Strategy
SEO agency vs freelancer vs in-house: which is right for you?
Freelancers suit smaller, focused jobs. Agencies bring a wider set of skills. An in-house hire makes sense once SEO is a big, ongoing part of how you grow. Many businesses mix two of these.
Freelancer
A good freelancer can be excellent value, especially for a specific job like a technical audit. The risk is that everything depends on one person's time and skills.
Agency
An agency gives you access to technical, content and link-building skills under one roof. The catch is that the senior person who sells you the work isn't always the one who does it. Ask who will run your account day to day.
In-house
Hiring someone makes sense when SEO is central to your growth and there's enough work for a full-time role. They know your business well, but one person rarely covers every specialism, so many in-house teams still use outside help.
How to decide
- Small site, one-off fixes: freelancer or audit
- Ongoing growth across several areas: agency
- Large site with constant changes: in-house, often with outside support
How we work
We're a small, senior team. The specialist you speak to is the one doing the work, and we're happy to work alongside an in-house team.
FAQs
Is an agency always more expensive than a freelancer?
Not always. Compare what's included and who does the work, not just the monthly fee.
Can an agency work with our in-house marketer?
Yes. A common setup is the agency handling technical work and strategy while the in-house team writes content.