The answer lies in what your brand needs and how much time and money you are willing to spend. Having a dedicated in-house team for SEO is great as they will be putting all their attention into your brand. However, it will take much more time to get things started and will cost you a ton. SEO agencies, on the other hand, can be cost-effective and provide fast turnarounds, but you will likely not be their only client.
Before you make this important decision for your brand’s growth, we recommend comparing the pros and cons of both agencies and in-house SEO teams and then moving to a final verdict. Let’s look at both options in detail and see which one is right for your company right now.
What Is In-House SEO?
To handle all the SEO needs for your brand, you can build an in-house team fully dedicated to all aspects of optimization. This team will likely consist of:
- SEO Manager: Overseeing the entire SEO operation
- Technical SEO Specialist: Focusing on technical SEO, such as indexing, schema markup, canonicalization
- SEO Content Writer: Developing SEO-friendly blogs and copies with on-page optimization practices
Aside from these core responsibilities, some companies may hire multiple people in the same position depending on the workload. You may also get a link-building specialist to conduct outreach and build outbound links.
An in-house SEO team usually works together with other team members, such as graphic designers and web developers, to create content and ensure that your brand’s websites are SEO-friendly. This team is usually fully integrated with your brand, working solely for your company.
What Is an SEO Agency?
You can also get SEO services from an agency, whether it’s a digital marketing company with a focus on SEO or a firm that’s solely focused on search engines. An SEO agency is an independent entity, often working with multiple clients. They will be working with you on a project basis, with a specific budget set aside for the project.
SEO Agency vs. In-House SEO – The Core Differences
You will not be getting the same type of work done at the same cost and efficiency from both an agency and an in-house team for SEO. There are big differences between the two, which we will explore in this section of the guide.
Cost
Before we break down the costs, we will give you the answer straight up: SEO agency can be a much cheaper option, while in-house SEO teams will be cost-effective down the line for scalable companies. With that out of the way, let’s break down the costs of doing SEO with an agency and in-house team.
SEO Agency Cost Breakdown
The cost of hiring an agency to do the SEO for your brand depends on several factors:
- The experience of the agency
- Pricing models
- Country of origin
- Scope of service
- Size of your business
- Your industry
Agencies can have different pricing models; some may charge an hourly rate, while many are available on monthly retainers. Project-based pricing is also another option for a lot of agencies.
According to a 2024 survey by Ahrefs, here is the average cost of SEO when you are dealing with an agency:
- $3,209/month
- $98.90/hour
- $1,001/project
These costs can go up and down based on the factors we mentioned earlier. For example, if you are in the legal services industry, SEO will be much harder and more competitive than e-commerce. Moreover, if you are working with a US-based agency, the costs will undoubtedly be high compared to, let’s say, an SEO agency based in Bangladesh or other third-world countries.
In-House SEO Cost Breakdown
When it comes to having an in-house team for SEO, the cost allocation can be more nuanced. For instance, if you are hiring people from the global south in remote positions, you will be paying much less than hiring experienced employees in the States. Speaking of experience, it also plays an important role in how much your total cost amounts to.
An SEO specialist with over five years of experience will be looking for at least $65,000 a year, much more than hiring an agency that will charge around $39,000/year. Then there are a lot of hidden costs related to having an in-house SEO team. You may need multiple people to do the SEO, and then there are the considerations of benefits like 401k, health insurance, and paid time off. Those will amount to around $24,000.
If you are planning on having an office space, then there are costs of the space, computer, and furniture – which may add another $15,000 to the annual cost.
With all of these costs considered, the total comes down to:
| Employee salary | $65,000/year |
| Benefits | $24,000/year |
| Office space | $15,000/year |
| Miscellaneous costs | $10,000/year |
| Total costs | $114,000/year |
Yes, that is a lot more than what you will likely be paying an agency. And yes, you can cut the cost down by hiring from the global south and setting up remote work. Still, if you are expecting talented people, you will have to pay.
Experience
Of course, experience is always one of the critical factors, especially for SEO, where you need people who know the ins and outs of the industry. We have already established that agencies are a cheaper option. But where can you get more experience?
Experience in SEO Agency
Most of the time, an SEO agency will assign one or a few members for your projects who have experience in several different industries, not just the one you’re in. As you can expect, digital marketing agencies get clients from a multitude of sectors, and as a result, they gather a lot of expertise.
There is a catch, however! The experience you can expect from an agency depends on how long they have been in the market, the type of experts and interns they hire, and how reputable they are. If you’re unlucky, you may have to deal with a company that is hiring mediocre talent that cannot provide the best results.
The good thing is that agencies consist of numerous individuals, from project managers, content writers, link-building specialists, technical experts and more. Usually, senior members have a lot of experience, and they can help the novice members whenever they face any sort of challenge with your project.
In-House SEO Experience
While you cannot control the level of experience you will be getting from an agency, you can do that with an in-house SEO member/team. During the hiring process, you can attain resumes from people who have several years of experience in the field of your company, ensuring that you get exactly what you want. The only downside is that you won’t likely be able to hire a lot of employees. Therefore, the experience level is limited to the small number of people you can get.
Delivery Time
If you have a project that needs rapid execution, then an agency is the way to go. They have an established team with experience that can take on your task quickly and deliver results. On the other hand, in-house is a better option in the long run, handling initiatives that are tied directly to your company.
Here is a comparison table of project delivery time between an agency and in-house SEO.
| Aspect | SEO Agency | In-House SEO |
| Efficiency | Faster due to refined workflows | Slower initially; depends on the team setup |
| Specialization | High; access to experts | Moderate; generalist approach |
| Flexibility | Limited by the predefined scope | High; adaptable to urgent needs |
| Collaboration | External; limited integration | Seamless with internal teams |
| Results Timeline | 3–6 months for noticeable results | Long-term focus; slower short-term impact |
SEO Tools
SEO tools tend to be expensive. The advanced plan for Ahrefs, for example, costs $449/month. If you are planning on having an in-house team doing your SEO, you will have to purchase subscriptions to tools like these, which can cost upwards of over $1,000 a month. Moreover, if you are trying to keep your costs limited, then your team will likely not have all the best tools at your disposal.
Agencies usually use a lot of premium tools for projects. As a result, you do not have to worry about getting them yourself. They will certainly include a charge for these tools, but it will be a fraction of the cost you would be bearing when getting them for your own company.
Scalability
This is pretty obvious. In-house SEO is pretty scalable. When your company grows, you can add more members to your team and let them handle more projects. Agencies, depending on their size, may be limited to a certain size.
Should You Hire an SEO Company or Bring It In-House?
It’s always preferable to take your time and build your brand with scalability in mind. Having an in-house team for SEO ensures that they are closely working with the brand and know your requirements in detail. However, this is not always possible for all businesses, as many do not want to go through the hurdles of the tedious hiring process. Moreover, the costs associated with an in-house crew can be too high for startups.
If you want fast delivery time for your projects and want to get things done without spending a lot, agencies could be the right choice. Algomindz provides essential digital marketing services, including SEO, SEM, content writing, and website development. If building an in-house team for SEO seems like an impossible chore, then you can leave it up to us!
