Making the decision between doing SEO in-house and hiring an SEO consultant is a difficult decision to make. You’re in a good position if you get to make it though, as lots of businesses don’t have either option. They don’t have the resources to do SEO in-house and they don’t have the funds available to pay for SEO services and packages.
If you’re in a position to make the decision, you should bear in mind that good results can be achieved with whichever option you choose. There are essentially four options available to you – full-time in-house SEO, part-time in-house SEO, an SEO consultant and part-time in-house SEO with guidance and assistance from an SEO consultant. These are the pros and cons of each.
Full-Time In-House SEO – An employee with SEO experience working only on SEO.
Pros
- Can start delivering results in weeks rather than months.
- Able to compete for competitive keywords.
- Good knowledge of products/services/customers/partners.
Cons
- Average salaries are around £30,000.
- More positions available than there are suitable people to fill them.
- Requires a long-term commitment.
Part-Time In-House SEO – An employee with no SEO experience working on SEO for less than 10 hours per week.
Pros
- Little additional expenditure.
- Good knowledge of products/services/customers/partners.
- Unlikely to use risky and manipulative methods.
Cons
- May take months before any results are seen.
- Unable to compete for competitive keywords.
- Lack of employees with suitable abilities and enthusiasm.
SEO Consultant – A professional hired for an hourly, monthly or one-time fee.
Pros
- Can start delivering results in weeks rather than months.
- Able to compete for competitive keywords.
- Short-term or no commitment required.
Cons
- Poor knowledge of products/services/customers/partners.
- Difficult to build and develop relationships.
- Average hourly rates are around £50.
SEO Consultant & In-House SEO – Part-time in-house SEO with guidance and assistance from an SEO consultant.
Pros
- Combines SEO expertise with knowledge of the business.
- Able to compete for reasonably competitive keywords.
- Unlikely to use risky and manipulative methods.
Cons
- Reliant on an excellent working relationship.
- Shortage of willing SEO consultants.
- Reduced efficiency.
Which option is best for your business primarily depends on these factors:
- The industry you operate in.
- The type of results you expect.
- The timeframe for results.
- The amount you want to spend.
If you want to rank well for competitive keywords in a reasonable timeframe, then part-time in-house SEO won’t be sufficient. However, it will be sufficient if you’re happy to either target low competition keywords or to wait a long time for results. Most businesses will no doubt fall somewhere in between – wanting good results in a reasonable timeframe without spending a fortune – in which case part-time in-house SEO with guidance and assistance from an SEO consultant is recommended. Doing full-time in-house SEO is only really necessary if there’s a lot of online activity (searches and social media) in your industry. If there is, a full-time in-house SEO is the best option if you can afford it and are prepared to make a long-term commitment.