In a fast-paced, cutthroat industry, it doesn’t pay to reinvent the wheel
Starting your own in-house operated SEO campaign is a tempting prospect—it always feels good to have creative control. However, when you look at the time, money, man-power and other resources required to create an effective SEO for your product, the choice may not be as easy. There is a reason a majority of the largest companies in the world trust their SEO campaigns and operations to other firms. Here are some things to consider before you attempt to create your own SEO operation.
1. Results
You know you want good results, but do you know exactly what that means when it comes to your SEO campaign? If you go with an in-house service there will be little you can do to truly benchmark the results of your campaign with those of your competitors. Hiring an established and respected company to take care of your SEO means you’ll work with experts in the industry that can help you create a realistic campaign that can deliver the results you’re paying for without the all of the down-time creating your own in-house service would require.
2. Competition
Regardless of what your business is, you know that discoverability is important to help you stand out from your competitors. The sooner you start your campaign and create your online presence, the sooner you can ensure your market won’t be encroached upon by other companies in your industry. Starting your own in-house SEO operation seems tempting, but there is a reason a majority of small and large companies outsource: it’s significantly more efficient. Efficient SEO firms can help you understand what your competition is doing, and how you can compete effectively online.
3. ROI
The best rate of return you can expect from SEO is from an established company that you can hold accountable for your campaign. The math is simple: even if you hire an ‘expert’, it will take that individual more time to start your campaign than an already functioning company. You will have no new employees to train, no additional hardware expenses, and no start-up delays in getting your SEO campaign online and working for you. If your company is small, take some time with your personal budgeting software and see how much you really have to invest for SEO. Chances are you won’t have much, so instead of spending most of your budget on just hiring a new employee and buying new hardware, use your money to get your campaign started now. You’ll see your investment pay off sooner and better, while not wasting any of your company’s resources.
4. Training and Expertise
As was previously mentioned, if you want to get noticed as quickly as possible for the least amount of money, go with the team that is already doing exactly what you want. SEO companies have already invested the time and resources into training an entire team of people to work efficiently, as well as establishing a web of contacts that are an essential ingredient for any link-building campaign. It would take one person weeks to start what an established company can do on day one. Creating an entire team would take even longer, as all the hiring would need to take place, training done, and finally the implementation even without any hiccups would take weeks. SEO companies can recruit talent that is the best in the industry and require virtually no training.
5. Focus
Your company does something very well, that’s why you’re in business. Hiring contractors to do work they specialize in allows you to continue to do the work you specialize in, and the more you can focus on what it is you do best the better. Don’t take time and resources away from aspects of your company that need them to function the way they’re supposed to. SEO Companies focus on doing a job and doing it well, it’s what they were set up for, and what they’re most efficient at, so let them do their job so you can do yours.
Aimee Watts is a staff writer for Mobile Moo. She has spent ten years telecommuting full-time, and loves spreading tips and advice for fellow work-at-home parents. She loves gadgets, new ideas, and skiing with her two favorite people: her husband and teenage son. They live in Evergreen, Colorado.