I decided to switch the name of this episode last minute - this episode is really about the SEO service providers available to you out there.

This was the top voted episode on my Instagram. Next week I’ll be doing “Why does SEO take time?”

To compliment this episode, I recommend ep 123, How to Hire an SEO Expert. That episode goes into more depth about the different types of service options in terms of retainers vs. implementation, what to ask before hiring someone, and some rate ranges.

Listen to the episode here:

A Note on SEO Tools

A tool is not the same as hiring a human to look at your SEO. The first key here is understanding that SEO is more than adding a couple keywords on your website.

If you want to learn more about the SEO Process and complexities, listen to 136 where I walk through the different aspects of an SEO strategy.

The big question is can SEO be automated?

There are some tools that can automatically place values for you but here still needs to be strategy to make sure those values are correct.

I think a lot of the confusion comes from the old way of doing SEO 10 years ago where we would stuff keywords in a website and it would rank. Nowadays, Google doesn’t like this (humans don’t like spam either!)

The Google algorithm is much more intelligent now and I find this fascinating (while my clients find it to be a headache)

Learn more about SEO myths that you need to know more about here.

Basically, something like Yoast won’t magically make your site “SEO friendly”. There is more to it than that.

I’m thinking of doing another episode that walks through the foundations of having a basic SEO friendly site, “doing SEO” in my mind is like going to the gym; doing it once isn’t enough. It is an ongoing process that you choose to incorporate smartly into your current marketing.

Types of SEO Service Providers

There are two types of SEO Service Providers that I want to cover in this episode: SEO Agency and SEO Consultant. I’ll review the Pros and Cons of each one.

SEO Agency

I have experience working in a digital marketing agency and it can be more relevant if you are a medium to large company looking for more global support that goes beyond SEO.

Pros

• Wide range of skills. You have access to a team of people that have different skill sets and a collective knowledge. If you are looking for help in other areas like social media, email marketing, etc, they will be able to support you.

• Flexible POC. There are different points of contact and if for some reason you don’t like the person you are working with, there is an opportunity to change without stopping the work.

• Take on more complex projects. They can take on more complex website projects, like revamping your home page and migrating to a new platform.

• Direct contact with platforms. Agencies usually have direct contact with Google and Facebook so it can easier to resolve some errors and also get the latest on algorithm updates.

Cons

• Turn-over rate. Agencies have a bad rap for a high turnover rate and that can be a reality. This can impact the longer term effectiveness of your SEO strategy.

• Slightly more expensive. Since agencies have overhead, they can be more expensive.

• Team dynamics. Agencies work in teams, so there is a possibility of getting the newbie SEO who is being overseen my a more expert role.

SEO Consultant 

This option can be useful to small/medium sized businesses who are really looking for an expert to come in and improve their site’s SEO.

Pros

• More specialized knowledge. Most Consultants specialize in one industry or one area of SEO and therefore can have more specialized knowledge in that area.

• Hands on experience. Since Consultant are one-man/one-woman shows, they are the ones getting their hands dirty in the backend of your site. Even when they have a small team, they are still accountable for the results of their work.

• Personalized service. Consultants can give you a more personalized experienced where you can brainstorm and get more into the details of your business and marketing.

• Low overhead. Compared to the agency, Consultants have a lower overhead and therefore the cost can be less expensive.

Cons

• Specialization Limitations. Consultants focus on getting good at one industry or one area of SEO so you may need to hire other roles to help you with other parts of your marketing and website.

• Slower pace. This really depends on the size of your site and your expectations but because the consultant works mostly alone, turn around time on changes might be slower than an agency.

Deciding what is a better fit for you is really a personal decision and depends on your business needs.

Like I’ve already mentioned, I recommend listening to episode 123, How to Hire an SEO expert, if you want to learn more about the different types of SEO services (retainers, implementation, etc.) as well as what to ask before hiring someone and rates.

Where are you at currently with your SEO? Let me know in the comments.