While anyone can certainly spend the time and effort it takes to submit a site to web directories and create some good backlinks, there’s definitely some skill involved in managing these tasks.  I live in Steamboat today and work with clients throughout the country.  I often encourage my contacts to weigh all sides of the issue before deciding to hire anyone to manage their SEO.  So you don’t waste your valuable time, let’s explore the question of hiring a SEO versus doing it yourself.

SEO- The Breakdown
Hiring a professional SEO company can bring with it many advantages.  Any SEO worth their salt has studied and knows what exactly the search engines are looking for.  Not to bore you with too many details, this includes:

• “Do-Follow” vs. “No-Follow” links
• “On-page” vs. “Off-page” optimization
• PR (Page Rank) weighting
• Anchor text, and the proper use of it
• Keyword competition vs. monthly traffic

… and the list goes on.

Just like a lawyer needs to completely understand statutes and a doctor masters anatomy, SEO comes with its own set of rules.  For a business owner pursuing SEO for themselves, and not as their full time job, this knowledge can quickly become cumbersome.

Believe it or not, the vast majority of active websites online today are optimized for the wrong set of information or not optimized at all.  What a professional SEO brings to the table is the knowledge it takes to guide a site owner in the right direction so that all SEO efforts flow together toward the end goal (more traffic / more sales).

“Keeping Up With the Jones Family”
Remaining well versed in the most up-to-date and accurate information about what the search engines are looking for is the job of a full time SEO.  I’ll go as far as to state that any business owner not pursuing SEO professionally is severely behind the curve.

Adjustments are constantly needed as entities like Google and Bing continue to revise their algorithms.  It’s not best business practice, in any industry, to set the wheels of marketing in motion and never review the progress.  Just like any form of advertising and promotion, regular adjustments are needed to maintain a websites’ competitive edge.

Well Researched, Professional Submission
Another advantage a business owner has when choosing to work with a professional SEO is the comfort in knowing their site will be submitted to the engines in the proper manner.  This includes the research that goes into the marketing plan both before and during the SEO process.

As their customer, you should expect to receive timely reports on the status of directory and link submissions and the movement in your site’s search rankings.  Reports should be supplied demonstrating where your site is positioned as well as where your traffic is coming from.   If your site is positioned well for a keyword phrase and you’re happy with the traffic, there’s really no reason at that point to re-submit to the directories.  A good SEO will rather shift focus to more competitive keywords and help a business rank well for multiple search inquiries.

Submitting your site manually, and not through the use of any “black hat” tricks or shortcuts is also something you should expect from your chosen SEO company.  If you’re finding that too much of the work is being automated, the odds are good that its not being done properly.

Open communication throughout the entire process should be expected from your SEO as well.  A good SEO should be able to explain his process in terms that you can best understand.  Understanding what exactly you’re getting for your money is one of the most important things you should expect from your SEO firm.

DIY or Outsource?
So all of this might sound like a lot of work, and quite frankly, it is.  Let’s face it, you’ve got a business to run and some things are better outsourced to professionals.  A “do-it-yourself” approach in this aspect of your marketing is not always the best decision.

If you’re planning to hire an in-house employee to manage the job for you, first consider the cost of that as well.  There’s salary, insurance, 401K, sick days, vacation days and liabilities involved in having a full time employee.

By outsourcing your SEO needs, you get skilled professional results but on a contract labor basis.  Depending on your needs, a custom-tailored plan of action for your business may only run anywhere from $300-$1200 per month.  It’s often far better and more cost effective to have a trusted pro manage your online campaign rather than retain another full time employee.

Your sales boost will also be a key indicator of worth.  An SEO that’s getting your site ranked in the search engines and driving traffic to your website should often be seen as a “marketing expense.”  As with any form of marketing, you should expect to see revenue increase above and beyond the expense you incur.

Now let me explain why you should consider that a GOOD thing.  Let’s face it, in learning the ropes of effective search engine optimization and pay per click advertising, there become open doors all around to make money.  After learning the craft over the last year and more, I have become proficient in getting businesses noticed by the likes of Google, Yahoo and Bing.  Wouldn’t you expect me to put these talents to use for myself just the same as you? 

Whether it’s affiliate marketing, launching new e-commerce sites, blogging for traffic or whatever, you should expect me to be doing these things for myself if you are to ever trust me to do it for you.  I dare say that if I weren’t moonlighting on projects aside from the nuts and bolts of Zirkel Exchange, I run the risk of losing credibility.

I liken it to a realtor who doesn’t own property for themselves or a stock broker that doesn’t manage his own portfolio.  By putting my own skin in the game (so to speak) of online marketing and e-commerce I hope to prove that my tactics and knowledge are solid like a rock.

Every client is different and I learn something new from each one of them.  The same holds true for my own ventures.  By exploring new markets and opportunities I see available when I am online I am able to broaden my depth of knowledge beyond just what I might learn from my existing client base.  Besides, I’d much rather try and fail at something new when it is my own test site than to experience that disappointment with a paying customer.  By taking my ”off hours” to work on my own SEO projects, I am essentially opening up a platform for experimentation at no risk to my clients.

The SEO business is a tough road to plow and continuing education needs to come from hands-on experience.  New ideas are constantly being presented and I receive hundreds of emails a week with the “latest and greatest, must try” techniques.  By putting these tools to use in real world situations for myself first, I am able to form an even sturdier bank of knowledge on which to stand.

For these reasons I hope it is clear why I am open about the fact that my SEO and PPC clients are not my only source of income.  I am passionate about this business and I cherish the relationships I have formed with the businesses I help.  But I honestly do not believe I could perform as well as I do for them without having first seen success for myself.

For an example of one of the e-commerce sites I have launched and manage, please visit the Swimwear Clothing Store.