Outsourcing SEO is the process of handing the search engine optimization work to a service provider. This has become a common practice among business entities that neither have the time or expertise to execute a data-driven SEO campaign nor the budget to hire an in-house SEO specialist.
SEO Outsource services can provide significant advantages, such as cost efficiency. You can actually tap into the expertise of an outsourcing SEO specialist for $400 to $900 per month – this is more affordable compared to spending $3,700 for in-house staff.
Furthermore, outsourcing your SEO will allow you to have assurance that experts manage your online marketing campaign. It will also enable your employees to concentrate on more important aspects of your business.
However, even with the right budget, partnering with an SEO outsourcing agency does not always guarantee the best results. This is why learning the best practices when outsourcing your SEO campaign is a must before working with an outsourced SEO specialist. You can ensure the project’s success as well as protect your business’s interests and reputation.
Here are some do’s and don’ts when outsourcing your SEO
DO
Determine Your SEO Outsourcing Goals
Companies outsource their SEO for a variety of reasons. It is important that you have identified your needs and goals before you start looking for an SEO company.
These are among the most common goals for outsourcing:
- Achieve cost-savings in the overall marketing campaign expenses.
- Leverage the agency’s up-to-date and relevant SEO knowledge and expertise.
- Use a holistic SEO strategy to bolster organic search engine presence.
Knowing your goals and needs will help you find the best suitable partner that can match your specific marketing requirements.
Select the Right Method of SEO Outsourcing
There are several methods for obtaining outsourced SEO services. Although directly contracting the service of a company can be easily done, you still have to know the different options you have when outsourcing SEO. This can give you some level of cost advantage, depending on your online marketing budget requirements.
- Package Providers offering Link Building Services – This is a great option if you are looking to obtain backlinks for your web pages.
- Freelance Platforms offering SEO Services – Several freelance agencies offer specialized managed SEO services on a project basis.
- SEO Outsourcing Company offering Holistic Services – These agencies have in-house teams of SEO professionals that can provide you with complete SEO services and supplementary services, such as digital advertising, inbound lead generation, and content marketing.
Select the Right Type of SEO Provider
Following the increasing popularity of SEO in this digital era, different SEO agencies have sprung up around the globe. But while these providers offer almost similar SEO services, not all are of the same standard.
SEO companies are categorized into three, and they are segmented based on the techniques they use.
- The White Hats – These are the SEO agencies that implement the safest techniques to obtain high-quality backlinks for your web pages. They also perform data analysis, conduct content audits, and create good content strategies.
- The Black Hats – SEO companies that utilize tactics that Google already deemed as illegal and unethical, such as promoting duplicate content, cloaking or re-directing the user to another site or page, and obtaining links from sites with non-relevant content. The number of agencies offering such services is very rare and often comes at a high-risk and expensive price.
- The Borderline Black Hats – They execute more aggressive but less effective strategies than white hats. And services offered by borderline black hat SEO companies still pose high risks of getting your website penalized.
With the thousands of SEO providers in the market, it is paramount to determine which category your service provider falls under.
Look into the SEO Company’s Credentials
One of the ways to choose the right SEO company for your business is to check the background and performance of prospective agencies. It would help if you look into the following:
- Portfolios and case studies
- search engine certifications
- unique selling points (offer decades of experience, deliver measurable results, provide personalized SEO strategies, utilize innovative marketing tech and tools, and takes a hands-on approach)
- reviews and client testimonials
Researching the companies that you are considering can help you gauge their professionalism and determine if they are right for your business.
DON’T
Expect Your Outsourced SEO provider to Function Without Your Guidance
Remember that the outsourced SEO specialist you partnered with is still an outsider to your business, so they do not possess the same level of insights into your business as your in-house IT and marketing staff. Thus, they will need your guidance to help them understand your business’s nature as well as the products and/or services you offer.
Taking time to educate them about your business can enable them to utilize the right SEO techniques to run a successful campaign and generate better ROI.
Deal With an Agency that Is Not Up-To-Date With Latest SEO Updates and Trends
SEO is a constantly changing landscape. So, no one can thrive in the SEO market by sticking to the old ways of doing things and refusing to embrace new platforms and techniques.
Therefore, you must choose an SEO agency knowledgeable about the latest SEO updates and strategies. Doing so can give you an assurance that your website adheres to guidelines set by search engines and organically maintains or boosts its ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs).
Think that Outsourced SEO Can Deliver Instant Results
Similar to doing your SEO independently, an outsourced SEO agency also follows a certain process when running a campaign.
Search engine optimization is not a once-and-done thing – implementing SEO strategies usually lasts up to a month and yields results after four to eight months.
When outsourcing SEO, you should be prepared to interplay with and put in some effort to ensure that your campaign is streamlined and refined. That way, you and your SEO provider can manage your campaign carefully and reap better results.
Conclusion
Acquiring outsourced SEO services can help your business get the support it needs to succeed and grow in the ever-changing organic search landscape. Accordingly, with the right planning, clear communication, and avoidance of committing outsourcing SEO mistakes, you can safeguard the success of your SEO campaign. This can result in higher chances of maximizing your investment.