In-House SEO: Pros and Cons

Disadvantages of In-House SEO

1. Time Constraints

An In-House SEO team usually has more time constraints as they have to manage other day-to-day tasks in addition to working on SEO. This can lead to a lack of focus and slow down the progress of SEO campaigns.

2. High Expense at the Beginning

Hiring and maintaining an In-House SEO team can be expensive as the company has to pay for their salaries in addition to other associated costs.

While using an In-House SEO may be more cost-effective in the long run, if the company’s budget is limited, it may not be feasible to hire and maintain an In-House SEO team.

3. Hard Recruitment Process

Recruiting and hiring the right talent for an In-House SEO team can be a difficult and time-consuming process.

The company needs to ensure that they hire experienced and knowledgeable professionals who can work together to achieve the company’s SEO goals.

In-House SEO Strategy

An In-House SEO strategy should include a yearly plan that outlines the company’s goals and objectives, as well as clear steps on how to achieve them.

The plan should also include detailed research into competitors and their strategies, as well as an analysis of the current SEO situation and potential opportunities.

The in-house team should also develop a keyword strategy, content optimization,  website structure audit, and technical SEO plan.

With time, the SEO strategy should be more advanced and include PR links and collaborations with influencers and big sites as well as emerging tactics such as split tests, creating PBNs, or additional sites for the company as well as focusing on brand awareness and collaborations with other departments in order to make the most out of the company’s SEO efforts.

At the same time, it is important to ensure that all the efforts are tracked and monitored in order to identify opportunities for improvement and adjust the strategy accordingly.

In-House SEO Training

In order to ensure that the In-House SEO team is able to deliver on its strategy, it is important to provide them with training and education.

This can include attending conferences and seminars, participating in webinars, or reading blog posts and articles on SEO to stay up-to-date.

It is also important to ensure that the team has access to the latest SEO trends and tools in order to stay ahead of the competition.

It’s important to create the training plan beforehand with detailed tasks for each day and determine what the length of the training will be.

If the company has an SEO expert he should be in charge of this process, but in case there isn’t, you can hire an SEO consultant to retrain your in-house SEO team or entrust the responsibility to the digital marketing manager.

How Large Are Big Brand in-house SEO Teams?

Big brands usually have a dedicated team of in-house SEO experts, ranging from 5 to 10 people and sometimes even more.

This team may include SEO analysts, web developers and designers, content writers, link builders, and other specialists.

The size of the team depends on the size of the company, its targets, how many sites it has, which markets it tries to target, and its budget.

Typically, the team is led by a Head of SEO or SEO Lead, who is responsible for the SEO strategy and the overall performance of the company’s SEO efforts.

The team might also be supported by external consultants or agencies when there is a need for additional skills.

How to Manage SEO in-House?

CEO

As the CEO or the head of digital marketing, it is important to ensure that there is a clear structure and processes in place for managing the In-House SEO team.

It is important to have a clear vision of the goals, objectives, and strategy for the team, as well as ensure that there is a clear accountability system in place.

Head of SEO

The Head of SEO must be responsible for developing the SEO strategy, allocating resources and budgets, monitoring performance, and reporting on progress.

It is also important to ensure that the team is up-to-date with the latest trends in SEO and has access to the necessary tools and resources.

SEO Team Leader

The SEO Team Leader is responsible for the day-to-day management of the team. This includes setting tasks, monitoring progress, and providing feedback.

The team leader must also ensure that the team is working together towards a common goal and providing accurate results.

The team leader should also make sure that he keeps meetings once a week or two weeks in order to review the progress and plan ahead and to be aware of any personal and team issues that need to be addressed.

What in-house SEO Jobs Are There?

1. Head of SEO

The Head of SEO is the most senior figure in an in-house SEO team and is responsible for setting the overall strategy and direction, as well as allocating budgets and resources. They are also responsible for monitoring performance and reporting on progress.

2. SEO Lead

The SEO Lead is responsible for developing and executing the SEO strategy, as well as managing the team but the role is most common in a small department when there is no need for a Head of SEO.

3. SEO Team Leader

The SEO Team Leader is responsible for the day-to-day management of the team, setting tasks, and providing feedback.

They are also responsible for keeping the team up-to-date with the latest trends and tools.

4. SEO Analyst

The SEO Analyst is responsible for researching and analyzing data to inform the SEO strategy.

They are also responsible for tracking and reporting on performance, as well as carrying out keyword research and competitor analysis.

5. SEO Specialist

The SEO Specialist is responsible for carrying out the recommended activities to improve search engine rankings, such as on-page and off-page optimization.

They are also responsible for monitoring and tracking performance, as well as linking building and sometimes even the hands-on technical optimization.

6. Content Writer

Content writers are responsible for creating content that is both engaging and optimized for search engines.

They are also responsible for ensuring that the content is properly formatted and optimized to ensure maximum visibility in search engine results.

7. Link Builder

Link builders provide link-building services and are responsible for finding and creating quality links from external websites to the website.

They are also responsible for developing relationships with webmasters, managing link profile audits, and monitoring the link profile.

8. Technical SEO Specialist

A Technical SEO Specialist is responsible for carrying out technical tasks such as creating and optimizing XML sitemaps, setting up analytics tracking codes, and configuring robots.txt files.

They are also responsible for ensuring that the website is optimized for speed and performance.

9. Freelance SEO (optional)

Freelance SEO professionals are self-employed individuals who offer their services to businesses or clients on a project basis.

They handle various aspects of SEO, including keyword research, content creation, technical optimization, and link building.

Many in-house teams prefer hiring the services of freelance SEO professionals as they can provide specialized expertise and flexibility in terms of time and budget.

Outsource SEO or in-House SEO – Which is Better?

As mentioned, there are pros and cons to both, so it depends on the specific needs of your business. If you want to be able to have more control over your SEO strategy and implementation, then having an in-house team is usually the best option.

Also, if SEO is a leading marketing channel in your company, then you may need to invest in an in-house team in order to get maximum results.

On the other hand, if you don’t have the resources or the budget to hire a team, then outsourcing SEO can be a great way to get access to experts without having to commit long-term. Ultimately, the choice is up to you and depends on your specific business needs.

Conclusion

In-house SEO teams can provide more control and flexibility when it comes to developing and executing an SEO strategy, but it requires a significant investment in terms of both budget and resources.

Outsourcing SEO can be a great way to get access to experts without having to commit long-term, but it also requires you to relinquish some control over the process.

Ultimately, it’s important to weigh up the pros and cons of each option before making a decision and to ensure that the final choice is in line with your overall business goals.