An SEO Agency or SEO Consultant?
First, I should explain the difference between an SEO agency and an SEO consultant.
SEO Agencies
The obvious difference is human resources. Several people will likely complete tasks if you ask an SEO agency to work on your website. You should expect everyone that works on your site to have an adequate level of expertise, but unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. However, with the correct amount of oversight, at least an agency can identify problems with their work and rectify them quickly.
An agency is likely to offer SEO packages at several service levels. There may be some flexibility for customisation within those levels, but as a rule, they are relatively rigid in what they offer.
Agencies generally appear to offer a more comprehensive marketing skillset than a consultant. While this might seem attractive, be aware that what they provide as extras might not have anything to do with SEO. So, beware of the upsell. For example, pay-per-click ads have no direct impact on improvement in organic search position.
SEO Consultants
An SEO consultant provides a more bespoke service. You get one-to-one advice from an expert in their field.
A consultant engaged by a small business may implement changes they recommend, or you have the option of doing the changes yourself or asking your web designer to do them for you.
Consultants may provide a one-off service where they develop an SEO strategy for you to follow, or you might retain them to oversee the required work.
So, SEO Agency or SEO Consultant?
Your choice of SEO consultant vs agency will largely depend on personal preference. Here are some things to consider when hiring an SEO:
- An agency will probably be less demanding on your time, but a consultant might address your specific business/website needs more effectively.
- SEO packages offered by agencies often look like a deal, and some can be very effective. However, a bespoke strategy created by a consultant can prioritise specific aspects of SEO which will provide the best value.
- Agencies do have an undeniable advantage when it comes to speed of implementation. However, you shouldn’t interpret this as gaining results more quickly. SEO is a long-burn online marketing tactic, and its effects are unlikely to have an immediate impact.
- If you can complete tasks in-house, or if you wish to have your web designer make changes, a consultant is the better choice.
- If you have the budget and wish to expand your online marketing to online Ads and social media, a full-service online marketing agency might be a better choice.
- Agency packages at the small business end of the market are less likely to offer any guarantee – and you should scrutinise any warranty provided by an agency or a consultant carefully.
- A consultant has the benefit of being able to offer a more personal service. You will have one point of contact, and the person you talk to won’t be a project manager or salesperson; they’ll be the expert in their field that will have a deeper understanding of your business and website needs.
- An SEO consultant is more likely to be able to pivot to address business needs or a change of marketing strategy more quickly. In addition, the best SEO consultants have an expert understanding of marketing in general and can help you develop marketing strategies beyond SEO.
Other Options
Your Web Designer or Web Design Agency
Your web designer feels like the logical option. You built a relationship with your web designer and were happy with their work, so it seems like an excellent place to start. When they were selling you the site, they may have even mentioned it being “search engine friendly”, so you assume they know what they are talking about.
Well, they might know what they are talking about, or they might not. They are in the business of creating websites from a customer’s brief, not promoting your business. Additionally, if a brief from the client wasn’t strong enough, the results might be visually impressive but can be underwhelming when you view the site as a marketing tool.
You need to ask the web designer direct questions and expect clear answers before spending money with them on SEO.
- Ask them for proof that whatever they suggest works, along with examples of sites they have worked on where they took the same approach.
- I’d recommend asking why their approach is successful. If they can’t answer or provide unclear explanations, this indicates that they are relying on hearsay rather than a clear understanding of the tactics.
- Ask them about their methods and whether they subcontract any work. If they subcontract, it’s reasonable to ask whether the companies they use are accountable for their actions. Accountability is vital because poor SEO can have a damaging long-term effect on your brand, website and overall business.
If you are happy with their answers and confident they will deliver, you may have found your solution. A final word of caution, though; they are not SEO experts, so you may be selling yourself short.
The Online SEO Service
If there is one option with little to offer, it must be the online SEO service. These can be found at many levels and price points, but sustainable or significant results from their tactics are hard to identify.
I would split the services into two categories;
- The Web Host
The services provided by web hosts are generally harmless but ineffective. Unfortunately, I’ve yet to witness one that has lived up to its promises. - SEO on Demand Services
This type of service tends to offer quick solutions using questionable tactics, like buying links. A certain level of SEO understanding is required to see why their products might work or do untold damage. I strongly recommend that you treat this type of service with extreme caution.
Summing Up
There are quite a few options to choose from, with most having advantages and disadvantages. Whatever route you take, I recommend you review the service regularly to ensure you are getting value for your money. Don’t be afraid of change.
What irritates me most about my industry is those offering fixed-price, low-value, monthly packages for small businesses. In my experience, they have no genuine positive impact on search performance. If it were that easy, why isn’t everyone doing it?
I believe that if the person/company you contact spends more time telling you how excellent their service is than asking about your business, they are less likely to perform. Understanding your goals is where real SEO starts, so the most important thing to ask yourself is if they are asking the right questions.
I’ve got some helpful information on my search engine optimisation page if you want to learn more about SEO before you talk to a specialist. Alternatively, there are some great SEO resources on the web, with Moz’s guide particularly suited to beginners.