The digital marketing industry is full of jargon and acronyms. Just look at the above sentence; this is just a snippet of the terms digital marketers are using every day. 

Why do they use them? Because each is important in its own right. 

Are they inherently complicated? No, each follows simple rules and processes at their core. 

Can anyone understand them? Absolutely, they can. And you don’t need to be a digital marketer to do so.

So – if these different forms of marketing and marketing strategies aren’t ridiculously complex – why aren’t all small-to-medium sized businesses implementing their own marketing?

Well, there will be a few reasons, but one of the top answers you’ll hear is that they don’t have the time or resource internally to train themselves in these marketing disciplines. Therefore they have to outsource to experts, like agencies or freelancers. Which is completely understandable, and often can be the right/best route for them to take.

There is another way

But there’s another option available to them, and it’s one that not all small-to-medium sized businesses know about: they can utilise modern technology (in the form of software platforms) to remove and/or reduce the ‘learning’ period and start implementing positive changes straight away.

In terms of driving traffic to websites, Google is the most important channel; it drives 59% of all website traffic. And if you want to conquer Google then you need to not only master the world of PPC, but also that of SEO. 

SEO stands for search engine optimisation, and its purpose is to improve your websites ranking in Google’s organic-driven results (ie. the non-advertised listings, the map results, the voice-search results, the news results, and more).

But SEO has, and is, thought of as a complex discipline that is the domain of experts only. And not without good reason; Google reviews over 200 different variables when deciding where your website should rank in its search results. 

Because of this, if you want your website to appear higher in the Google organic results then you need to employ an agency. Or rather, this is how conventional thinking goes.

The DIY SEO solution

In 2020, however, this isn’t necessarily the case anymore. Modern platforms, such as Hike, are utilising the latest technologies to enable their users to implement SEO strategies and SEO improvements to their website, all without having to learn the full scope of the discipline first.

So, how does Hike do this? How does it take a complex marketing discipline and make it accessible to anyone, when there are over 200 different ‘ranking factors’ you need to master and optimise on your website for great SEO performance?

Once you break this down into its constituent elements, you’ll find that these ‘variables’ are all relatively straight-forward and simple. And they’re data-driven. For example, an important part of SEO is creating optimised content. Sounds complex (and ‘expert’ only) when said like that, but in reality, it’s just the culmination of very specific actions to make a piece of content optimised (such as keyword inclusion, usage of synonyms and related phrases, entity score, and so forth).

Software is brilliant at analysing specifics like this, and that is why technology platforms like Hike are changing the options available to small businesses when they want to start an SEO campaign; they’re no longer restricted to the single option of hiring an expert, they can now do-it-themselves.

Another solution is by using Adzooma’s SEO Performance Report. The report will analyse your website and identify immediate actions you can take to improve. Like our PPC Performance Report, you’ll get an overall score out of 100. The closer to 100 you are, the better optimised your website is.

You’ll then get a more detailed breakdown of your performance into 4 key areas: keyword performance, onsite SEO, page speed and backlinks. You can also compare your client’s performance with a competitor, showing how they compare with the competition.

The report is available to all Adzooma users, try the basic version for free to get a taste of what this report can offer. Not an Adzooma user? Sign up for free, here.

Does DIY SEO work?

Let me give you an example. One of Hike’s customers is Mr Cricket Hockey, a sports retailer who also operates an online e-commerce store. Mr Cricket Hockey had always relied upon agencies and freelancers when it came to optimising their online store for Google‘s organic results. 

However, unhappy with the service they received and results they’d achieved they looked for other options and found Hike. They were unaware that a DIY solution even existed for SEO, but they signed up and started implementing the platform’s bespoke recommendations for their website. 

And the results have been fantastic for them, especially with the increased importance of their online presence during this COVID period. They are now on page 1 of Google for 56 target keywords and their traffic from SEO has increased over 100% when compared to 2019.

(If this story resonates with you, and you want to learn more about Mr Cricket Hockey’s experience then you can read the full case study here.)

The impact for digital agencies

It’s not just small businesses who can take control of SEO using modern technology. The same can be said for agencies and freelancers who want to help their clients gain more traffic and customers from Google’s organic results.

Traditionally, agencies who wanted to provide SEO-as-a-service to their clients have needed to hire an experienced and dedicated SEO consultant to run campaigns for their clients. And anyone who has tried to hire an experienced SEO will tell you; they’re not cheap! And this financial outlay is a big risk for an agency, which is why they have tended to stick to providing only their specialisms.

Modern platforms like Hike, however, provide another option for them. And one that is far less risky. By utilising a software solution, agencies can start to provide effective SEO solutions to their client base (both existing and new clients) without having to hire an experienced SEO consultant.

They can sell and deliver an ongoing SEO package using the monthly recommendations that Hike provides. And because they don’t need to be experts, they can use anyone in their organisation to deliver this.

How Streamwork Marketing delivers SEO 

An example of this would be Streamwork Marketing. Historically providing only web design and specialist marketing services (SEO not being one of those), they are now able to deliver ongoing SEO packages to their existing client base via Hike. And this has had a profound impact on their business and their financials. Just listen to what Streamwork Digital’s founder Mat Baxter said:

“Since the adoption of Hike SEO into Streamwork Marketing, we’ve onboarded and upsold SEO and other activities as ongoing services to many of our small business clients and we’re on target to double our monthly recurring revenue this fiscal year with the additional services generated from Hike SEO.”

(If this story resonates with you, and you want to learn more about Streamwork Marketing’s experience then you can read the full case study here.)

How technology is impacting other digital disciplines

It’s not just SEO that’s been impacted through modern technology, the same is happening across multiple digital disciplines. For example: 

• Adzooma enables non-experts to delve into the world of PPC
• Shopify enables non-experts to build e-commerce websites 
• Webflow enables non-experts to create Javascript-based websites
• Bubble enables non-experts to build progressive web apps
• And more… 

And this trend is set to continue as technology evolves ever further forward, and the latest advancements become more affordable and attainable to all businesses via cost-effective software platforms.

Whether you want to take the DIY route or employ an agency to lead your SEO effort, the future looks bright for digital, that’s for sure.

But, when it comes to delivering an effective SEO strategy, there are now more routes than ever. Many businesses, large and small, will hire an SEO agency whilst others prefer to take the reins and deliver this themselves using a DIY software platform, such as Hike.

Here we explore the two avenues available to small-to-medium sized businesses – SEO agency or DIY software – and discuss the pros and cons of each option against seven different categories, which should help you to decide which is right for your business.

1. Time

Time is of the essence and not all business owners will have the time to use a DIY platform to implement an SEO strategy. To drive optimum results, most platforms will require an average of 8 to 24 hours per month spent using it, depending on the size of your business and the competitiveness of your market.

If your business is cash-rich but time-poor, you’ll likely benefit more from using an agency, allowing you to focus on more pressing matters. Choosing the right SEO agency can be challenging, but find one that you can trust and you can take a step back and leave it to the experts.

Any good agency won’t just send you monthly, detailed reports, but will also ensure that you fully understand the data.

Verdict: SEO Agency

2. Cost

Whether your business has been affected by the global pandemic or not, cost is an important factor. If you’re a cash-rich company, you may want to opt for an SEO agency to deliver your SEO strategy.

Using an agency will cost you anything from $300 per month for a small business all the way up to $5,000 per month for an international or eCommerce company. A fair average, according to a study by Ahrefs, is $501 to $1000 per month, with 23% of survey respondents charging this rate.

That doesn’t mean you won’t receive a good return on investment, but if you’re really looking to save money, then a DIY software platform will be a better solution for you. These, of course, also vary in price, but a holistic platform like Hike will cost $45 per month, upwards.

Verdict: DIY Software

3. Return on Investment (ROI)

Driving a strong ROI is vital for any marketing channel, whether online or offline. Fortunately, when it comes to leads from search engines, average close rates stand at 14.6%, while outbound leads, such as cold-calling and direct mail have a close rate of 1.7%.

If opting for a DIY SEO platform, you’ll be spending very little whilst still reaping great results, so achieving a good return on investment will be easy. On the other hand, if working with an SEO agency, ensure they demonstrate a good ROI within frequent reports, and don’t leave it to chance.

That said, if your digital agency has chosen keywords with a high monthly search volume and they’re achieving top search engine ranking positions and organic traffic increases, you’re likely onto a winner without ever having to lift a finger.

Verdict: Both

4. Learn Valuable Skills

Did you know that Google makes continuous changes to its algorithm? Last year alone, Google launched 3,620 different changes to its search algorithm, keeping SEO teams up and down the country very busy. But, learning SEO doesn’t have to be difficult.

If you’re aiming to enrich your business’s skillset, an SEO platform can help you to achieve this. From conducting keyword and competitor research to improving page speed and creating crawl reports, a good platform will teach you how.

Adzooma offers a free SEO Performance Report for users which analyzes your website and identifies immediate actions you can take to improve your SEO. Not an Adzooma user? You can sign up for free here and gain access to this feature, a whole suite of additional reports and so much more.

A good platform will be brimming with how-to videos, detailed guides and a decent support team. All you need is a thirst for knowledge.

Verdict: DIY Software

5. Understand the Competition

Understanding your competition underpins any good SEO strategy. After all, it’s not just about your own approach but also your market size and saturation.

A DIY software platform will allow you to conduct initial competitor research, whilst closely following the competition throughout your campaign. From keyword positions to backlinks, understanding your competition allows you to strive for improvement and, eventually, excellence.

On the other hand, you might find a specialist agency that’s particularly knowledgeable within your industry or niche. Some agencies will only work with hospitality clients whilst others may only work in the automotive field.

Having access to industry intel is invaluable for any growing business.

Verdict: Both

6. Form a Deeper Understanding of Your Customers

In order to be successful, any business must develop a strong understanding of its customers and their needs. There are many ways to do this within marketing, from consumer surveys and buyer personas to keyword research and analytics.

Conducting keyword research with SEMRush allows a business to understand customer intent; a want or need for information, a product or service. And when a customer has a want or need, they turn to Google.

By conducting keyword research, you can develop a firm understanding of what your customers are searching for, how many people are searching for those particular terms and whether your products or services experience seasonal trends.

To get down and dirty with data, use Google Analytics to measure KPIs including the number of website visits, which channels are driving traffic and conversion volume. Google Analytics is a free Google tool that can be used by all, whether you’re a small business owner or established digital agency.

Verdict: DIY Software

7. Integrate Your Other Digital Channels

Juggling multiple digital channels yourself, including SEO, PPC, social media, email and video marketing can be hard work.

By working with fewer agencies to deliver more than one of these, you can ensure the teams are working closely together. Plus you’ll likely receive one detailed, holistic report, rather than being bombarded with multiple reports at various times of the month, all of which will need your attention.

To add to this, some full-service companies also provide discounted pricing for customers who scale up their business from a simple SEO plan to a full-service package, so be sure to ask for a custom plan and quote.

Verdict: SEO Agency

Conclusion

By now, you’ll hopefully have a better idea as to which route is best for your business. Ultimately, there are no right or wrong answers when it comes to choosing a route, only preferences.

No matter which road you’re thinking of going down, research the company and read plenty of third-party reviews, case studies and testimonials. Don’t be afraid to contact one of their current or previous customers to get an honest and authentic verdict.

Finally, enjoy the process. Whether working with an agency or developing a strategy yourself, seeing your keywords improve, your traffic increase, your enquiries convert and your business grow is extremely rewarding.

After many years in the industry, there’s still no better feeling than seeing your keyword jump up to position one in Google.