Not sure what an SEO consultant does? We break it down for you in this guide.
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a complicated endeavor, subject to algorithm changes and search trends. If you’re intimidated by the thought of optimizing your website—particularly on top of the other demands of running a small business—you’re not alone. In fact, 62% of content marketers named changes to search algorithms as a top concern in 2021 and 2022[1].
You don’t have to take on SEO yourself. Instead, hire a professional SEO consultant to reap the benefits. This is a useful option for small-business marketers who don’t already have a designated SEO specialist on their team, or perhaps have one who needs assistance.
In this article, we’ll cover what an SEO consultant can do for your business as well as the pros and cons of hiring an in-house SEO specialist versus outsourcing to an agency. Then, to get some perspective, we’ll hear from real small-business leaders who have used the services of an SEO consultant.
Searching for an SEO company to hire for your business? We’ve got you covered. Check out our list of companies in the following areas:
What is an SEO consultant?
An SEO consultant is an SEO expert who works with your team to create and implement strategies to both drive and maintain organic traffic to your website. Whether they’re a freelancer or part of an agency, their goal is to help businesses rank better on search engines such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo.
SEO consulting services may vary from agency to agency, but they usually include the following:
SEO Service | Description |
|---|---|
Local SEO | Local SEO services help businesses get noticed in their local geographical area. With these services, businesses become easily discoverable and rank high on search pages so potential customers can easily find products and services offered near them. |
International SEO | International SEO serves businesses that hope to expand globally and want their websites optimized in foreign languages. With their websites optimized for global audiences, businesses become easily discoverable and rank high on search pages in international regions. |
On-page SEO | On-page SEO services help search engines learn about your website design, its data, and its relevance as per the customers’ needs. On-page SEO strategies start with good quality content and end with relevant keywords and include everything in between, i.e., page speed optimization, internal link optimization, conversion rate optimization, and site architecture optimization. |
Off-page SEO | SEO companies offer digital marketing services such as off-page search engine optimization that focuses on boosting your website rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs). SEO service agencies help you with keyword research for your content that has links directed to your website, which eventually improves traffic, conversion rate, revenue, and your website’s authority. |
SEO audits | An SEO audit involves identifying issues that can affect your site’s performance and cost you traffic and revenue. It includes checking for on-page and off-page SEO problems, ensuring both mobile and desktop users are able to access your site properly, and finding and correcting duplicate content, among other tasks. |
Link building | Link building is an important off-page SEO tactic for improving search result rankings because it tells search algorithms that your content is trustworthy. The quantity, type of link and quality of backlinks—links from one website to another, also known as inbound links—increase the algorithm’s trust in your site. |
You can hire a consultant to work with your team on an ongoing basis, or just once, say, for a website redesign or marketing campaign. This will depend on your goals as well as your budget.
What are the pros and cons of keeping SEO in-house?
Small-business leaders who elect to keep SEO in-house usually hire a full-time SEO specialist, or train an existing employee. Depending on the size of your business, you might have a small team rather than one person.
Let’s start with some advantages of keeping SEO in-house:
A greater sense of control and ownership over which SEO strategies you’d like to implement and when.
A more intimate knowledge of your brand, meaning your content and communications will stay consistent and authentic.
Greater access to an SEO who works within your company, as their time isn’t divided among other clients. This can mean ongoing collaboration as well as the potential for cross-training other employees on SEO.
The downsides of keeping SEO in-house are as follows:
Your SEO strategy is limited to your business, its needs, and the knowledge base of your SEO team or specialist.
It may cost more to hire a specialist or train an existing employee than outsource SEO services.
Your strategy may not be as competitive. SEO agencies lose business if they don’t deliver results, which incentivizes them to stay on top of ever-changing SEO best practices. In-house SEO specialists may not feel that same pressure to change or adapt.
What are the pros and cons of outsourcing SEO?
When you outsource SEO services, you’ll first need to identify what tasks you’d like to outsource; those are outlined in the table we covered earlier. Then, you’ll start looking for an SEO agency or individual freelancer. Once you find one that’s a good fit, you can look forward to the following benefits:
SEO agencies tend to be better rounded, as working with other clients can broaden a specialist’s perspective and build their knowledge.
It can be easier to budget for a consultant’s fixed rate rather than a salary.
You’ll save the time it would take to train or onboard an employee.
You can scale up or down your services as needed without having to make long-term commitments.
You can focus on other aspects of running your business, knowing that your SEO needs are being handled by experts.
Outsourcing SEO services is not without its disadvantages, however, even if you find an agency you feel good about.
Quality issues, which can result from any agency that’s spread too far thin. To avoid this, look for a company that can assign a specialist who will work exclusively with your business.
Loss of control, as you’re handing off some aspects of your marketing strategy to someone who isn’t as familiar with your brand.
Security risks, which should always be considered when giving external contractors access to company data or other sensitive information. If possible, have your consultant sign a non-disclosure contract.
If you’re concerned about finding a trustworthy SEO company, we have some tips on what to look for (and avoid) in this blog post.
Capterra tools and tips
If you outsource SEO, your agency or consultant will usually have a preferred tool stack and share reports with you from there. However, there are some SEO tools you may want to consider investing in to have the most fruitful relationship possible with your SEO consultant(s). These are also wise investments if you decide to keep SEO in-house.
Dashboard software such as Google Analytics allow you to track, analyze, and report data about your website.
SEO software can help you with a broad range of SEO tasks such as site audits, keyword research, and competitor analysis.
Social media marketing software automates the creation, tracking, and management of online campaigns through social media sites. More specifically, it can help your SEO efforts by collecting customer response metrics.
Local SEO tools such as Google My Business enable businesses to improve online presence and visibility in local search results. They help track keyword rankings on a local level, provide competitor insights, perform audits, develop SEO-optimized keywords, monitor website performance, and measure audience engagement.
Business leaders share the impact of SEO consultant services
We reached out to small-business leaders like you who have outsourced SEO to an agency or consultant. Here’s what they have learned.
For SEO success, seek out niched and local agencies
Daniel Cook[2] works in business development and human resources at Mullen and Mullen Law Firm in Dallas, Texas. He urges other business leaders to find an SEO consultant or agency that specializes in their niche, and preferably one that’s local.
We found our experience to be better with niched agencies compared to the jack-of-all-trades kind of agency, Daniel says. Niched agencies understand the particulars of their industry better because they’ve taken the time to study them, making it easier for them to generate accurate, informative and engaging content.
Head of Business Development at Mullen and Mullen Law Firm[2]
“Location is also a consideration when deciding on which SEO agency to hire. The main reason for this is that we prefer to sit with them in person to discuss our firm’s marketing strategy. Although I don’t doubt the abilities of agencies outside our state, hiring someone local ensures that we’re working with someone who knows the local marketing landscape, online and offline.”
Feel free to check consultants’ work
Christine Brownstein[3], CMO of Palaleather UK, shared a previous experience working with an off-site SEO specialist.
“Their task was to provide backlinks to our site from other sites that have a domain rating of 50 or higher. They helped us draw more traffic and establish a stronger authority on search engines. The only mistake I experienced with hiring an SEO consultant is that when I went through their work, I found some toxic backlinks that needed to be removed.”
Christine Brownstein
CMO of Palaleather UK[3]
Christine’s tip for businesses that want to look into SEO consulting is to “always ask for a comprehensive portfolio with a proven positive return on the client's end. This will help you avoid any fraud that may diminish the reputation of your company.”
Ready to start your search for an SEO professional?
The SEO tasks we covered earlier can help you better articulate what you’re looking for from an agency, consultant, or internal specialist. Don’t be afraid to take your time as you search. When you’re ready, check out our SEO services page for reviews on real, vetted SEO specialists and learn more about their services in Capterra’s hiring guide.
Not quite ready to outsource? Here are some tips for tackling SEO on your own.
Download our free SEO Outsourcing Decision Tool to help you decide.
Note: Questions and responses have been edited for brevity and clarity.