The past year proved that search engine optimization (SEO) is essential for effective digital marketing. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, many remain dependent on remote means of doing activities, with mobile device usage and internet usage at an all-time high.
This makes online visibility more imperative for businesses as it denotes an increased chance of generating leads and directing them to conversion. Companies that are on the internet are 40% more likely to grow quicker than those that do not implement websites to promote their business.
However, running an SEO campaign to amplify one’s online presence is often challenging and time-intensive, requiring the right techniques, tools, and many other resources. As a result, many prefer outsourcing SEO to help them fulfill these tasks. The online search for “SEO agency” soared dramatically from 2018 to 2020, as Google Trends data shows. It steadily ascended during the COVID-19 pandemic, abruptly surging toward the latter part of 2021.
Still, with several other digital marketing tactics on the rise and the economic impact of the pandemic, many contemplate whether outsourcing SEO will be worth it in the future.
To help them decide, below are some points to consider when companies plan to outsource their 2022 SEO to an agency.
Outsourcing SEO is a Cost-Effective Option
Perhaps the primary reason businesses outsource SEO is its cost-effective benefits. On average, the annual expense of hiring an in-house expert can amount to $90,154.
Not only that, but building an internal team means getting at least three full-time professionals on board, resulting in thrice the expenditure on salary alone. Companies also have to pay for their employees’ insurance, bonuses, benefits, and many more.
Apart from these, enterprises also need to invest in the necessary tools to run their SEO campaign. All these expenses eat away a huge chunk of the business’s funds, which could be used to finance other more critical operations.
Contrarily, tapping the expertise of an external SEO specialist can cost as little as $200 to $500 monthly, depending on what the company requires. It is more practical, especially for businesses with minimal budget and wary about finance, considering the economic effects of the pandemic.
Hiring an outside SEO agency is still an expense and does not come cheap, but it is comparatively more cost-effective than hiring in-house staff. It may also give companies better ROI opportunities.
Outsourced SEO is Time-Saving
Building an in-house SEO team means dedicating time to screen the suitable candidates and training them to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills in running an effective campaign. It also entails hours of research, strategy development, monitoring, and other processes to produce desired results and meet marketing objectives.
Outsourcing a capable digital marketing agency to handle SEO frees up valuable time from enterprises, which they can spend on other business-critical operations. In addition, saved time is closely related to saved money. Letting a capable external SEO team do the work means less money spent on the vast and complex requirements needed to run SEO internally.
Outsourcing SEO Optimizes In-House Staff
Employees implementing an SEO campaign by themselves entail divided attention. For larger enterprises, it is often easier to create an internal SEO team since they have the necessary resources. But for smaller companies, building an in-house team might involve existing staff doing SEO work in addition to their regular tasks.
Taking on more responsibilities means they could be missing out on their core functions. Multitasking can impede productivity, affecting other processes in the company.
By outsourcing SEO, businesses can lessen the need to multitask and allow their employees to focus on their primary responsibilities.
Outsourcing SEO Provides Access to Powerful Tools and Professional Services
SEO requires a mastery of innovative tools, which can be expensive and take years to grasp fully. It also needs a robust link building network and high-quality content to drive the campaign’s success.
Various search engines take into account many factors before ranking a website. Google’s search algorithm alone has 200 ranking factors to consider in determining a website’s relevance to a search query.
Given the previously mentioned information, it can be intimidating for businesses to run an SEO campaign independently. If an inexperienced internal staff conducts these SEO tasks while lacking a full understanding of them, it can negatively impact the results. Alternatively, it is ideal to leave SEO functions to capable professionals equipped with the know-how and experience to ensure that businesses will get the expected outcome.
Outsourced SEO Means Having a Larger Team Running Your Campaigns
As the company expands, its SEO needs will grow accordingly. However, scaling SEO efforts can be challenging for in-house staff, and a lack of personnel can be a huge setback. This is where the outsourced team comes in.
A professional SEO agency typically comprises the following members:
- Digital Marketers
- Content Creators
- Web Designers
- Optimizers
- Other SEO specialists
When businesses outsource SEO, they can leverage the integrated proficiencies of these experts to help them keep up with the growing requirements of their campaigns. They can gain confidence that even if their SEO tasks increase, they will have reliable professionals to continue working on them cost-effectively.
Outsourced SEO Eliminates the Guesswork in Adopting New Strategies
SEO tactics are dynamic and ever-evolving. The industry landscape changes with emerging trends, new demands, and continual updates to search engine algorithms. Consequently, those implementing SEO must keep up with these shifts to ensure their campaign’s effectiveness.
A reputable SEO agency keeps itself updated, incorporating the latest techniques into SEO efforts to produce desired results. Companies do not need to trouble themselves with learning these strategies as the outsourced team will do it for them.
Final Thoughts
Outsourcing SEO has become commonplace for numerous businesses that do not have the complete arsenal for executing a comprehensive and data-driven campaign. But with the many changes that transpired during the COVID-19 pandemic, many ask if it will still be relevant in the coming years.
The answer to this question is yes.
It remains evident that companies have uneven advantages in terms of their resources. And having an external team onboard can help them accomplish SEO goals they might not be able to achieve on their own.
Jomer B. Gregorio is a well-rounded expert when it comes digital marketing. Jomer is also known as a semantic SEO evangelist and practitioner. Check out our Digital Marketing Services today and let us help you in achieving positive and profitable results for your business.