SEO In-House vs Outsourcing: Which Is Better?

SEO or Search Engine Optimization is extremely important for every business. Generally, there are two approaches businesses can choose to handle their SEO efforts – in-house or by outsourcing.

But which one should you choose? And why? In this blog, we’ll attempt to answer those questions and more as we dive deeper into these two approaches to SEO. Our goal is to provide you with a clear, straightforward look at both options, helping you make an informed choice that feels right for you and your business.

In-House Vs Outsourced SEO: What Does it Mean?

Companies who go the in-house route form a whole team for their SEO needs from scratch. They must fully employ experts to manage the entirety of the SEO project and form various departments as the team and company grow.

Another way to build an in-house team is called insourcing. This includes training existing personnel to perform SEO work. Do note that this route still requires you to hire SEO experts, or at least an SEO copywriter with industry experience to train the personnel.

A single in-house copywriter’s salary can cost around $40,000/year; SEO specialists even over $80,000.

Outsourcing is the more common option chosen by most businesses. In this model, all or part of your SEO marketing is offloaded to an agency or freelancers. These are usually experts who can manage multiple, if not all aspects of SEO in all your digital marketing efforts.

Which Approach Works For Me?

There are a few factors that you need to keep in mind to determine which approach works best for your business. These include:

• Budget

Even a barebones in-house team with just a copywriter or SEO expert is expensive. Adding 2-3 freshers or in-house trainees to the team means you can expect to shell out at least $100,000 annually. On the other hand, outsourcing SEO can range anywhere from $50 – $60,000.

• Time

Deciding on whether to go for in-house or outsourced SEO also depends on the time you can take to see results. Getting visible results from an in-house team may take up to years. In comparison, with outsourcing, results are almost immediate.

• Goals

Your goals and objectives should also factor into whether you should go for in-house or outsourced SEO. Do you have a long-term game plan to build a brand with a huge presence? Or get experts from the get-go and see how much you can grow?

In-House vs Outsourcing SEO:

Both in-house and SEO outsourcing have their pros and cons. We have tried to make these easy to understand by dividing them into categories in the table below (assuming you don’t fit this bill).

How Much Does SEO Outsourcing From India Cost?

Outsourcing SEO from an agency in India is a good idea to get quick results at economic packages. India is a hub of tech expertise and has a vast untapped talent pool – translating directly to lower rates. Because of the competitive nature of this industry, you get to choose from various types of pricing models for outsourcing SEO talent.

Here are the pricing models of outsourced SEO in the order of their pricing range.

Hourly Packages

Most SEO outsourcing partners offer this model as hourly packages are extremely economical, and ideal if you need specific tasks or short-term services.

Monthly Packages

Monthly packages are the most common pricing model. This is because SEO is an ongoing effort and it takes around 3-4 months of trials and testing to see which strategy fits your business the best you begin to see consistent results. Most businesses choose to continue with their SEO outsourcing partner after this milestone is achieved.

Local SEO Packages

Local SEO packages are ideal for local businesses that aim to increase footfalls and digital growth for their physical business. It usually targets a specific local area, such as a city or suburb. The prices vary depending on the complexity of the project.

You don’t even need a website to start benefiting from local SEO – A Google My Business profile is enough to get you started!

Project-Based Billing

This type of pricing model also charges monthly but varies widely depending on the scope and duration of the SEO project.

Approximate Cost of SEO Outsourcing

Since SEO outsourcing services can cover a wide range of tasks, the prices are also hard to nail down. Now, depending on which pricing model both and your SEO outsourcing partner agree to, you can expect to pay something along these lines:

Additional Facts About SEO Outsourcing

The flexibility of SEO projects prevents us from giving exact numbers regarding budgets, but that shouldn’t stop you from enquiring. There are so many ways SEO outsourcing can be done – we’ll discuss two more ways in this section:

1. Hiring Freelancers

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs), who are just contemplating venturing into digital marketing can take advantage of SEO freelancers. These professionals can cost anywhere from $5 – $25 hourly, and even more, depending on their skill and experience level.

2. Performance Based Billing

Some SEO agencies also practice this type of billing for their services, where they have a base monthly retainer or project fee. On top of that, they charge extra when they meet certain goals, depending upon the results. These milestones could be SERP rankings, conversion rates, and even an increase in organic traffic.

3. Agency Size Translates to Pricing

This should be a no-brainer as it applies to almost every industry. Smaller SEO agencies will charge less than larger ones. For example, the same services from a small agency comprising 15 – 25 people and a large agency employing 50 – 200 people may have a difference in pricing of about $1000 or even more.

Size never translates directly into performance, and that applies to SEO outsourcing too. Instead of focusing on the size of the agency, look for testimonials, as even experienced freelancers can get you stellar growth.

Is SEO In-House Useless?

Not at all. If that were the case, no one would be opting for in-house SEO. Yet most global brands have in-house SEO teams, and only take the help of agencies when they try to break into new markets. Now, let us try to understand how and when in-house SEO can work better than SEO outsourcing:

1. Brand Familiarity: The First Silver Lining

Tight control over your in-house team brings dividends in the long run. We have talked about the consistency of brand voice in-house SEO ensures, which is one of the most important factors in advertising. When customers can recognize a brand based on their tone or style of content, loyal user bases develop (think of Apple or BuzzFeed).

2. Quality Comes With Experience

Quality issues disappear over time too for in-house SEO teams, as the tight control ensures mistakes are not repeated. This can often be a problem with outsourced SEO, as you may run into the same challenges again if you switch your SEO outsourcer.

3. Long-Term Cost

Building an in-house SEO for your organization will run you cheaper in the long run. SEO agencies might provide expertise from the get-go but training your in-house team, while expensive at first, will also get you assets in the form of SEO-savvy employees.

After some of your internal team gets experienced enough, you can save a lot of cash by having them manage the team, forgoing the need for an SEO consultant or expert. That hefty salary aside, you can then also go on to save more by hiring freshers to do most of the grunt work under the supervision of your more experienced employees.

4. Minimize Security Risks

This is another benefit of building an in-house SEO team that hardly gets talked about. An in-house team means that the formulas for ranking that you and your team have discovered after sinking cash, time, effort, and risk into this endeavor don’t fall into the hands of your competition.

Of course, there is a reason this isn’t talked about much – you can always get your SEO outsourcing partner to sign an NDA that prevents them from also working with your direct competitors.

So you can see that in-house SEO isn’t useless. It can also be a surefire way to success – only you need to be a lot more patient when it comes to seeing tangible results.

Who Gets Most Benefit From In-House SEO?

Based on what we have discussed so far, it can be inferred that the businesses ideally suited for in-house SEO teams are ones with huge pockets, a lot of time, and plans to expand exponentially and make profits in the long term. Very few companies check all three boxes. Some examples of businesses that can benefit the most from building in-house SEO teams include:

• Funded startups looking to build global companies
• Established retail chains in any industry
• Multinational Conglomerates

Conclusion

For most businesses, SEO outsourcing is the best way to test the waters of digital marketing. But in-house SEO also drives the best results in the long run. Hence, it is okay to be confused, as even contracting freelancers to outsource SEO is an option.

Ideally, the industry experts at Seotal recommend having a balance of both. An in-house employee with SEO understanding to have the big picture and act as a point of contact, while outsourced SEO talent with years of experience works to get you more customers.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What’s the main difference between doing SEO in-house and outsourcing it?

When you keep SEO in-house, it means you have your own team members working on your search engine optimization, right within your company. They’re your employees, tuning into what your business does every day. Outsourcing, on the other hand, means hiring an outside agency or specialists to handle your SEO. They’re not in your office, but they bring a broad experience from working with different clients.

2. How do I decide if I should handle my SEO in-house or outsource it?

Think about a few key points like your budget, the skills your team already has, and how much you want to control your SEO strategies. If you have the resources to hire professionals with the right skills, and you’d like to keep tight control over your SEO, building an in-house team might be your best bet. On the flip side, if you’re looking to tap into a wide range of skills and experiences without the hassle of hiring new employees, outsourcing could be the way to go.

3. Are there cost benefits to either approach?

Yes, each has its own cost benefits. With an in-house team, you’re looking at fixed costs like salaries, tools, and ongoing training. While it might seem expensive, having a dedicated team can lead to better integration with your overall marketing strategy. Outsourcing might lower your upfront costs – you’re essentially renting a team’s time and skills. However, be mindful that the long-term costs could add up, especially if you need a lot of custom work.

4. Can I switch from one to the other?

Absolutely! Businesses often switch between in-house and outsourced SEO based on their evolving needs and goals. You might start with an agency to get the ball rolling and build an internal team over time. Or, you might take your in-house operations and outsource them to focus on other core business areas. It’s all about what works best for you and your team.

5. How do I measure success, whether in-house or outsourced?

Success in SEO, whether in-house or outsourced, hinges on clear goals and constant communication. Set specific, measurable objectives like improving your website’s ranking for certain keywords, boosting organic traffic, or increasing conversions. Regular check-ins and updates will help you keep track of progress toward these goals, no matter who’s doing the work.