Every growing business hits a fork in the road with its marketing.
You know you need to get serious about search engine optimization (SEO) because being invisible on Google is no longer an option. The question is, how do you get it done?
Do you hire an outside agency, a team of specialists who work with dozens of clients?
Or do you bring the expertise inside, hiring a dedicated person who lives and breathes your brand?
This decision isn't just a line item in the marketing budget; it shapes how your company grows.
Choosing between an agency and an in-house specialist is a strategic move with real consequences for your budget, your company culture, and your ability to adapt.
There’s no single right answer, but understanding the practical realities of each path is the first step toward making the right choice for you.
The Agency Route
Going with an SEO agency is a popular first step as it’s the fastest way to get a team. You’re essentially plugging into an existing machine built for one purpose: getting results on search engines.
The biggest draw is the instant access to a wide range of skills. A solid agency has specialists for every corner of SEO.
There's the technical guru who can untangle complex website issues, the content strategist who maps keywords to what your customers are actually thinking, and the outreach expert who builds valuable backlinks.
This collective brainpower, sharpened across multiple industries, offers a perspective that’s tough for one person to match.
The Reality of a Shared Team
But there's another side to that coin.
When you hire an agency, you’re hiring a fraction of their time.
Your business is one of many on a client roster, and you’ll have to compete for attention. You might find yourself dealing with a revolving door of account managers or waiting for your turn in the queue.
More importantly, an outside team can only get so close to your business. They’ll understand your stated goals, but they won’t be in the room for the spontaneous conversations that define your brand’s personality.
They miss the context, the inside jokes, and the subtle shifts in direction that a full-time employee would absorb naturally.
Bringing It In-House
The alternative is to hire your own SEO specialist.
This person isn't a contractor; they're part of your crew, with their success tied directly to yours. Their only focus is your company’s growth.
The Power of Full Dedication
This complete immersion is a superpower.
An in-house expert can walk down the hall (or pop into a Slack channel) to collaborate with developers, content writers, and product managers.
When a new feature is being planned, they’re in the meeting from the start, ensuring it’s built with SEO in mind.
When the sales team reports a new customer question, your specialist can immediately start crafting content to answer it.
This creates a powerful feedback loop, making SEO a core part of your operations instead of a siloed marketing task.
This person becomes a living library of your company’s strategic history, an asset that grows more valuable over time.
The Stumbling Block
The main barrier has always been the cost. A talented SEO professional in the United States expects a competitive salary.
Market data shows an average of $6000 to $9000 per month, and that’s before you add benefits, equipment, and a budget for the very tools and content they need to succeed. For many small to medium-sized businesses, that’s a heavy financial lift.
There's also the risk of creating an echo chamber.
A single person, no matter how skilled, can sometimes get stuck in their own perspective, missing the broader industry trends that an agency team would naturally discuss.
A Dedicated Expert without the Local Price Tag
Fortunately, the choice is no longer just between an expensive hire and an impersonal agency. The global move to remote work has opened up a third, more flexible path that combines the best of both worlds.
What if you could get the complete dedication of an in-house expert without the staggering local price tag? This is now a reality for thousands of companies.
By looking beyond your immediate geographic area, you can tap into deep talent pools in places like the Philippines and Latin America.
The financial difference is striking.
A skilled SEO specialist from the Philippines might have an average monthly salary closer to $1,200, while a professional in Latin America could be around $1,875. This isn’t about cutting corners; it’s about accessing a global market of educated, driven professionals who offer incredible value.
This is where hiring a remote SEO specialist becomes a game-changer. You can bring on a full-time team member for less than the cost of a typical agency retainer.
This person handles everything from deep keyword research, competitor analysis, content calendar development, on-page optimization, backlink audits, and performance reporting.
You get the focus and cultural fit of an employee with the financial efficiency of a global workforce.
Making the Call
So, how do you decide? It comes down to a few honest questions about your business.
What’s your financial reality? An agency might seem cheaper upfront, but the long-term value and ROI from a dedicated remote specialist can often be far greater.
How deep does SEO need to run? If you want SEO to be part of your company’s DNA, influencing product and content from the ground up, a dedicated expert is the clear winner.
What’s more important: a broad team or a focused champion?
If you have a massive, one-time technical project, an agency’s diverse team might be necessary.
For sustained, strategic growth, a focused champion is invaluable.
A Powerful and Sustainable Solution
Agencies can offer a great burst of momentum, and a local hire provides deep commitment at a premium.
But for a growing number of businesses, the remote in-house model offers a powerful, sustainable solution.
It’s a strategic choice that provides the dedicated focus you need to not just compete, but to win in the long run.
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