Outsource SEO
SEO outsourcing might be something that could be of interest to you if you do not want to hire an SEO specialist in-house or you merely want help from someone on occasion. Hiring an SEO outsource company can sometimes be expensive, but if you find the right freelancer, you aren’t going to spend a fortune.
In today’s article, we’re looking at several tips that can help you find the best SEO reseller, but also the essential factors that you should keep in mind for the perfect SEO outsource strategy.
SEO Outsource – Things to consider
Cost
This is one of the most important factors that you have to look at. Some businesses might be able to afford a bill of several thousands of dollars or pounds, but if you’re a startup, you’re probably looking for cheap SEO services.
On the other hand, cheap isn’t always the best. If you have small SEO needs, it might be a better idea to hire someone in-house. However, you do have to consider that that person will also need training, so it will take time before your first SEO campaign has any results.
Focus on your SEO needs
Even if you are a complete newbie when it comes to search engine optimization, you should have a plan or a basic strategy. You should know the keywords you want to rank for and what your competition is.
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The least you could do if you do not have enough time on your hands, and that will guarantee that you can find the right person is to research the best SEO practices. Then try to adapt that to your plan and niche you’re in.
Check the SEO’s portfolio
SEO freelancing specialists have to give you some recommendations, whether they come in the form of actual ones by previous clients or in the form of ratings and reviews on freelance platforms such as Upwork.
You might be willing to give someone with little to no experience a shot, but in that case, you should adjust your SEO budget accordingly.
Find out how the SEO measures performance efforts
Setting measurable targets when it comes to an SEO campaign can be essential. Otherwise, you will not be able to know what to expect from the search engine optimization specialist you have hired.
Think of a number of deliverables such as your specific Google rankings, the amount of traffic you want in, or your newsletter subscribers. General terms and non-measurable goals should be avoided at all costs.
Once you’ve done all of this, you should talk to the SEO and create a plan for at least several months. Unfortunately, SEO takes a long time to show any good results, so you can’t expect the freelancer to do their job in a week.
Ask your SEO for an example of an audit that they’ve perhaps created for one of their other clients, just so you can have a look at what you can expect from them every month.
Another aspect that we’d like to note here is that keeping track of the progress of your SEO campaign on a monthly basis matters a lot. If you don’t have enough time to keep an eye on things yourself, you probably have to hire a manager for the job.
Warning signs
How can you tell whether the person you want to hire is the right one for you or not? Well, there are some signs that can let you know you’re probably making a mistake, such as an SEO that doesn’t stick to Google’s guidelines or one that doesn’t keep up with the latest marketing trends.
An SEO that guarantees to have your website ranked in just a few weeks is also one you probably do not want to work with. Most of the significant ranking changes happen in at least one to three months, and if your website is fairly new, this can even take six months.
Another warning sign would be if the SEO is unwilling to create a custom strategy for your particular site and brand – they might merely use the same ‘success’ plan for all of their clients.
Finally, as much as SEOs hate sending out reports, they do have to do it at least once a month. If the freelancer you’ve started working with is not doing this, you’ve probably not found the right person for the job.
It definitely wouldn’t hurt if the SEO would be able to show you some success stories or testimonials, or just the links of the sites they’ve worked on in the past so that you can check them in Ahrefs, SEMrush, or whichever tool you use — and see how the rankings have evolved over time.
Why outsource SEO?
SEO outsourcing comes with several benefits, such as getting an expert that can handle things without you worrying about anything or the mere fact that you will be able to have more time to manage your business without taking care of the SEO side by yourself.
Some people prefer working with freelancers as they don’t have to sign contracts. When your SEO goals are achieved, you can simply end your cooperation or put it on hold. The same rule does not apply for an in-house SEO, especially if the contract has an undetermined duration.
Here’s what you can do if you want to outsource SEO:
- Find an independent SEO freelancer
- Get an SEO contractor (who are usually more serious and committed to the job)
- Hire an SEO company (therefore, an SEO team)
When should you look for outsource SEO services?
There are several situations where you’re likely to want to outsource your SEO. Most companies end up doing this when they have trouble learning all of the works of SEO, from on-page to off-page and the technical side of things.
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Freelancers or contractors are usually cheaper to hire than SEO companies, so they could be perfect for startups and other businesses that don’t have huge budgets for marketing.
Evaluating your SEO service candidates
Let’s say that you seem to have found the perfect person, but you’re still on the fence about hiring them. How can you tell if they’re right for what you need or not? Here are several things you should base your decision on.
- A background check
- Tools they know how to use
- References they’ve received
- Certifications they might have
- Companies they’ve worked for in the past (perhaps you can find several similar to yours in terms of size or even niche)
- Legal requirements (are they willing to sign an NDA?)
- Communication (if the SEO speaks your language, it’ll be much easier for you to work together)
Interested in outsourcing your SEO needs? Get in touch to find out how we can help!
Craig Campbell
I am a Glasgow based SEO expert who has been doing SEO for 22 years.
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