Pros and Cons of SEO Outsourcing

These days, most searches for products or services are done online. But let’s face it, most of what is consumed is found within the first five results or at least one of the results on page one of a search engine like Google. 

What’s more, with paid ads slowly taking over the coveted top spots in search results, the need for search engine optimisation (SEO) has gone from a good-to-have to a vital tool if you want your website to be seen or found by the right audience online. 

Things like a slow-loading page can not only affect your rankings but can also drive away potential customers. Having a sound SEO strategy in place, therefore, that is carefully curated to your business needs as well as monitored and adjusted regularly to accommodate ever-changing algorithms is a must. However, is it really necessary to have a dedicated team in office, or can the same results be achieved by outsourcing search engine optimisation?

The answer? 100% yes. 

And although various benefits come with outsourcing SEO, there are also multiple factors to consider before deciding to outsource SEO services.

But before we jump into the various benefits of outsourcing SEO, let’s take a closer look at what SEO actually entails and how it can get you that prize real estate at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs).

What Is SEO Outsourcing?

Outsourcing search engine optimisation involves commissioning an SEO professional or team to create a strategy and conduct SEO tasks to improve a website's organic traffic or ranking. Organic traffic includes any visitors that arrive at your website through a search online, i.e., this excludes visitors who have clicked on a paid ad to get to your site. 

Various indicators contribute to the overall ranking of your website, such as the quality and usefulness of your content, along with other technical aspects. This is why having an SEO team with a solid strategy is vital to the success of your business.

Your SEO strategy would likely include:

• Competitor analysis 
• Technical audits
• Define the target audience and demographic for campaigns
• Backlink building
• On-page optimisation (metadata, blogs, keywords, etc.) 
• Click-through rate (CTR) optimisation
• Page speed analysis
• Schema markup

So now that we’ve answered the question “What is SEO outsourcing?”, let's look at how outsourcing SEO can help increase your revenue while decreasing expenses.

Pros of SEO Outsourcing

1. Expertise 

Having a team of members wearing multiple hats may initially seem like a good idea. However, over time you’ll find that SEO goes much deeper than on and off-page optimisation. 

SEO experts need to stay up-to-date with algorithm updates, best practices, compliance and legalities, along with various technical aspects that go far beyond implementing strategies and campaigns.

SEO outsourcing gives you access to a wealth of knowledge and expertise garnered through years of experience. Having a team of SEO experts on hand means that your website will continually be optimised for maximum results, giving you the edge over your competitors.

2. Cost-Effectiveness & Efficiency

Outsourcing search engine optimisation is one of the most cost-effective ways to enlist quality SEO services. Hiring an in-house team includes expenses like salaries, benefits, training, and expensive SEO tools. 

Another factor to consider when choosing between in-house and outsourced SEO is the time invested in SEO campaigns and strategies. Having a jack-of-all-trades handling your SEO along with other roles in your company may save you time and money initially, but it is not an effective long-term solution.

Opting for SEO outsourcing solutions gives you access to leading SEO services, globally, which means you can acquire the best SEO at lower costs. You’ll be able to utilise their services when needed, allowing you to cut costs and implement that budget elsewhere. 

Ideally, you want a team of professionals with specialised expertise dedicated to focused SEO tasks and duties. This allows your in-house team to focus on their primary responsibilities while your SEO team handles the rest, improving productivity and efficiency at a fraction of the cost. 

3. Consistency and Moderation

Contrary to popular belief, SEO is an ongoing service. Algorithms, best practices, and compliance policies are constantly changing, so you’ll need a team on hand to implement or adjust your SEO strategy accordingly. Having an outside opinion on finding SEO outsourcing solutions to in-house challenges can provide valuable insights and help improve strategy ideation.

Now, having an in-house team can certainly be a solution for larger enterprises. However, it may not be a viable option financially for start-ups or smaller businesses. This is where outsourcing search engine optimisation could be a cost-effective solution.

Outsourcing SEO will ensure that months of hard work aren’t flushed down the drain simply because you don’t have the resources. Teaming up with the best SEO agency offering outsourced solutions means you’ll be able to maintain consistency and moderate your SEO efforts regularly or as you need it.  

4. Access to InnovativeTools and Analytics

The best SEO agencies typically have access to advanced SEO tools and technologies, making it more affordable for smaller businesses to obtain the best possible outsource SEO services. These tools provide valuable audience behavioural information, keyword search results, and overall performance-tracking data that can help improve search ranking and conversions.

Many outsourcing SEO agencies will use this data to provide detailed reports and analytics, giving you insights into the progress of your SEO efforts as well as the impact on your website's performance.

5. Global Reach 

Utilising outsource SEO services allows you to go global in more ways than one. Outsourcing SEO means you’ll have access to the best SEO minds worldwide, i.e., the best SEO services at competitive rates. 

Moreover, for businesses with international expansion aspirations, SEO outsourcing can provide crucial insights into niche industries and help develop strategies to optimise for different markets and languages. Outsourced SEO services can also be easily scaled up or down based on your business's changing needs, making it flexible and adaptable.

Now that we’ve looked at some of the incredible advantages of outsourcing SEO, let's take a look at some of the potential disadvantages.

Cons of SEO Outsourcing

•  Lack of Control: Outsourcing means relinquishing some control over the SEO process. Businesses may not have direct oversight over every aspect of the strategy.
• Communication Challenges: Working with an external agency may introduce communication challenges, especially if the agency is located in a different time zone or speaks a different language.
• Quality Concerns: Not all SEO agencies deliver the same level of quality. Choosing the wrong agency could result in poor or ineffective SEO practices.
• Security and Confidentiality: Sharing sensitive business information with an external agency may raise concerns about data security and confidentiality.
• Long-Term Commitment: Some SEO agencies may require long-term contracts, which could be a disadvantage if you are not satisfied with their services.
• Slow Response Time: Depending on the agency's workload, response times for updates or adjustments to SEO strategies may not be as quick as desired.
• Misalignment With Business Goals: There is a risk that the SEO agency may not fully understand your business's unique objectives and may not align its strategies accordingly.
• Risk of Penalties: If the agency employs unethical or black-hat SEO tactics, your website could be penalised by search engines, negatively impacting your online visibility.

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