SEO consultant or SEO agency: which suits a small business?
The real differences between an independent SEO consultant and an SEO agency in Alberta: who does the work, how you pay, and which suits your business.
If you are a small business owner in Edmonton or anywhere in Alberta looking for SEO help, you will find two kinds of provider: agencies with a team, and independent consultants who do the work themselves. Neither is better in general. They suit different needs.
Who does the work
At an agency, the person who sells you the work is often not the person who does it. Tasks are split between account managers, writers and specialists. That gives an agency more capacity.
With a consultant, the person you talk to is the person making the changes. You get one point of contact and someone who knows your whole site, but only as much time as one person has.
How you pay
Agencies usually sell monthly retainers. A consultant may also work on retainer, but many, including me, price work as a fixed-fee project. Ask any provider for the total cost and what you get at the end. If they can’t tell you, that is worth knowing.
When an agency is the better fit
- You need ongoing content every month at volume.
- You also want paid ads, social media and design handled in one place.
- You have a large site with many products or locations.
When a consultant is the better fit
- Your site is small to mid-sized and needs a clear set of fixes.
- You want to deal with one person from start to finish.
- You would rather pay once for defined work than every month.
Questions to ask either one
- Who will actually work on my site?
- What exactly will be different when you are done?
- What does it cost in total, and is there a minimum term?
- How will you report what changed?
- Do you promise rankings? (The honest answer is no.)
Roseburne is one consultant taking on two clients at a time, with three fixed-fee engagements. If you are weighing your options, a free 20-minute review is a low-stakes way to see how I work.