You’ve just signed a hefty contract with a big-name SEO agency.
They promise you the moon, the stars, and first-page rankings for “best [your product] in [your city].”
Fast forward six months, and your organic traffic has moved about as much as a sloth on a lazy Sunday.
What went wrong?
Well, chances are one of three things happened:
#1. You fixed a lot of minor technical things (duplicate titles, broken links, etc.) that weren’t really preventing you from ranking.
#2. You published content that targeted keywords that were too competitive
#3. You published content and didn’t get any internal or external links to it.
So you put in notice with your agency and start to plan to hire in-house.
Sounds great, right? Well, not so fast.
The problem is, modern SEO requires a diverse skill set:
- Technical SEO
- Content strategy
- Link building
- Local SEO
- Analytics and data analysis
- UX optimization
And that’s just scratching the surface. Expecting one person to be an expert in all these areas is like expecting your dog to not only wear that sweater but also knit it, market it, and handle customer service inquiries.
The Costs of In-House SEO
Let’s break it down, shall we? Here’s what a typical in-house SEO team might cost annually:
- SEO Manager: $100,000
- Content Writer: $70,000
- Web Developer: $80,000
- Benefits (20% of salaries): $40,000
- SEO Tools and Software: $20,000/year
- Training and Conferences: $10,000/year
Grand Total: $320,000
And that’s not even factoring in:
- Recruitment costs
- Office space and equipment
- Productivity loss during ramp-up periods
- The opportunity cost of management time spent overseeing the SEO team
Suddenly, that agency retainer isn’t looking so expensive, is it?
So now you’re stuck in purgatory. You’re not happy with the agency but hiring in-house may not be feasible.
So what should you do?
Take the SEO needs assessment below
SEO Needs Assessment: In-House Team, Consultant, or Agency?
Answer the following questions to discover which SEO arrangement is likely best for you.