Search Engine Optimisation (SEO): Is outsourcing the best strategy?

There is a lot of debate among companies whether search engine optimisation (like many other areas) should be done in-house or outsourced. Many large companies prefer to have their seo initiatives in-house. In my experience several others believe strongly in outsourcing.

So what are the factors that go behind this decision? Some of them are:

• Sensitivity of internal information and processes : Where the company is loathe to share internal information with third parties, it is reluctant to use an external provider for search engine optimisation
• Availability of Internal expertise : Where a company has hired or trained internet marketing specialists to conduct the job, it may not feel a need for outsourcing the search engine optimisation (seo) initiative. All the same, with the ever changing needs and challenges associated with this domain, it may over time decide to complement its internal skills with that of an external provider.
• Economics : Is it possible to achieve better results at the same price using an external provider/s. Is it more viable to groom an internal team. The answer to these questions is frequently in the scale of business.
• Risk : How risk averse is the company? Large corporates tend to be more risk averse than small and growing companies. Even if they outsource they will try to develop systems and processes for risk mitigation.


At the end of the day, whether a company decides to outsource its search engine optimisation (seo) initiative or keep it inhouse, it needs to have a plan in place.
Long term and well thought off plans yield better results than one off and impulsive decisions.