Bringing SEO In-house: Five Questions to Ask

Bringing SEO In-house: Five Questions to Ask

For companies considering bringing their SEO initiatives in-house, it’s important to ask the following five questions:

1. Do I publish my own content? Wouldn’t you want the people creating your content educated on the best search engine optimization practices?  Wouldn’t these people be better suited to bring about a positive SEO change than an outside agency?
2. Do I want my content publishers to be social media advocates? What if the people creating your content were advocating it on social networks?  Imagine the increased impact of content if members of your organization were building Digg audiences or delivering this content to influencers within a given industry.
3. Is SEO something that my employees will grasp? Yes, SEO is a cooperative effort between tech leads, publishers, and marketing.  If every member understands the dramatic impact they already have on search, then the results of taking a program in-house will be far more potent than those of an agency.
4. How do I know if my current search strategy is working? The best way to get honest feedback is from an independent third party without motives.  That means no agencies and no internal employees.  Both have too many incentives to mislead and can’t be trusted to supply honest data.
5. Should I take search marketing in-house? There are situations in which it’s better to engage with a qualified agency.  Size, scope, and market share have a considerable impact on this decision.  We offer free consultations to help your organization make this decision.