Learn how to outsource SEO without blowing your budget. Ask these seven questions before hiring an SEO expert or company.
There are a number of cost-effective ways to outsource SEO.
Many business owners believe that hiring an SEO firm is prohibitively expensive, but this is untrue.
Any money spent on SEO and digital marketing should be viewed as an investment, with a clear return on investment (ROI).
When you outsource SEO, you risk losing money if you:
- The wrong firm was hired.
- Set the wrong goals.
- You don’t have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish on the internet.
To be successful with SEO, you must have a well-thought-out strategy with specific goals.
It’s not like any other outsourcing job where the outsourcer shows up, completes the task, and then leaves.
If, on the other hand, you entrust this project to a reputable SEO firm and set clear goals, the benefits to your company will far outweigh the investment.
SEO Outsourcing: What You Need to Know
Let’s take a look at how to properly outsource your SEO to get the results you desire.
- Look for a reputable SEO company.
- Consider the big picture rather than just SEO.
- Set measurable goals.
- Make a plan of action.
- On a monthly basis, keep track of your progress.
- Begin with a small budget and gradually increase it as your ROI improves.
- Make an effort to develop SEO skills in-house.
1- Hire a reputable SEO company.
- Your SEO campaign’s success is determined by the outsourcer. If you make the right decision, you’ll almost certainly get good results.
- If you don’t, you’ll waste money, lose faith in SEO, and, depending on the methods used by the company or person you hired, you might even face a penalty.
- When looking for a company to outsource SEO to, don’t just go with the cheapest option.
- Avoid companies that offer link packages or guarantee first-page rankings.
- Do not believe everything they say; instead, request examples of their work and, most importantly, a proposal that is tailored to your specific needs and requirements.
2 – Consider the big picture rather than just SEO.
- It’s not just about SEO anymore! I know it sounds strange, but when we say “outsource SEO,” what we really mean is “outsource your company’s online presence.”
- This implies that the services you’ll receive go beyond search engine optimization. SEO is only one component of a comprehensive Internet marketing strategy.
- Your outsourcer should be able to manage your social media, PPC campaigns, email marketing, and other digital marketing initiatives, as well as make recommendations on how these technologies can help your company grow.
- These actions, not just buying cheap spammy links, will give you a good ROI from outsourcing SEO.
3 – Establish measurable objectives.
- You must agree on the deliverables with the company that will execute the project before signing a contract or paying any money.
- What are the deliverables at the end of the project? a report with a to-do list, improved Google rankings, increased traffic, and increased Facebook followers?
- Don’t set goals that aren’t measurable, and don’t agree on broad terms. Because everything on the Internet is measurable, an SEO project can have precise and measurable objectives.
4 – Agree on a course of action.
- A good SEO campaign can take several months to complete; it is not a one-week or one-month process.
- As a result, a detailed plan with milestones and intermediate targets must be created based on the duration. What are the monthly actions to be taken and what is the expected outcome?
- Asking the company to perform an SEO audit of your website before beginning the project is a good way to know exactly what actions are required.
- An audit will cost you a reasonable one-time fee, but the result will be a list of actions that can be translated into a project plan.
5 – Keep track of your progress on a monthly basis.
- Monitoring is crucial in SEO campaigns, just as it is in any other project.
- You don’t want to keep paying money if there aren’t any measurable results, and you don’t want to pay for months that aren’t actually required to finish the project.
- The best and simplest way to keep track of your SEO outsourcer is to request detailed monthly reporting from them.
- They should detail the specific actions taken during the month in the report, as well as any improvements in traffic, social media, user engagement, and so on.
6 – Begin with a small budget and gradually increase it as your ROI improves.
- When you decide to outsource a task, you almost always have a budget in mind.
- When it comes to outsourcing SEO work, it’s important to keep in mind that good results can take months, if not years.
- If your business relies on the Internet, it’s a good idea to cut your monthly budget and spread it out over several months.
- If your budget is $10,000, for example, you can agree to spend $500 per month for 20 months rather than $2,000 for five months.
- This, of course, is dependent on a variety of other factors, which is why you should discuss this with the SEO firm before signing your contract.
7 – Make an effort to develop SEO skills in-house.
- Some SEO tasks require expertise and knowledge, while others can be completed by non-SEOs.
- You can choose to build some in-house skills for the soft tasks and spend your outsourcing money on the tasks that require the attention of a professional SEO expert, depending on the availability of your staff and the budget you have for outsourcing SEO.
- Discussing this with your SEO expert or company is the best way to go. They should be able to determine which tasks can be completed in-house, as well as provide the necessary training (which should be part of your contract).
Conclusion
Outsourcing SEO can be a great way to get the results you want without having to spend a fortune. By following the tips in this article, you can find an affordable SEO agency that will help you improve your website’s ranking in search engines.
Takeaways
- Do your research: Before you outsource your SEO, it’s important to do your research and find an agency that has a good track record of success.
- Get everything in writing: Once you’ve found an agency, be sure to get everything in writing, including the scope of work, the timeline, and the pricing.
- Be clear about your expectations: Be clear with the agency about what you’re looking for in terms of results.
- Provide regular feedback: It’s important to provide the agency with regular feedback so that they can adjust their strategy as needed.
- Be patient: SEO takes time, so don’t expect to see results overnight.
