SEO? In-House Or Outsource? Answers Here
SEO efforts in my firm are still currently managed in-house and the reason why I have not decided on outsourcing this piece of work is because I have yet to meet any company who really understands what’s important in SEO and how it truly works. But that’s in Singapore, perhaps it’s different if you from another part of the world. Regardless of where you come from, you will benefit from my search insights.
Another reason why SEO is still not outsourced in my firm is simply because, I have in my team someone who is well-trained in search engine optimization. It’s not just some theories one can pick up from an ebook or from a short 1-2 day workshop. Unless this person has implemented and maintained SEO especially on big websites and has probably survived a few rounds of search engine algorithm changes in the last few years, he/she is still relatively untested. And since we are generating a very high amount of online sales through our website, we just cannot afford to take this risk.
But if you are a small business owner and even if you do not sell online, you should outsource your SEO efforts because your time is worth it and because your potential customers deserve to find you online. I cannot tell you how much frustrations I had trying to locate a local service via all the major search engines in Singapore. They just can’t be found! And I do believe it’s the same else where and thousands of businesses have not awaken to the reality that more and more people are going online each day and they are “dying” to buy their products/services online.
So the answer to the proverbial outsourcing question is this? Unless you are prepared and have the budget to invest in training and grooming someone within your team on SEO, you should outsource. Because whether you like it or not, Search Engines are here to stay and as they evolve, you cannot afford not to be found on them.
So then, what should you look out for when you do outsource to a local SEO company? These are the key points to note and I am assuming you understand the ills of unethical SEO practice.
Exclusive Relationship
A good SEO company should only work exclusively with one company from a particular industry. Basically, you need to get a guarantee that the selected SEO company you hire will not work with your competitors while they are working for you. Obviously, this would seriously compromise the effectiveness of the search engine optimization campaign.
Beware that some SEO agencies will use the success they achieve for your website to sell their services to your competitors. So get your guarantee in writing, and make sure it is legally binding.
Proven Track Records
Of course, the other most important factors you want to check out is the company’s track record of success. Find out which search engines they have achieved the best results on and for what search terms because it is easy to get high rankings with unpopular words (keywords with low volume).
Longevity
Since SEO is a long and continual process, you need a company that not only understands this, but keeps constant tabs on your search engine positions. Ask the search engine optimization firm you are considering for a report that shows you rankings across a number of popular search engines for a period of at least six months executed by the same search marketing person that is potentially going to be assigned to your account. Need I say more?
Affordability
Most SEO companies charge a start-up fee (3-5 figures) along with a monthly retainer(3 to 4 figures). If you do not have the budget, you might as well find a fairly new company. Just know that there are risks involved with using a company without a proven track record – and that risk is more than your money, it’s your website’s reputation! I have seen how poorly executed SEO which resulted in sites getting permanently banned from the search engines.
Finally, getting your website ranked through SEO only solves your online woes partially, a well-rounded and effective search marketing plan should also include PPC efforts. In fact, starting your Search Engine Marketing Campaign with PPC first is a much smarter way than with SEO.
