Outsourcing SEO Services with your In House Team


Deciding whether to outsource work for your company is an important decision and the impact on the business and existing workforce need to be taken into consideration. The advantages of outsourcing needs to be compared to the effect and cost outsourcing will have on the business as a whole.

In this section David Taylor, Managing Director at Coffeepot Digital, covers outsourcing in-house SEO roles and other positions. David has experience across various different online sectors including SEO, PPC & Social along with online PR and content strategy.

Outsourcing SEO Services with your In-House Team

Building an in-house team for your business can be a smart move - you can create a focussed team that can really get under the skin of your business.

However, for every honed dynamic in-house team, there are often plenty of teams that lack direction who become so bogged down in day-to-day activities, that they aren't achieving their true potential for their business.

The key to outsourcing is planning and management. First, you need to have a defined strategy. Outline what you would need to achieve with clear goals and tasks required to achieve those goals. Rand Fishkin, CEO of Moz, recently wrote an excellent post on this: https://moz.com/blog/the-key-to-empowering-your-marketing-team-whiteboard-friday

Once you have defined your strategy and the goals involved, an action plan is then required.

An action plan will allow you to start making decisions on what work needs to be outsourced. There are factors to consider in the decision making process:

  • Can the task be covered by an in-house staff member?
  • Cost vs. benefit - Is it more beneficial to hire a full time member of staff to cover this type of work or do I need a specialist?
  • Will outsourcing aspects free up in-house staff to achieve ore, or are their other issues hindering this?
  • Outsourcing is flexible but expensive over the long term.

Outsourcing can work effectively, but it is costly. Use outsourcing as a resource that will then allow your team to achieve their goals - not to replace them!

Over Outsourcing - A Caution

Outsourcing can be dangerous if you get it wrong. Handing out all the 'good' work to third parties can sometimes be seen by staff as a lack of investment and trust and can result in a team lacking motivation.

You can end up in a situation where you have an in-house team managing outsourced work instead of doing work themselves. This can be a very expensive situation and one that can have serious ramifications if the freelancer receives a better offer or hikes up their fees.

Managing Outsourcing

Picking the right freelancer is key. Remember that they are providing you with a service, but you have to keep up your end of the bargain too! Contact is key; keeping them informed and making them feel part of the team can be beneficial not only to them, but also to you. Ensure tasks and work are managed effectively and quality is maintained. The right type of freelancer can truly add value to your in-house team and your business, freeing up your staff to achieve the goals for your company.

The Candidate…. David identifies the importance of keeping the current, full-time workforce happy and motivated to continue working hard for the company. By not undermining or under appreciating the skills of the current employees, companies can position themselves better and gain a greater understanding as to whether outsourcing work is a necessary step that will benefit everyone involved.

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