SEO Freelancer or Company – Where Should I Go?

The world of SEO is fast-changing and complex. It is not a mystery anymore that search engine optimization has become a significant development for every business that will help them reach the targeted constant organic traffic. It will boost overall business goals, improve marketing efforts and enhance sales. Nowadays, the primary objective of each business is to get a higher rank in the search engines to draw the attention of more potential customers. However, the success road of SEO is not easy, as it requires more energy, time, and a perfect SEO company or freelancer for the correct SEO implementation.

Now the most complicated question is which one to select- an SEO specialist or an SEO agency? In this article, we will consider the pros, cons, and comparisons between a freelancer and an SEO company.

Definition of SEO

The elaborative form of SEO is Search Engine Optimization. It is a process of improving the quality and traffic of websites that will enhance their visibility for related searches. The more visibility your pages have in search engines, the more likely you will be able to gather prospective and existing customers to the required business.

SEO is one of the most fundamental parts of digital marketing. The reason behind it, customers search for millions of products, services, or information each year, often with the commercial intent to find the correct data. SEO helps you develop a higher ranking and greater visibility in search results than your competitors.

SEO Agencies

An SEO agency includes the required bandwidth and people with the necessary SEO skill set. They only provide SEO services but also an extensive array of digital marketing. These might include setting up paid or promotional ads, marketing short videos, and many more. There are various Outsource SEO agencies all around the world that have successfully gained client trust by displaying outstanding results and quality service. Because of experience, an SEO company knows how to promote even if you are in a highly competitive niche such as web hosting, tourism, legal, real estate, finance and so on.

Pros

  1. Experienced and professional staff – SEO marketing agencies hire the best specialist in the town and offer continuous training to develop their skills and learn the newest techniques.
  2. Timing, Strategy, and Teamwork – SEO agencies organize projects more efficiently through content writers, project managers, customer support specialists, SEO specialists, and managers. It helps develop flexible workflow solutions and specific planning for each client, including a clear timeframe of understanding that will help work more effectively.
  3. Complying to every Business Needs – Every business is exclusive, so are their requirements and needs. Ensure that the SEO agency knows everything about the business’s needs, types, and the targeted goals before starting the SEO process. For instance, SEO for eCommerce websites, tools, techniques, and procedures will highly differ from the ones that will be implemented for the websites for a photographer or a development company.
  4. Analytics and Reporting – It is essential to hire an SEO company with innovative analytics and reporting tools that will assist you in improving the rankings for the search engines and aim for the difficult ones.
  5. Pricing – The pricing of the services of the SEO agencies depends upon the business requirements. The higher your demand will be, the more will be the SEO services pricing.

Cons

Apart from the above advantages, SEO companies also carry some disadvantages that you might find difficult while dealing with them. When you hire an SEO agency, you have to be sure that the company will give complete attention to your project. Otherwise, it might lead to undesirable results, delays, and no Investment returns within time.

When Should I Avoid Hiring an SEO Freelancer?

SEO is not a one-day game nor can one get a higher ranking so easily unless you are the only one in the industry.

Hehe…

Sooner or later when your website starts growing, a freelancer could not handle all the tasks.

In that case, you can go with an SEO company.

Here are the reasons why you won’t want to go the freelancer route.

Don’t forget, SEO is a wide task and one cannot handle everything on his own.

Let suppose, you want to expand or create your eCommerce website, you may need;

  1. an SEO strategist
  2. a content strategist
  3. an editor
  4. a person to list your products

It may be possible for one to do all such things for a small website but if your requirement is extensive, you must need a team to perform such tasks.

Thus, be careful to evaluate your SEO needs.

SEO Freelancer

There are a tremendous number of freelancers present in the SEO field who have the required expertise. Experienced SEO professionals are switching careers to freelancing as they can manage their time to earn more. It also allows them to work with the clients according to their selection.

Pros

  1. Reasonable Pricing – Freelancers generally charge less than SEO agencies. Since they include no other expenses like an office, this makes SEO pricing exceptionally reasonable for their services.
  2. Flexibility – Most freelancers are flexible to build their time according to your requirements. They work at flexible hours and are always ready to take on new projects. Thus, your job of getting high ranks will be faster if you hire an SEO freelancer.

Cons

In some cases, an SEO freelancer will only consult on the strategies required to employ your company. However, you need to maintain a team to work on those strategies. Not every freelancer will be suitable for your project. They might not have the required experience for the job.

How To Hire The Best SEO Freelancer?

Hiring a good SEO freelancer may frustrate you.

I literally got 107 emails from content writers but no one was capable of producing good content…

The tricky reason behind finding a good SEO freelancer is, first they are self-taught, and second, SEO changes daily and you need an updated freelancer.

Thus, how could you improve yourself to hire a better one?

Here are a few tips to do so:

Determine SEO Requirements

If you know your SEO needs, you can easily find someone who can fulfill your requirements.

But if you don’t then make a list of SEO freelancers, contact each of them, and ask “How do they work?”, “What will be the strategy to rank your website?”, “what are the metrics in SEO?” and the most important “Can I see a list of case studies and references?”. And make your complete list of SEO needs.

Features to Look For in an SEO Freelancer

In the next step, check their track record and if you find any suspiciousness, eliminate them in the first place.

So how do you check their track record?

  1. Check out their portfolio of work
  2. Visit their website & check the ranking
  3. Ask for references from past or current clients
  4. Read reviews on other platforms only as one can easily manipulate reviews on one’s website.

Go for Second Round Interview

As you have eliminated most of the unpleasant candidates, it’s time to find the best one for your business.

To do this, you can conduct a second-round interview using any video call software like Skype or Zoom.

You can ask their;

  1. Methodology or plan to rank higher.
  2. What tools do you use for SEO campaigns?
  3. What problems do you notice on our site?
  4. What is the price to hire you as an SEO expert?

Test Project

If you are still confused then ask them to provide you with a free or paid trial to test their performance.

This will help you:

  1. measure their skills
  2. see how much effort they make

Difference between SEO Agency and Freelancer

Let us check out the differences between an SEO freelancer and an agency.

PropertiesSEO AgencySEO Freelancer
Working hoursHave specific working hours and days of the weekDo not have any specific working hours. Thus, the client can contact them during the weekends or in case of any emergencies.
SkillsWith the SEO company, there are highly experienced digital marketing professionals with a wide array of skills.Freelancers are usually professionals with well-rounded skills.
ServiceThe agencies include some structure or pattern regarding service and communication. They do weekly meetings to check on the progress with the clientsReputation is of paramount significance to the freelancers, and he/she works on their own.
Priority LevelAn agency includes more resources to take up more than one project and assigns various people to make that project their priority.Includes much fewer projects compared to an agency and thus gives equal priority to each of them. Sometimes, they work only on one project at the same time.
PriceInclude high pricing with a comfortable payment schedule for the clientMost freelancers demand per hour or per day price instead of monthly pricing

Who is the Best-SEO Agency or Freelancer?

In my opinion, if you are seeking complete digital marketing for your business, it is best to settle for an SEO agency.

On the other hand, freelancers work for fewer clients than agencies. Since they can prioritize your project. Their services are also affordable if you have a lower budget for SEO.

Agencies deliver in-depth data tracking and reports, whereas freelancers deliver simple reports. Both of them come with their merits and demerits. Which one will be best for your project depends on the requirements and budget?

Conclusion

The pros and cons of both SEO agency and freelancer presented above will give you a detailed insight on how your project might benefit from each one if you make the ideal selection.

One significant thing that you should remember before hiring an agency or a freelancer is the risk of getting your website penalized.

One mistake will force you to begin from the start. So, take your time, chalk out your SEO needs and decide on whom you can count on with your website. If you have a big website then one should can with a company. 

FAQ

  • Is it safe to hire a freelancer?

Yes, it is safe to hire a freelancer with experience.

  • Is it worth spending money on SEO?

Yes, it will be worth spending money on SEO. This will boost your sales, enhance lead conversions and help draw the attention of the potential customer.

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