Inhouse SEO vs. SEO Agentur & SEO Freelancer What suits your company best?
Inhouse SEO Teams...
- ...know the company and its goals very well
- ...have a better understanding of the existing marketing campaigns
- ...can integrate SEO strategies into these campaigns more easily
SEO Agencies...
- ...bring in a new perspective
- ...may be better informed about the latest trends and best practices
- ...are usually more specialised & have extensive expertise in many SEO areas
In this article we cover the following topics:
As the world of search engine optimisation (SEO) becomes increasingly complex, companies are faced with a choice: should they do their SEO in-house or outsource it to an agency or freelancer? Both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages! Ultimately, there is no right or wrong answer when it comes to in-house or outsourced SEO. The best approach for each company depends on its needs, resources and preferences.
If you are ready to take your business to the next level with our services as a partner agency, feel free to contact us and let us show you what you can achieve with search engine optimisation. Feel free to contact us by email, phone or Whatsapp.
Warum SEO & Content-Marketing oft auslagert wird?
SEO is an online marketing discipline that companies often outsource to agencies or freelancers. The reasons for this are varied and individual. Often it is because the company grew up completely or almost without online marketing methods such as SEO in its previous growth phase.
Perhaps the focus was on offline business or activities and there was no need for an in-house online marketing specialist. However, as the company grows and the competitive landscape changes, the need for content marketing and SEO increases.
Search engine optimisation is a form of online marketing that focuses on getting more organic visitors through search engines to achieve your marketing goals. Content marketing is a strategic approach that focuses on creating and distributing valuable, relevant and consistent content to attract and engage a clearly defined audience - and ultimately drive profitable customer actions.
When done right, content marketing combined with search engine optimisation can be an extremely effective way to reach your target audience and achieve your business goals. However, because it requires a lot of time, effort and expertise, many businesses choose to outsource their content marketing needs to agencies or freelancers.
In order to provide you with a basis for decision-making, you will find the definitions of in-house SEOs, SEO agencies and SEO freelancers in this article. We have also listed the advantages and disadvantages of in-house SEO and outsourcing SEO activities. Enjoy reading!
What is in-house SEO?
In-house SEO is the process of optimising a website for search engines using internal staff rather than outsourcing the work to an external agency. It is the process of optimising a website for search engine ranking in order to increase organic traffic, increase web traffic and improve the visibility of the website.
In-house SEOs are responsible for all aspects of optimisation, from keyword research and the creation of relevant content to all on-page optimisation and off-page optimisation. They work closely with other departments within the company, such as marketing, sales, web development and product development, to ensure that everyone is working towards the same goal: Higher search engine rankings and increased organic traffic.
What is a SEO agency?
SEO agencies are specialised companies that work to improve the visibility of a client's website in the search engine results pages (SERPs). SEO agencies usually employ a team of SEO experts who carry out various SEO measures to increase the quantity and quality of traffic to a client's website.
SEO agencies can also offer other online marketing services such as content marketing and social media marketing, among others, or serve as SEO consultants when it comes to SEO strategy. Many agencies offer monthly or annual contracts for their SEO work, and some SEO agencies also offer pay-per-performance services.
What is a SEO Freelancer?
SEO freelancers are professional contractors who support the SEO department of a company. The SEO departments take care of optimising a website for a better search engine ranking. And the SEO freelancers help with the analysis of competitors' websites, the development and management of SEO campaigns and keyword research.
SEO freelancers have many skills and experience and, depending on their focus, offer support in technical SEO optimisation, content SEO, offpage SEO, SEO project management, web development, etc. Companies hire freelancers to do the work at hand without having to hire additional in-house staff. This is a cost-effective and quick way to get the work done and improve a website's search engine ranking.
SEO agency or in-house SEO: What suits the company?
One of the most common questions companies ask themselves in connection with search engine optimisation is whether it is better to have an in-house team or to outsource the work to an agency. Comparison reveals advantages and disadvantages for both options, and the answer ultimately depends on the specific needs of the company.
For example, an in-house SEO team is more suitable for a company that has a large website with complex SEO requirements. In-house teams also have the advantage of being able to work more closely with other departments in the company, such as marketing and IT. On the other hand, outsourcing SEO to an agency can be a cheaper and more efficient option for smaller companies or those with less complex requirements.
Agencies also often have more resources and expertise than in-house teams and can provide valuable insights into the latest SEO trends. Ultimately, there is no blanket answer to this question, but it depends on the individual needs of each company. To create a better basis for decision-making, we have listed all the pros and cons again here.
SEO agency vs. in-house SEO: advantages and disadvantages
Advantages of an in-house SEO team
An in-house SEO can be a great asset for any brand or business that relies on search engine traffic for its web-based activities. Here are important pros of an in-house SEO:
An in-house SEO is usually motivated to ensure the success of your website. Since the success of your website has a positive impact on the search engine optimiser's career, he or she will be highly motivated to do everything possible to improve the ranking and visibility of the website.
The in-house SEO can be assigned as an employee of your company to work exclusively on SEO tasks during regular business hours. This level of concentration is often difficult to achieve when working with an external agency.
An internal SEO has a deep understanding of the company's goals. This understanding is crucial for developing and implementing an effective search engine optimisation strategy.
Ideally, the SEO employee is well networked within the company and has direct contact with his or her colleagues. He or she takes part in marketing meetings and should also be invited to IT sprints. This way, he or she can quickly identify problems and address and solve them in the shortest possible way.
Disadvantages of an in-house SEO team
When it comes to search engine optimisation (SEO), many companies opt to hire an in-house specialist. While this can be a viable option, there are also some contra arguments to consider:
First and foremost, you make your business dependent on a single person or team in the long run if you rely on them. If they make the wrong decision or implement a bad strategy, it could have a negative impact on your rankings and cost you time and money.
In addition, even the best employees can become blind to certain problems after a few years in the same organisation. This so-called "operational blindness" can lead to missed opportunities and suboptimal decisions.
If the internal SEO focuses exclusively on his own website, he will only encounter certain recurring problems and will not learn about new phenomena in the SEO world. If he does not continue his education outside of working hours, he will quickly fall behind the competition. To avoid this, targeted further training is essential for in-house SEOs.
One of the biggest challenges for an in-house SEO is the lack of time. With only a limited number of hours available each week, it can be difficult to maintain a high level of quality in all aspects of the SEO programme.
Zusammenfassung Pro & Con Inhouse SEO Team
- Highly motivated SEO staff
- Focus on pure SEO activities
- Understanding of corporate goals
- Good networking and integration within the company
- Dependency on one person/team
- Risk of operational blindness
- Further targeted training for the employee is necessary
- Time & resource scarcity
Advantages of SEO agencies
An SEO agency can offer a company a whole range of benefits, from a greater know-how to greater flexibility:
One of the main advantages of working with an SEO agency is the high level of expertise they can offer. Since most agencies employ a team of consultants, companies can benefit from the collective knowledge and experience of several people. This often leads to more effective and efficient campaigns as well as better results.
In addition, an SEO agency is usually much more flexible than an in-house team, as they are not bound by the same time constraints. This means that they can often react more quickly to changes in the market or to new opportunities. Therefore, an SEO agency can be a valuable partner for any company looking to improve its online presence.
Agencies usually have a deep understanding of the ever-changing SEO landscape. Since they work with a variety of clients in different industries, they have their finger on the pulse of the latest trends and changes. This means they can quickly adapt their strategies to keep your website ahead of the competition.
In addition, the agencies are familiar with a variety of SEO tools and know how to use them in practice. Thus, they are able to carry out comprehensive and differentiated analyses and look at things from different angles.
Disadvantages of a SEO agency
One of the potential disadvantages of working with an SEO agency is that they may have many clients. This could mean that your business is not the main focus of the agency and you may have to pay for the attention.
Sometimes agencies may not have in-depth product knowledge when they start working with a new client. It is important that you provide the agency with as much information as possible about your company and products. By considering these potential cons, you can be better prepared to work with an SEO agency.
However, for companies that do not have the necessary expertise, working with an SEO agency can be challenging. Different agencies can give conflicting recommendations, which can make it difficult for businesses to make informed decisions.
Furthermore, search engine optimisation is an ever-changing landscape and agencies may not always be up to date with the latest trends and best practices. Therefore, companies need to be diligent in their research to find an SEO agency that will be a true partner for their success.
Summary Pro & Con SEO Agency
- High level of expertise
- High flexibility & fast reaction
- Extremely broad & cross-sectoral expertise
- A more differentiated SEO perspective
- Internal agency customer prioritisation
- Training time & product knowledge for niche topics
- Dependence on the Agency's recommendations
- No guarantee for contemporary SEO practices
SEO agency vs. in-house SEO: costs
One of the most important considerations when deciding whether to outsource search engine optimisation to an agency or do it in-house is the cost. The salary of an in-house SEO professional can range from €3,500 to €5,000 per month, depending on the company's financial capabilities and the experience and market value of the desired employee.
However, it is important to remember that "hidden costs" such as content, SEO tools and link acquisition can also add up. In addition, it can be costly to train staff in best practices and the latest online marketing measures, and to keep them up to date with changes in the ever-evolving world of search engine optimisation.
To get a feel for the costs involved in hiring an SEO agency, we need to look at two main factors: the price for specific services and the price for person days. For a specific service, such as a comprehensive SEO audit, prices can range from 4,000 to 7,500 euros.
And for a one-person day for an SEO specialist, the prices range between 800 and 1,500 euros. Of course, these prices vary depending on the agency in question. But in general, these are the costs you can expect when you hire an SEO agency.
Conclusion: The right balance between in-house and SEO outsourcing
Any company that wants to remain competitive in today's market must have a strong online presence. This includes a website that is optimised for search engines and ranks high in search results. For many companies, this means outsourcing SEO services to an experienced agency. However, there are also advantages to doing some SEO tasks in-house. Company size is an important factor in determining the right balance between an in-house team and outsourced search engine optimisation.
For small businesses, it may make more sense to outsource SEO to an online marketing agency that has the resources and expertise to handle the entire SEO process and content strategy. This way, the company can focus on its core competencies and leave the SEO process to the experts.
For larger companies, building a dedicated team of people with SEO experience can make sense. This way, the company has more control over the SEO processes and can ensure that it is aligned with other marketing initiatives. It also allows the company to build its own expertise internally, which can be very valuable for future growth and development.
Ultimately, there is no blanket answer when it comes to finding the right balance between internal and outsourced search engine optimisation. The decision should be based on a number of factors, including company size, budget and marketing goals.
- elenabsl/123rf.com
- rawpixel/123rf.com
- artemsam/123rf.com
About the author: Louisa Anger
Louisa specialises in writing search engine optimised texts and articles in the online marketing field. She researches and writes SEO-optimised content for various companies from different industries. At SEO-Suchhund, Louisa is the person responsible for the topic of SEO content.