There should be no doubt among any website operator that without search engine optimization and other online marketing measures, he or she has little or no chance of landing at the top of the rankings on Google & Co.
Advantages of Hiring an SEO Agency
Depending on the number of employees, an online marketing agency has a whole range of specialists who always have up-to-date skills in their field. If you combine this knowledge, you will have a larger pool of knowledge about the range of requirements of different industries and the important online marketing measures in each case. Hiring the Best SEO Consultant can further augment your team’s expertise and ensure strategic guidance tailored to your business goals.
This is important and advantageous in many respects, as search engines – above all, Google as the top dog and prime example – are constantly changing their parameters and algorithms. Conditions for a good ranking that were essential yesterday are suddenly old hat today. Freelancers are often unable to keep up with such developments due to their workload.
- Agencies are flexible, which is a big advantage. Services can be added without having to hire new employees. Even peak loads, such as during a relaunch, work great with an SEO agency.
- The knowledge environment in good agencies is very fertile and dynamic; the level of knowledge is often more up-to-date than in-house SEOs.
- The agency takes care of further training and education. Agencies don’t get sick or go on vacation. Of course, the employees also get sick, but the benefits then continue through a replacement. If your only in-house SEO is sick for several weeks or even months, then he is sick and gone! This can’t happen so easily with an agency.
- Agencies have an insight into many different markets and industries and can bring in a lot of experience from other areas.
A digital marketing agency is rarely so busy that there is no free capacity left. This means they can accept and process orders at short notice without their customers having to wait in line and wait a long time for results. This also applies to any problems that may suddenly arise and need to be resolved quickly.
And that brings us to the most important argument in favor of an agency: continuity. SEO is not a one-time thing but an ongoing process. Search engines change their algorithms, economic situations and circumstances take an unforeseen course, new competitors appear who are more successful with their SEO measures. An agency reacts to such events faster and more efficiently than a freelancer because the work can be distributed among several people.
Disadvantages of Hiring an SEO Agency
The customer does not always have the opportunity to contact the relevant specialist for his project directly. This is why collaboration may seem more impersonal to customers than collaboration with a freelancer.
- Agencies are of course more difficult to reach than an employee who sits directly in the company. Communication is sometimes more cumbersome, especially if the agency employee looks after many other customers.
- The target group, the market, and the products are probably not as present and known as with an in-house employee.
- Agencies have little, sometimes even no, access to the company’s resources. You don’t have the interfaces like an in-house employee. As an agency, I cannot search for suitable product images on the company’s internal server, but I have to ask here.
- Contacts in agencies can change often, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
Advantages of DIY SEO
Before we dive into how to do SEO yourself, we need to clarify some of the pros and cons of Affordable SEO vs. DIY SEO. And why? SEO is a big undertaking, and you must understand what comes with taking responsibility for your website’s search engine optimization. Even if you can technically do search engine optimization yourself, you should ask yourself whether you should do it yourself.
You are in control
One of the most attractive aspects of doing SEO yourself is the fact that you have full control. When you work with an SEO agency, you need to set SEO goals together and develop a plan to achieve them.
You also need to research who you want to work with thoroughly. If you choose the wrong agency, they may control your strategy and not allow your input.
When you do SEO yourself, you are the master of your destiny. You have complete control over your campaigns and can immediately start developing a plan to achieve your SEO goals.
You don’t spend money on external agencies
Another benefit of DIY SEO is the prospect of saving money on hiring an outside agency.
SEO agencies can cost, this all depends on who you want to work with, what services you need and other factors. However, if you choose to do SEO yourself, you avoid the costs of hiring an agency. Although this is a benefit for many businesses, there is a downside to not working with an SEO agency.
Disadvantages of DIY SEO
Limited expertise and experience
If you’re doing SEO yourself, you’ll need to learn about SEO best practices, ranking factors, algorithm updates, and more. Even if you’ve planned for months, your SEO experience and expertise won’t match that of a professional SEO strategist.
Experienced SEO specialists are well-versed in all aspects of the practice: link building, content creation, on- and off-page optimization, technical audits, and other digital marketing services – the list goes on. They also have specialist knowledge across many industries, from leisure and entertainment SEO to B2B and B2C companies.
While it’s entirely possible to teach yourself all of this, you’ll still be limited in which SEO tactics you can use successfully. This can be a significant disadvantage for your company, especially if you operate in a highly competitive industry.
Time-Consuming
Managing SEO requires staying updated with ever-changing algorithms and trends, which demands significant time and effort, potentially diverting focus from core business activities.
Limited Resources
DIY SEO often lacks access to advanced tools and analytics, making it challenging to track performance accurately and make informed optimization decisions.
Technical Challenges
Overlooking technical aspects like website structure and coding can lead to errors that harm search visibility, requiring a deep understanding of SEO principles to address effectively.
Conclusion
The decision between hiring an SEO agency and doing SEO yourself comes down to weighing the advantages and disadvantages. While agencies offer expertise, flexibility, and efficiency, DIY SEO provides control and potential cost savings. Ultimately, it’s essential to consider your resources, goals, and level of expertise when making this decision.
