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If you're a business leader trying to optimize your site for search engines, you're facing one of the biggest decisions in digital marketing: Should you build an in-house SEO team or hire an agency?
As someone who’s worked extensively in this space and seen the work across both models, I can confidently say that the answer isn't black and white. But here’s the TLDR: I believe agencies often deliver better results faster for most businesses.
Now, before you scroll to the comments section to debate me, hear me out. I’ll break down both sides, highlight the benefits and pitfalls, and share my personal takes to make you think twice.
For many businesses, the idea of an in-house SEO team is enticing. You hire talented people, integrate them into your company culture, and, over time, they become brand experts.
An in-house team understands your product, your audience, and your business goals better than any outsider. They’re always available, deeply embedded in internal processes, and can turn on a dime when a new initiative arises. For brands with highly complex offerings or nicheA specific segment of the market targeted by affiliates to promote products or services. audiences, this can be a major advantage.
Agencies juggle multiple clients. Even the best agencies won’t give you 100% of their attention – and they shouldn't. After all, you’re not their only paying customer. With an in-house team, your resources are fully dedicated to your success.
SEO is a long game. An in-house team has the time to think big-picture without worrying about monthly deliverables or quarterly contracts. They can focus on experiments, sustainable growth, and embedding SEO across departments.
While the in-house model has its strengths, it’s not without challenges. In fact, I see businesses make one critical mistake when building internal SEO teams: underestimating what it takes.
The best SEO specialists are expensive and hard to find. If you want a true SEO expert to leadA potential customer referred by an affiliate who has shown interest in the product or service but h... your in-house efforts, you’re looking at a significant investment – and that’s just for one person. Add supporting roles, tools, and training, and costs escalate quickly.
Many businesses end up hiring just one “SEO specialist” and expect them to do everything: content, technical SEOOptimizing the server and website structure to improve search engine crawling and indexing., analyticsThe systematic computational analysis of data or statistics to gain insights and support decision-ma..., and strategy. But expecting a single hire to master all these areas is like asking a plumber to rewire your house – it’s absurd and a recipe for mediocrity.
SEO doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It requires tools for keyword researchThe process of finding and analyzing search terms that people enter into search engines., rank tracking, auditing, content optimizationImproving content to enhance its performance and effectiveness. – the list goes on. Agencies already have these tools and subscriptions baked into their fees. For an in-house team, those costs are now on you.
The SEO field moves fast. Google drops an algorithm update, and your strategy might need a pivot overnight. The constant pressure to stay up-to-date and deliver results can burn out even the most talented in-house professionals. Unless you have a dedicated team of SEOs (plural), your business is likely running an outdated SEO program.
Agencies often get a bad rap in the SEO world. Sure, there are mediocre agencies out there, but the right agency is worth its weight in backlinksLinks from other websites pointing to your website, crucial for SEO.. Here’s why:
The SEO landscape is vast, from technical audits and content strategyA plan for creating, publishing, and managing content to meet business goals. to link-building and international SEO. Most businesses don’t need one SEO expert; they need a team of experts. Agencies offerThe specific product or service being promoted by affiliates. access to that collective brainpower without forcing you to hire multiple full-time staff.
You wouldn’t hire one person to build your house, so why expect one SEO hire to scale your website?
Business growth is unpredictable, but an agency can give you flexibility. You can ramp up or scale back services as needed without going through the headache of hiring or firing employees.
Agencies already have assembled teams that are ready to execute. What’s more, they can pull in experts for specific challenges, whether it’s international SEO, massive content needs, or technical issues.
The best SEO agencies operate in the trenches. They’re managing SEO for multiple industries, tackling complex challenges, and learning from their mistakes (so you don’t have to). If they don’t deliver, they lose clients.
Dabaran CEO Asad Kausar and I are on the same page on this one: “Yes, an SEO agency is typically working on dozens of projects at any given time, but this allows them to understand which types of links and strategies are more efficient to boost rankingsThe position at which a website appears in the SERP..”
That’s why top agencies are constantly learning, testing, and improving their processes. Meanwhile, your in-house hire? They’re probably Googling “how to fix Core Web Vitals” and watching outdated YouTube tutorials.
The best agencies have already solved your SEO problems for someone else. Why reinvent the wheel?
When choosing between in-house SEO and hiring an agency, ask yourself these questions:
If you’re strapped for time, lack deep SEO expertise, or need results yesterday—an agency is likely your best bet.
Trite but true: the “right” choice depends on you. Agencies will tell you they’re the answer because they want your business. In-house advocates will tell you otherwise because they’re investing in internal teams.
The real question isn’t in-house vs agency. It’s:
“What does your business need right now to grow?”
If you choose in-house, commit to doing it right – invest in top talent, tools, and ongoing education. If you hire an agency, vet them carefully, hold them accountable, and treat them as partners, not vendors.
At the end of the day, SEO is about results – not where your team sits.
