things to be within easy reach, almost instantly. Businesses find it rather challenging to push their content in highly competitive environments. But have you ever stopped to think how some pieces of content always manage to be on the top of search results? The answer is simple: SEO. 

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How Useful Is SEO?

SEO is an innovation of technology, and it helps businesses by driving traffic to their websites through organic search engine results. Today’s world runs on technology, and every aspect of the world will soon be related to digitization in one way or the other. Internet users are increasing by the day globally, with two-thirds of the global population owning smartphones and having access to the internet. Today, the internet is among the most lucrative platforms businesses are eyeing. No wonder SEO outsourcing plays a critical role even in the smallest of businesses.

Did you know that 53% of the annual revenue is attributed to online organic traffic? It is not surprising that most leading brands use SEO strategies in their marketing activities. And a sizeable number of them believe in SEO outsourcing, as it works effectively and is also cost-effective. SEO ensures that you remain steadfast in the toughest of times (like the present pandemic), and it also helps establish your business with a robust ROI. 

What Is SEO Outsourcing?

You may have asked yourself, “Why outsource SEO when it can be done in-house?” However, it is a challenging task unless you have a qualified and experienced team working with you. Also, one problem with in-house teams is that they are frightfully expensive, with rising salaries, benefits, and attrition raising its ugly head now and then. The easiest solution is SEO outsourcing, wherein you hire a third-party agency to conduct your SEO functions. When you outsource SEO services, you stop worrying about deadlines, as the agency takes care of much more than just on-page and off-page optimization.

However, there is a lot more to SEO, and you must fully understand how Google search works. Only a specialized SEO firm can help you grow your business by ensuring guaranteed results when you outsource SEO projects to them. 

What Are Some Benefits of SEO Outsourcing?

There are several reasons why you should outsource your SEO work, and here are some to give you a fair idea. Outsourcing lets you escape from the monotonous process of working on every parameter defined by search engines. An SEO firm has the wherewithal to provide you with high-level services in tandem with the changing trends and algorithm changes that happen on a regular basis.

Besides enjoying professional-level services delivered at your doorstep, you save a huge sum that you would otherwise be spending on an in-house team. Other additional expenses include annual bonuses, the cost of purchasing SEO tools, and other multifarious expenses. However, before you make the crucial decision to outsource SEO projects, there are certain factors you must consider.  

6 Factors to Consider When Outsourcing SEO

Here are six factors that will help you decide whether to outsource SEO services.

1. The cost factor

You must have invested heavily in your business already, and spending large sums on your marketing strategy, especially SEO, can be a drain on your resources. To build an in-house team, you need experienced SEO analysts, a team leader, and a manager, which will increase your wage bill considerably.

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Alternatively, you can outsource all your SEO projects, which will cost less than half of what you would otherwise pay as salaries. Moreover, you don’t have the additional burden of driving your team to perform well, because when you outsource SEO services, the SEO firm takes care of everything.

You must also remember that SEO does not work overnight, but is a process that takes months to show results. With the market getting more competitive by the day, your best bet is to outsource SEO services to a qualified agency and wait for the benefits to show. 

2. Brand identity

Using SEO, you can give your brand a unique voice, and ensure it has a better reach. To accomplish this, you must present accurate information about your company, the products and services you offer, and the strong ideals you stand by as a credible business.

You must take extra care when selecting your SEO outsourcing partner, who must be familiar with your brand. If not, you must explain in detail the various aspects of your brand, and what makes it stand apart. It takes several iterations, meetings, and portfolio reviews to convey the exact picture, and it is time worth spending, as it decides the fate of your brand in the marketplace.

Research indicates that 53.3% of online traffic is attributed to organic searches, with SEO playing a crucial role. You must plan a precise strategy with your partners in progress, and have SEO play a critical role in conveying your brand voice. 

3. Need-based resourcing

SEO encompasses several parameters (200 at the last count), and not all may be required for your business. Hence, before you outsource SEO services, check which critical aspects of SEO apply to your business. Such calculated selection helps avoid unnecessary stress and saves on the cost as well.

You may need only a part of the software the firm plans to apply to your website. In the same way, if you need a few SEO-friendly blogs written on a priority basis, you may as well hire a freelancer rather than an SEO agency.

In case you are certain that multiple aspects of SEO, including content, keyword research, technical SEO, etc., are vital to improving revenue, you might as well hire a multi-service agency to handle everything at once.

4. Goals and objectives  

SEO outsourcing means different objectives for different companies. One common goal, however, is ranking well on search engines. The very purpose of SEO outsourcing is to improve search engine rankings and to appear at the top of search results. Consequently, it helps improve your online presence by giving relevant domain exposure.

If there are other SEO parameters you want covered, it is better to discuss them with your SEO outsourcing partner and spell out your requirements clearly. Each company’s requirement is unique, and more often than not, SEO has to be customized to suit specific needs. Is it simply more likes you are after or do you wish to drive more traffic for better conversions? You must convey your goals and objectives to your partners to ensure they measure the metrics to help you gain maximum benefits.

5. Communication requirements

If you are still undecided about SEO outsourcing, take a closer look at your communication requirements. Many things can go wrong in SEO, so it is not uncommon for problems to occur. These problems need to be resolved as soon as possible, lest you lose valuable web traffic.

If you have an in-house team, resolving issues should be easier and faster. However, when you outsource, unless you have a reliable communication system, there are bound to be costly delays. It is better to plan wisely to prevent such occurrences.

6. Be sure of your partner

Now that you are sure of what you want, the next step is to decide who you want to partner with for your SEO needs. Before signing a contract, check the antecedents of the company, and assess and analyze them thoroughly. Remember that you are handing over your online future to a third party, and they must have the capacity to deliver.

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A lot of intuition and trust goes into forging a partnership. Of course, they will deluge you with tons of reports and metric measurements, which is all part of their job, but they should also provide realistic objectives and tangible results. 

Key Takeaways

  • It makes sense to outsource search engine optimization, especially when you don’t have a dedicated team to handle your SEO needs. 
  • Also, SEO outsourcing is the ideal choice as you save on cost, and you are collaborating with professionals who have already done several SEO projects successfully.
  • Before deciding on an SEO firm, check their credentials and the work they’ve done before.  

Conclusion

Why outsource SEO? This is a tricky question to answer, and a crucial decision to make, especially when you have a convenient in-house alternative. However, consider your budget, internal resources, and other determining factors before making a decision.  

FAQs

1. What is meant by SEO outsourcing?

SEO outsourcing simply means outsourcing services relating to the optimization of your website, also known as Search Engine Optimization. It includes several intricacies, such as SEO blog writing, metadata, keywords, etc., off-page optimization, organic and paid promotion on social media, and link building, among others. All these services are outsourced to a third-party agency or even individuals working independently.

2. Can I outsource my SEO?

SEO outsourcing is not an easy decision to make, especially if you can pull together a team in-house. However, many people don’t realize that if they outsource their SEO, they have a lot of time to focus on their core competencies. In any event, be cautious about whom you outsource SEO projects to. You can boost your ranking on search engines when you outsource SEO services to an experienced agency.

3. Is it very expensive to outsource my SEO?

It all depends on how much money you are willing to spend, and if you are alright with outsourcing all SEO-related services to a third party. In such cases, agencies typically charge a monthly retainer and prefer contracts for a minimum of 12 months. Based on survey reports, 85.49% of respondents charge anywhere between $50 and $200 per hour. Also, 30.03% of the respondents charge a retainer of around $1,000 per month.

4. What factors should I be aware of before using SEO?

You must first check your website before creating an SEO strategy. The goal is to drive more traffic to your website, and you can use organic and paid methods to do it. SEO involves the organic approach of driving traffic. Hence, you must be fully aware of the relevant keywords, and apply them judiciously to your content. Also, the focus should be on creating engaging content relevant to your intended audience, because outsourcing SEO or doing it in-house without knowing such crucial details may not be of any use.