Search Engine Optimization, or SEO has skyrocketed in popularity ever since the age of digital marketing started. With more and more companies being aware of the influence proper SEO has for their company, they are scrambling to get themselves into the practice with that being said, there are three ways to enter the world of SEO for every company. You could create your own SEO department, hire a freelancer, or get the services of an SEO agency. In the Philippines in particular, companies have limited options because the SEO industry is still quite small. Only a handful of professionals has made a name for themselves in the SEO industry, and only a select few are known to be experienced in the whole thing.
First, they could try create their own SEO department. Though it’s the most beneficial for long-term success, it’s also the hardest one to pull off. SEO is not learnt in one night, or even one week. It’s learning curve is relatively high, and it never stops. The parameters in SEO is quick to change, depending on Google. Training people in the field of SEO will require an expert in the field, and as of the moment, there aren’t many people who are certified as professionals in the SEO industry.
With that being said, for you to quickly enter the world of SEO you should start out with choosing one of the two: hiring a Freelancer, or hiring an Agency. And take note that hiring either of them brings different levels of service, so choose wisely!
Hiring a Freelancer
The first option you have is to hire a freelancer. This option is a lot easier and relatively cheaper. Many freelance website present professionals and their field clearly, and those with SEO experience are easily found. In most cases, hiring a freelancer is a cost-effective way to begin site optimization, depending on what kind of procedure you need.
Most freelancers need a hands-on approach. As SEO is more than just making content and making your website attractive. Take note that you won’t always find a freelancer that is capable of the full SEO package—website development, onsite optimization and offsite optimization. Again, people with this kind of experience are very few in the Philippines.
It’s recommended that when you’re going to hire a freelancer, you’re not quite busy. A Freelancer will probably need all the help they can get. Keep in mind that freelancers usually balance a number of projects in a span of time. So there are times when they might not be able to abide to your sudden requests because they already have other obligations.
Aside from their time and project juggling, freelancers are still mostly self-employed individuals, and sometimes their job title is misleading. Therefore, you have to make sure that they have deep technical knowledge and are not relying on any cheap tactics such as keyword stuffing and invisible texts. You should also keep track of their efforts, making sure that their work is showing results. Make sure that you have at least a basic understanding of SEO and website development to properly manage and keep track of their work.
Hiring the Services of an SEO Agency
The option that most companies choose is to get the services of an SEO Agency. In all honestly, the only drawback to hiring an SEO agency in the Philippines is that it’s expensive. And it’s rightfully so because of how volatile the field of SEO is. But other than that, all of the services, that it provides are more than what you’ll bargain for.
Hiring an SEO agency will ensure that you will have access to people who understand the processes of SEO. They will have people who are focused on web development, on-site and off-site optimization. Basically an Agency will provide you with a team that is capable of all the parts of SEO, and of course, a leader that will communicate with you all the while monitoring the job.
An SEO agency is composed of individuals that are knowledgeable in various parts of SEO. They don’t necessarily know all of the ins and outs that are needed in optimizing search results, but they will definitely be an expert in their respective departments.
Capitalizing on the services of an Agency, you’ll find that you won’t have to worry about anything. In essence, the agency will do all of the work for you! The most that you’ll provide is a set of measurable goals, access to your website and information about your business. With only these resources (which are almost nothing), an SEO agency can do their magic and put in the effort to bring your brand all the way to the top of Search Engine Result Pages!
Keep in mind that SEO agencies have probably worked with a number of other clients. And this diversity in clientele profile adds to the potential and effectiveness of an SEO agency!
Key Takeaway
Choosing between a freelancer or an agency is usually an easy decision. It all depends on the capacity of your business and the extent of how effective you want your SEO to be. Get into the world of SEO by acquiring the services of either a freelancer or an agency and build on what they provide!
