When considering SEO services for your business, one decision you will have to make on the way is choosing between an SEO agency and consultant (in fact, you most likely clicked on this article to help with that exact decision!).
While both agencies and consultants aim to improve your website’s search engine rankings, their approach, structure, and relationship with clients differ significantly.
- SEO agencies typically consist of multiple people skilled in SEO, account managers, developers, admin staff and directors.
- SEO consultants on the other hand are just the person skilled in SEO, covering admin duties themselves.
To help you decide between the two, I’ll compare both against seven key factors that are important to businesses deciding between choosing an agency or a consultant:
- Variety of Skills
- Cost-Effectiveness
- Resources
- Adaptability
- Communication
- Personalised Service
- Quality of Work
1. Variety of Skills
Winner: Agency
SEO agencies bring together a broad team of professionals, including SEO experts, developers, strategists, content writers and more.
This range of talent enables them to manage multifaceted projects that demand collaboration across different specialisms.
For companies seeking comprehensive digital support, an agency often serves as an all-in-one partner.
That said, not every project requires the full suite of services. Sometimes only one or two disciplines, such as SEO or PPC, are needed.
2. Cost-Effectiveness
Winner: Consultant
Agency rates can be competitive, but they usually reflect the costs of offices, managers, and support staff.
Consultants usually avoid these layers. What you’re paying for is their time, their skill, and nothing more.
That’s why SEO consultants are often more affordable overall.
3. Resources
Winner: Agency
When it comes to large-scale SEO work, agencies often shine due to having a wider team available.
They can deploy several people to manage different parts of your campaign simultaneously.
If your business needs that kind of capacity, choosing an agency may be the best move.
4. Adaptability
Winner: Consultant
Because agencies manage large teams, they usually rely on fixed processes and frameworks to maintain consistency.
Even if team members are adaptable, updating your account or making changes often requires navigating internal systems.
Consultants bring a more tailored approach and can adjust course with minimal delay when your business needs evolve.
That level of flexibility is hugely beneficial in a fast-changing digital environment.
So, if you find yourself needing to shift strategy mid-project, a consultant can respond more swiftly than an agency, which may need to work through several internal steps.
5. Communication
Winner: Consultant
A major perk of working with a consultant is having a single, reliable contact handling your SEO from day one.
It spares you the common agency challenge of shifting account managers or disruptions caused by team turnover.
With a consultant, you’re talking directly to the expert – not going through layers of staff.
This kind of open, direct communication leads to quicker decisions and a stronger working dynamic.
6. Personal Service
Winner: Consultant
Because their income and reputation are closely tied to performance, SEO consultants are usually highly invested in getting results for their clients.
Agencies tend to work within larger teams, which can sometimes dilute individual focus.
Consultants, on the other hand, are laser-focused on you and your success.
They often see your achievements as a direct extension of their own work.
7. Quality of Work
Winner: Equal
You can receive excellent SEO services from both consultants and agencies.
Agencies might offer access to various experts, though this often means parts of the work are given to less experienced team members for development.
Consultants tend to handle everything themselves, offering a more consistent and detail-focused approach.
Final Score
- Agency: 3
- Consultant: 5
Conclusion
Both Accountant SEO agencies and consultants have their strengths.
While agencies bring extensive resources and a variety of skills, consultants may offer a more cost-effective, adaptable, and personalised approach.
If you’re ready to experience the benefits of working with ann Accountant SEO consultant…read more