You hear it everywhere you turn. Maybe your colleagues whisper about it at industry events. Or, you see ads promoting it on social media. Every digital marketing blog seems to talk about it these days, too. You might even hear chatter about it around the water cooler: outsource SEO. But for PR agencies, trusting a third-party vendor with something so vital to their client’s success can feel risky. What if they don’t understand a client’s needs? Could they damage their online reputation?
These are valid concerns, especially in PR, a field built on reputation and a positive public image. That’s why many agencies hesitate to outsource SEO. They prefer to keep it in-house under their direct control. But building and maintaining a top-notch in-house SEO team is expensive. It requires salaries, benefits, training, and pricey tools.
Table Of Contents:
- Why Should PR Agencies Consider Outsourcing SEO?
- Choosing the Right Partner to Outsource SEO To
- Things PR Agencies Can’t Outsource
- Mistakes to Avoid When Outsourcing SEO
- FAQs about Outsource SEO
- Conclusion
Why Should PR Agencies Consider Outsourcing SEO?
Some tasks, like defining brand vision and strategy, are best kept in-house. But outsourcing other elements, such as optimizing your clients’ content for search engines, can give your agency the boost it needs to compete and win. Consider that over half of all website traffic originates from organic search results.
This means winning new clients often depends on showing existing clients how their brand dominates search engine results pages. Getting your SEO strategy right is mission-critical for your PR agency’s growth. Outsourcing SEO allows your team to access specialized knowledge without paying full-time salaries. It also frees your team to focus on client strategy and outreach—your agency’s core strengths.
Save Time & Resources by Outsourcing
You want to dedicate energy to building strong media relationships and crafting engaging PR narratives. But your agency may not have the resources to juggle that with content for SEO.
This is where you can outsource SEO and really shine. Instead of spending time tackling complex content creation challenges, outsourcing to experts can boost output. It can also help your agency scale more rapidly, according to a survey by Deloitte.
Hiring an internal SEO team, while giving your agency greater control, is often expensive, especially for small businesses. It costs nearly $65,000 on average in salary alone, not to mention benefits and training. Training can take weeks or even months. Meanwhile, a seasoned SEO agency hits the ground running, using their knowledge and established processes to get to work. You can free up in-house resources for revenue-driving activities. Focus on what your team does best while experienced SEO pros handle the technical stuff.
Outsource SEO Delivers Deeper SEO Expertise
Staying on top of every Google algorithm tweak or ranking factor feels impossible. Keeping up is tough. The good news is, many PR agencies excel at creating compelling content that aligns with client brand identity and target audiences.
However, mastering SEO often requires different skills that even the best PR professionals haven’t cultivated. For almost half of SEO pros, it can take between 1-3 months to begin seeing results.
SEO content includes in-depth research, writing, and progress monitoring. Most PR agencies don’t have that bandwidth, which is why they use external expertise. Outsourcing SEO content creation tasks allows your agency to get more done without hiring and training a new team. An agency can then reallocate funds toward client outreach.
Cost-Effective
Many small businesses recognize that hiring an external contractor or partner is a better option than taking on the cost of a new employee.
An outsourced SEO partner delivers high-quality, white label content on an hourly or project basis, especially compared to hiring internally, and can provide monthly campaign reports. This leaves your PR team with more funds.
Choosing the Right Partner to Outsource SEO To
Not all SEO providers are created equal. You don’t want to trust your client’s SEO to just anyone. Look for SEO specialists or agencies that understand the PR world. Experience managing SEO specifically for PR clients, across your usual niche industries, is even better.
If your chosen agency already understands legal SEO and content creation best practices for attorneys, that’s a good sign. Medical SEO for healthcare providers, or financial content optimization strategies can help reduce the burden on your in-house team. They can also accelerate client SEO results.
For your next PR project, here’s how to pick an SEO agency:
| Essential Qualities | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Deep understanding of Google’s E-E-A-T standards | This is all about ensuring you get high-quality content that actually helps your client’s website perform well in search. Your SEO partner should always focus on Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness to produce helpful, Google-friendly content. |
| Transparency and strong communication skills | They should communicate clearly and proactively provide regular campaign updates. They should also offer detailed, transparent reports you can easily re-brand with your agency’s logo. Clear, two-way communication throughout each project minimizes misunderstandings and costly delays. |
| Proven Track Record and Niche Experience | Ask about past projects and for case studies to better understand the work quality of your prospective SEO agency. |
Things PR Agencies Can’t Outsource
Some key SEO aspects can only be delivered by your team. This includes outlining brand vision, defining a custom PR strategy for each client, and building personal relationships with key journalists and media outlets. Managing direct outreach and communication with news publications and other sources also falls under this.
A skilled SEO partner won’t (and shouldn’t) try to take on those responsibilities. Those activities represent your unique value as an agency. They highlight the personal touch only you can provide to your PR clients.
Mistakes to Avoid When Outsourcing SEO
Navigating the world of SEO agencies requires careful consideration to avoid costly pitfalls. Here are some common mistakes to avoid when outsourcing SEO:
Falling for “Cheap” SEO
While budget considerations are important, opting for the cheapest SEO services often leads to disappointing results. Effective SEO requires significant time, effort, and expertise. Reputable agencies invest in skilled professionals and robust strategies, which is reflected in their pricing. Low-cost SEO providers may employ black-hat techniques that can severely harm your website’s ranking in the long run. Remember, investing in quality SEO is crucial for sustainable online growth.
Prioritizing Vanity Metrics
Don’t be fooled by agencies that boast about vanity metrics like website traffic or social media likes. While these numbers might seem impressive, they don’t necessarily translate into tangible business outcomes. Focus on key performance indicators (KPIs) like conversion rates, lead generation, and organic traffic that directly impact your bottom line. A reliable agency will track and report on these meaningful metrics and SEO performance, demonstrating the value of their services.
Overlooking Communication and Transparency
Effective SEO outsourcing requires collaboration and clear communication. Choose an agency that values transparency and keeps you informed about their strategies, progress, and challenges. Regular reporting, open communication channels, and a collaborative approach are essential for a successful partnership. Avoid service providers that operate in a black box and fail to provide clear insights into their work.
FAQs about Outsource SEO
What Is Outsourcing SEO?
SEO outsourcing means entrusting aspects of your client’s search engine optimization activities to a specialized third party. These services may include on-page optimization, keyword research, backlink auditing and repair, technical site assessments, site speed optimization, local citation building, link building, competitor research, and content writing.
Some agencies focus on only one service, while others offer multiple options to help clients achieve their SEO objectives.
How Much Should My Agency Pay for SEO Services?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. The price range depends on project complexity, duration, and the SEO tasks included in your agency’s plan. It can even depend on the location of the SEO vendor.
For instance, agencies in major US cities, particularly in California or New York, tend to charge higher rates than agencies located in the Midwest or South. However, SEO services are already less costly than hiring a new employee.
The agency your company chooses may have different pricing models, such as performance-based, hourly, monthly, per project, or subscription options. Consider companies like RankWriters that offer a fixed monthly subscription or custom plans for your unique needs.
Conclusion
Navigating the digital landscape as a PR agency in 2024 isn’t easy. Between client expectations for consistent media placements and new challenges, the opportunity to outsource SEO and content marketing services provides a powerful tool for PR agencies.
This doesn’t mean losing control of your client’s SEO. Instead, you use expert knowledge and increased bandwidth to free up your internal team, scaling rapidly. Retaining control over critical client PR decisions while using external specialists allows you to offer greater value to your clients. It also improves the agency’s long-term competitiveness, creating new opportunities for success!
