Search Engine Marketing Blog

In House or Outsourcing SEO

In the past only the largest companies could afford to have in house staffing to do search engine optimization. Although more companies, including small and medium sized businesses have recognized the benefits of utilizing such skills to increase sales revenues, finding skilled and experienced people to fill the gap has been increasingly difficult.

The outsourcing SEO companies understandably are not going to promote the use of either other SEO companies or in house staff, because it cuts into their own potential business. Additionally, there is a certain mystique associated with search engine optimization in the minds of uneducated businessmen and women.

On the other side, because skilled and experienced SEO people are still hard to find, the business may be forced to use outsourcing to obtain quality and experience. Businesses in certain areas of the United States find it more difficult to obtain in house SEO staff. Usually the East Coast and West Coast have people who can perform the job satisfactorily while the central part of the country has fewer qualified candidates.

That being said, here are some of the pros and cons for each method of obtaining good search engine optimization for your business web sites.

IN HOUSE ADVANTAGES

In house staff understands the buzzwords of their industry. It will be more likely that appropriate keywords can be chosen, and the local talent will know the infrastructure of their business better than an outsourcing expert, no matter how skilled they are at optimization. Not always, but usually in house staff will be less expensive than outsourcing, even if outsourcing must be contracted to audit the work of the in house folks.

In house folks are more likely to understand the internal politics of the company and how to get the suggested changes completed without being sandbagged by another staff member for reasons that have nothing to do with need or quality of the work.

In house staff can focus on the needs of the business rather than being distracted by the needs of multiple clients that may be experienced by outsourcing companies. An internal team will consist of people who are needed to accomplish the task at hand. The internal team is less likely to implement methods that will not work in the environment of the business.

An in house SEO person or team will help to monitor the implementation of backlinks so that both ends of the link receive benefits.

OUTSOURCING ADVANTAGES

Outsourcing companies typically have wider experience in the field and may understand and use methods, which the in house staff either is unaware of, or is unable to use effectively. For small projects that are limited in scope, outsourcing companies may be able to complete the job more economically.

Outsourcing companies are less likely to be biased for or against a particular department in suggesting needed changes. They may be better able to criticize a proposed change because they can see the larger picture and are able to offer criticize without worrying about internal politics of the business.

Outsourcing teams are usually able to provide links and link building strategies that the internal SEO team would not be able to access. They are more likely to provide tangible results in a shorter amount of time than the in house staff.

Finally, outsourcing means other valuable assistance in addition to the specific task at hand is made available to the business.