If you run your own business, you’re likely accustomed to wearing many hats. Even if you don’t know much about a particular area of your operations when you start, you’re probably willing to dive right in and learn as you go. But while that can-do attitude can serve you well in many instances, it may not always be the right approach for everything.
In some cases, the money you might save up front by opting to DIY might not translate to lowered costs in the long term. What’s more, you might end up taking on too much yourself — causing the rest of your business to suffer as a result. On the other hand, you might discover a new talent or a new passion that allows you to have a more direct impact on how your company functions. You may even be able to expand your own services if you develop your skills enough or you might prefer to have control over the situation.
Ultimately, there are pros and cons to each option. The right choice will come down to what’s best for your individual small business. Of course, with something as essential as search engine optimization, you’ll want to make an informed decision. If you’re conflicted about whether to handle your own SEO in-house or whether it’s better to outsource with an SEO reseller or agency, the following might make your choice a bit clearer.
Handling SEO In-House
Generally speaking, doing your own SEO isn’t typically recommended. Although there are some entrepreneurs who manage to improve their web rankings with the knowledge they’ve accumulated on their own, the reality is that most business owners simply don’t have the energy or the expertise to perform this task on an ongoing basis. SEO is not a “one and done” kind of job, nor is it something that can be learned in a day. SEO strategies may take months to execute and months (or even years) to fully understand. So while it’s admirable that you might be willing to take on this responsibility yourself, it’s probably not the best option — especially because one mistake could result in site penalization or a lot of wasted time and money.
Having an in-house SEO specialist (or a whole team of specialists), however, can be beneficial for many business owners. Although it will almost certainly cost you more to bring on new hires, especially when you factor in the costs associated with employee benefits and taxes, the trade-off is that you’ll be able to have individuals who are completely devoted to the success of your SEO. Instead of dealing with an agency that has a multitude of clients, your team will be solely focused on you. What’s more, they’ll have a more complete understanding of your products and services than an outsider will.
Keep in mind that when you hire in-house talent, you’ll have to dedicate a substantial amount of time to finding the right employees and training them to ensure they’re up to speed. You’ll also have to incentivize the position to attract top-tier talent, which means your budget may not go nearly as far. Aside from the financial investment associated with hiring these experts, you may not get a specific project off the ground right away — and that can have consequences for your business. What’s more, the entire success of your strategy depends on the skills these individuals bring to the table. If they can’t provide the extra “oomph” you need or they aren’t as experienced as you initially thought, that can tank your SEO efforts.
DIYing your SEO isn’t usually the best strategy, but hiring your own specialist may be a viable and effective option. That can provide you with more control over what techniques are used and more insight into the success of a given campaign, as well as the opportunity to build relationships or even add offerings to your list of services down the line. That said, creating an in-house SEO team will represent a greater monetary investment. In some cases, you might also experience delays in getting a strategy up and running or you may find yourself dependent on new hires that might not be the best fit for your organization. It’s important to evaluate your budgetary constraints and whether your organization is able to bring on new employees for this purpose, as well as carefully vet potential candidates prior to making things official.
Outsourcing Your SEO
Although you might not love the idea of outsourcing something so vital to the success of your business, consider the fact that this may actually allow your business to grow. Giving up control isn’t easy, but when you’ve found an expert or agency you trust implicitly, it won’t be quite as difficult. If you already work with a consultant or freelancer in areas like graphic design, advertising, or other marketing materials, it makes perfect sense to outsource your SEO, as well. As long as your branding and optimization strategies are consistent, this can take a huge responsibility off your plate and allow you to turn your attention to critical operations.
In most cases, outsourcing your SEO will be more affordable than hiring an in-house employee (or several). Not only will you not need to pay for benefits or cover employee taxes, but you’ll be able to shop around in order to find the best price. What’s more, working with an agency will usually allow you to benefit from a variety of skills acquired by several people, rather than relying on the expertise of just one individual. You can usually secure high-quality talent for a lower financial investment, allowing you to stay within your budget without sacrificing on the quality of services rendered.
Even though outsourcing your SEO can ease certain frustrations and free up your time, you’ll have more control than you might realize. If your agency isn’t delivering on their promises or you’re experiencing issues with communication, you’ll usually have options that can ensure positive results. You might be able to escalate issues to someone higher up the chain of command, for instance, or you could theoretically fire your agency if the results aren’t as expected. While that shouldn’t be your immediate reaction, this can actually keep you from wasting the amount of time and money you’d be required to spend when evaluating and potentially terminating an employee.
Of course, there are a couple of drawbacks. Because your agency will have their own workspace (or may work completely remotely), you may not have the opportunity to develop deep relationships or benefit from in-person meetings. Although some local agencies will agree to face-to-face meetings, keep in mind that they will likely bill for this time and that it may not always be possible. If you’re accustomed to collaborative brainstorms, you’ll want to ask about the potential for Skype sessions or in-person conferences prior to hiring your agency or freelance consultant. You may also need to adjust your expectations in terms of workload; your agency will undoubtedly have other clients to juggle, meaning that they will not spend 40 hours per week executing your SEO strategy. Because you won’t be their sole focus, your agency may not be able to drop everything in a split second to answer a question or to change a strategy. While they absolutely should be responsive, communicative, and always ready to help, you may not receive the same treatment from them as you would from an employee.
In the end, there are convincing reasons to consider each option. Your choice will depend largely on how much you can spend, how much involvement you want to have, and your top priorities for strategy execution. Many businesses find it’s best to at least start by outsourcing, evaluate the effectiveness of the campaign, and go from there. This can allow you to keep costs low at first, get your feet wet, and re-examine your expectations down the line.
