Search engine optimization is a hot topic for many firms, partners and marketing managers. By now, most firms understand what SEo is and why they should be investigating it as a marketing strategy. There is little doubt that most even understand basic SEo strategies and tactics. However, one question that keeps coming up is whether it makes sense for an accounting firm to outsource its SEo function or use internal marketing professionals to manage such projects.

Think about this: You have limited hours in the day to market the firm. There are competing pressures from partners on how to spend your time and which activities take priority. What should you do about an SEO program? This article provides guidance on the issues to consider when deciding how to implement your firm's program.

BENEFITS TO OUTSOURCING

When evaluating which option is the best for your firm, it is important to understand the benefits each approach offers. As you determine which makes the most sense for you, several "value" variables should be assessed to decide the best method for your firm.

"A key benefit to outsourcing would be you have a dedicated team keeping on top of the latest SEO strategies," said Jennifer Fehrenbach, senior marketing specialist at Top 100 Firm Bonadio & Co. "Equally as important is that it would save you time."

"One of the benefits of outsourcing is that it ensures your Web site is receiving constant SEO attention," said Jennifer Hertzig, marketing manager at CPA and consulting firm Brockman, Coats, Gedelian & Co., in Akron, Ohio. "The drawback to in-house, though, is that there is never enough time in the day; you can always be doing something to improve your SEO."

"The benefits of outsourcing SEO are the promise of rank and being 'found' on the Web," said Jolene Colant, marketing director at CPA and consulting firm Hall Kistler in Canton, Ohio. "The folks entrusted with your SEO will continually keep up with word rankings and demonstrate how their efforts drove leads to your Web site."

BENEFITS TO MANAGING IN-HOUSE

"A major benefit to managing SEO in-house is our ability to internally test, track and manage results on a real-time basis," said Fehrenbach. "When we outsourced, we created a plan for optimization that was done one time per year. This was not nearly frequent enough to provide our team with valuable information to keep the effort fresh."

"The benefit of in-house is total control over your SEO efforts," said Colant. "This works well if your marketing department is Web-savvy and knowledgeable about the nuances of ranking, content development and keyword optimization."

Each approach offers benefits that must be considered. In our experience, this decision is influenced by the condition of the firm's Web site (is it SEO-friendly?), available time, and the desire of marketing managers to take on another project in their schedule.

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