7 Reasons Businesses Choose Experts Over DIY
Every business wants more visibility online. The challenge is that Google is crowded with ads, competitors, and constant updates. SEO is still one of the most reliable ways to grow traffic and revenue, but the question remains: should you hire an SEO agency, go in-house, or try to do it yourself?
Let’s unpack the real benefits of hiring an agency, how it compares to in-house SEO, and the signs that it’s time to bring in experts.
What an SEO Agency Actually Does
Many people think SEO just means “adding some keywords to a website.”
In reality, agencies work across several areas at once: strategy, technical fixes, and ongoing improvements to make sure your business shows up when customers are searching.
1. Keyword Research and Strategy
The foundation of SEO is knowing what your customers type into Google. Agencies use tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs to find search terms that balance volume, competition, and intent.
Search intent matters: someone searching “best coffee machine brands” is researching, while “buy commercial coffee machine London” shows purchase intent. Agencies map keywords to different funnel stages so your site captures users at research, consideration, and purchase.
For example, a B2B coffee supplier could target “office coffee machines UK” for decision-makers fitting out workplaces.
StudioHawk helped Grind expand beyond just branded searches by creating a keyword-driven content strategy that targeted commercial terms around coffee pods and subscriptions.
By reworking current product collections and scaling blog content around what customers were actively searching, Grind achieved a 386% year-on-year increase in SEO revenue and hundreds of new page-one rankings. That kind of result is hard to achieve without an agency’s data-driven keyword research and structured approach. Read the full case study here.
2. On-Page SEO
Once keywords are chosen, the website itself needs optimising. On-page SEO makes it clear to search engines what each page is about.
Key tasks include writing meta titles and descriptions, structuring content with headings, adding internal links and using schema markup for rich results (like FAQs or reviews).
We worked with Damson Madder, a sustainable fashion brand competing against much bigger retailers. By improving site speed, strengthening internal linking, and building long-tail category pages, we helped them capture new search demand and grow visibility in a highly competitive space. Read more about how we helped here.
3. Off-Page SEO
SEO also happens away from your site, where agencies focus on building authority and credibility across the web. This includes gaining backlinks from relevant, trustworthy websites, managing online reputation through reviews, PR, and citations, and keeping directory listings consistent on platforms like Google Business Profile and Yelp.
For example, a local law firm might publish articles in legal magazines or be featured in local news outlets, both of which boost credibility and drive referral traffic.
4. Technical SEO
Good content won’t rank if your site is difficult to use or search engines can’t properly crawl it, which is where technical SEO comes in. Agencies focus on fixing crawl errors and broken links so that all pages can be discovered and indexed. They submit XML sitemaps and check that search engines are actually including the right pages in results.
Site speed is another priority, with improvements made to Core Web Vitals such as loading times, interactivity, and visual stability. Finally, they make sure your site works well on mobile devices, since most searches now happen on phones. Together, these technical fixes create a smoother experience for both users and search engines, giving your content the best chance to rank.
5. Analytics and Reporting
Analytics and reporting keep SEO accountable.
Agencies don’t guess; they track performance using tools like Google Analytics, Search Console, and custom dashboards. The reports cover keyword rankings, organic traffic, and conversions such as leads, sales, or bookings, along with SEO’s return on investment compared to other marketing channels. This level of detail means you see exactly how SEO is contributing to business outcomes rather than just traffic numbers.
Alongside reporting, agencies also review technical performance, focusing on areas like site speed, Core Web Vitals, and mobile friendliness to ensure the site not only attracts visitors but also delivers a smooth user experience that supports conversions.
6. Continuous Optimisation
SEO is an ongoing process because search engines regularly update their algorithms and competitors are constantly improving.
Agencies monitor rankings and competitor activity, test and refine content, and adapt strategies to industry changes such as AI-driven search. They also expand content over time to capture new keyword opportunities. For example, if Google rolls out AI summaries, an agency would adjust your content approach to ensure your business maintains visibility.
The Bottom Line
An SEO agency is a partner that improves visibility, credibility, and revenue through research, content, technical fixes, and constant updates.
Without the full scope, SEO stalls or fails to drive business results.
Why Businesses Hire an SEO Agency
Thousands of companies choose to outsource their SEO instead of keeping everything in-house. Here’s why it makes sense.
Access to Expertise and Tools
SEO agencies invest in platforms like Ahrefs, SEMrush, Screaming Frog, Surfer SEO, and Majestic. Buying these tools separately can cost over £1,000 each month, and that’s before you factor in the time it takes to learn them. An agency doesn’t just have access, they know how to use the data. A keyword report on its own won’t move the needle unless you know what actions to take next. Agencies bring both the tools and the experience to turn data into results.
Time Savings
Running SEO in-house can feel like an ongoing cycle: technical audits, content optimisation, link outreach, reporting, and constant monitoring. For one person, the workload is overwhelming. Agencies lift that burden so business owners can focus on running the company instead of drowning in spreadsheets and backlinks.
Proven Strategies and Experience
SEO isn’t guesswork. Agencies work across dozens of industries and have a bank of proven strategies. For example, they already know how many authoritative backlinks it typically takes to shift a page from position 15 to the top 5. That insight saves businesses from wasting time and resources on tactics that won’t deliver.
Staying Ahead of Google Updates
Google tweaks its algorithm thousands of times a year. Some updates, like the Helpful Content Update, have wiped out traffic for unprepared sites overnight. Agencies monitor these shifts daily and can respond quickly, protecting rankings and keeping sites visible when updates hit.
SEO Agency vs In-House SEO
Cost Comparison
Hiring in-house sounds appealing, but the costs stack up fast. Between salary, training, and tool subscriptions, a skilled SEO hire can cost upwards of £120k per year. Agencies, on the other hand, typically charge between £2000 to £5000 per month. For less than one full-time salary, you get access to a whole team covering content, technical SEO, link building, and strategy.
Breadth of Skills
An in-house SEO might excel at content, but struggle with technical audits or link acquisition. Agencies bring specialists in each area, making it far easier to cover all bases without hiring a team of five different people.
Scalability and Flexibility
SEO needs shift. Some months are heavy on content, others on link building or audits. Agencies can scale activity up or down depending on budgets, campaigns, or seasonal trends. Scaling in-house means adding salaries, going through recruitment, and managing extra staff.
Common In-House Mistakes
When businesses run SEO themselves, a few mistakes crop up repeatedly. Some focus on vanity metrics like rankings instead of revenue. Others cut corners with low-quality backlinks, risking Google penalties. Technical SEO is often ignored until something breaks and traffic tanks. Agencies help avoid these costly errors.
Signs You Need an SEO Agency Now
Not sure if outsourcing is the right move? There are a few clear warning signs. If your traffic has been flat or dropping for months, it usually means your current approach isn’t working. Another red flag is when your site only ranks for your brand name. That’s fine for people who already know you, but it won’t attract new customers.
Competitors taking over the top search results while you sit on page two is another sign you’re losing ground. Finally, if SEO is always the task that gets pushed aside for “more urgent” work, you’re unlikely to see results.
If any of these situations sound familiar, it’s time to bring in outside help.
DIY SEO can only get you so far. If you’re ready for real growth, partner with an agency that knows how to get you there. Get in touch with us today.
