There are a number of factors that should be considered when deciding whether to outsource Search Engine Optimization or run an in-house SEO campaign. The first thing to understand is that Search Engine Optimization requires comprehensive expertise in both off-line and Internet marketing, the methods and technologies.
It is neither a task that can be solved with by technologists alone, nor by your experts in general marketing. The size of a company and its budget are often the two decisive factors determining whether to outsource Search Engine Optimization or assign it to the in-house team.
Small businesses
Unless you are primarily engaged in e-commerce, the cost of a SEO campaign will be the dominant factor. High ROI (Return on Investment) may be hard to achieve for small businesses, the costs of outsourced SEO or the amount of work required for a successful in-house Search Engine Optimization are often restrictive. But you need to remember that you will have to compete online as much as in the real world and often with the same competitors, therefore unless your SEO expert optimizes your website for search engines you may lose a lot of customers in both of the worlds.
Medium Businesses
Hiring SEO professionals is an ideal solution for Medium-size businesses. Although most of them realize the importance of SEO, their internal staff may lack the skills and expertise needed to carry out a successful SEO project. There are many Search Engine Optimization consultants providing quality SEO and SEM services. If you outsource Search Engine Optimization you will get quite a number of benefits:
Experienced online marketers can provide your SEO campaign with professional analysis of customers behavior which is critical for an effective selection of keywords and target groups.
SEO consultants are up-to-date on the latest trends in this rapidly developing area of online marketing.
It will save you a lot of time and money for you wont need to go all the way of trial and error analyzing the competition and coming up with an effective set of keywords to target or investing in staff training. Moreover you wont need to purchase, install and master SEO software.
Search Engine Optimization specialists will provide you with a fresh look at your website and will give an objective evaluation of your marketing strategy.
Large Businesses
Mature corporations often have their own in-house team of Search Engine Optimization specialists. The complex structure of large companies may sometimes make outsourcing a bit difficult, but they can also benefit from the objective opinion of external SEO consultants and practitioners.
When you make the final decision whether to stay in-house or outsource Search Engine Optimization, you need to identify your goals and set the priorities. This is critical for developing effective marketing and conversion strategies.