September 2, 2023

In-house SEO vs. Agency SEO

I have worked in both in-house and agency SEO, so I think I can offer some insights into the differences between the two.

In-house SEO

In-house SEO is typically only done for large websites that understand the importance of SEO. In these cases, the SEO marketer is responsible for optimizing a large number of pages. This means that a basic understanding of SEO (On-page , Off-page , White hat , Grey hat etc.) is essential, as any mistakes or bad ideas could quickly lead to a loss of traffic.

It is not possible to optimize every page on a large website individually. For example, if you have a website with 100,000 pages and you plan to optimize 60 pages per day, it will take you over 1,600 days to finish. In addition, most in-house SEOs also have to do other tasks, such as Partnership Marketing, CRM, PR and App Install, so they need to be good at time management.

The main way to optimize a large website is to create templates. For example, If you want to rank for a specific product name keyword more, you can optimize a product page template instead of optimizing each page. This would involve inspecting the elements within the page and making adjustments to them, as well as creating a standard operating procedure (SOP) for the merchandise team. If your idea is right, traffic will increase, but if you make a mistake, traffic will decrease and your boss will call you into their office.

 

Agency SEO

Agency SEO is a different beast. Sales skills are very important in this field. As an SEO agency, you will often be responsible for selling your services to potential clients. This means that you need to be able to explain what SEO is and how it can benefit their business. You also need to be able to assess their needs and set realistic expectations.

In addition to sales, you also need to be able to build relationships with your clients. This is important because it will help you to understand their business and their goals. It will also make it easier to get them to follow your recommendations.

The final step is planning. When you start working with a new client, you need to develop a plan for how you will achieve their SEO goals. This plan should include the following:

  1. An audit of their website to identify any SEO issues
  2. A strategy for creating high-quality content
  3. A plan for building backlinks
  4. A timeline for achieving their goals

Agency SEO can be a very rewarding career, but it is also challenging. If you are interested in working in this field, I recommend that you develop strong sales and relationship-building skills. You should also be prepared to work hard and learn new things on a regular basis.

I hope this article has given you some insights into the differences between in-house and agency SEO. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.