Over the last few years, digital marketing has grown dramatically. Meaning, businesses today can’t just count on their websites, with a few lines of well-written content, to garner the successful end results that they’re hoping for. It is essential for your web presence to be visible to your target audience, appearing in the search engine results for industry related keywords. The question is, who’s going to handle your site’s search engine marketing efforts? Ultimately, there are a couple of options to consider – in-house vs. outsourced search engine marketing.
In-House Search Engine Marketing
There’s something to be said for being able to quickly talk to someone in your office regarding SEO strategies. Let’s face it, nobody knows your business better than you and if you’re lucky, that will translate over to your employees as well and hopefully motivate them to play an integral part in your success. In-house search engine marketing managers are ultimately responsible for the success of a businesses’ SEO campaigns. When optimizing the company’s account(s) and making recommendations for improvement, your company’s best interests should always be paramount. Because your account’s performance can influence all facets of a staff member’s employment, you would expect them to do their best to meet and exceed your expectations. This would all be true in a perfect world, but rarely is that a reality.
Finding the Right Person for the Job
This is a lot easier said than done. On top of that, you’ll need to have a good understanding of search engine marketing yourself. Then, once you’ve hired someone, you’ll need to get them up to speed, a lengthy process that can easily compromise your online marketing efforts. This can be especially challenging when you only have one person doing the job. You’ll also need to provide training to keep your their skills up to date with all of the latest trends. You’ll also need to deal with what happens if your in-house search engine marketing expert leaves, in which case you’ll need to start the entire process over again, leaving all of your SEO efforts in jeopardy.
Reputable outsourced search engine marketing agencies will also have proven processes in place and attract and maintain the best industry talent and high levels of expertise. Employing a full-time in-houseSEO account manager means you’ll also be paying for a salaried, full time position (more than one depending on the size of your company). You’ll also have to consider taxes, benefits, sickness and holidays and who is going to take over while they’re out. Associated costs with in-house search engine marketing can far outweigh the cost of outsourcing it.
Outsourcing Your Search Engine Marketing
These specialists manage more than one client’s search engine marketing, with client hours being allocated based on the complexity of the project and the program their clients choose. The thing to remember is that it’s important to consider quality over quantity, however it does require mutual trust. With outsourcing, you can’t just walk over to the next cubicle and talk to your search engine expert, you’ll have to call, Skype or email them instead to discuss your account.
Passion for the Process is Key
A success driven search engine marketing agency will be made up of an experienced team of marketers. This is one of the most significant benefits of outsourcing. From structuring your SEO account(s) to conversion optimization, agency search engine marketing specialists are true experts in their field. A person that has declared search engine marketing their discipline also considers it their passion. These individuals provide dedicated support, competitive insight and consistently keep up to date with new industry tactics.
One of the key reasons businesses’ search engine marketing strategies fail is a lack of understanding and the inability to take the right kind of actions. Consistent campaign refinement is crucial when it comes to generating a sound ROI, so be sure your business is dedicated to staying the course in a constantly changing environment. It all comes down to understanding, careful planning and having the right search engine strategists by your side in order to avoid wasted time, money and opportunities.
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