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 tend to be built around a multi-disciplinary team, comprising SEO specialists, developers, copywriters and client service professionals.
Their varied expertise makes them ideal for delivering complex projects involving several areas of digital marketing.
For organisations in need of a full-service solution, an agency can prove highly effective.
However, for more targeted needs, such as a standalone SEO or PPC campaign, a consultant may be more appropriate.
2. Cost-Effectiveness
Winner: Consultant
Whilst agencies can offer competitive prices, they often have the overheads of office spaces, managers, and administrative staff to factor in.
Consultants typically don’t have these. You’re paying directly for their expertise, not for the layers of management and facilities often found in agencies.
When it comes to cost, SEO consultants are normally the more cost-effective option.
3. Resources
Winner: Agency
With multiple team members on hand, agencies are naturally geared towards supporting larger projects.
They’re able to work on several campaign elements in parallel by leveraging their broader resource base.
If your requirements are extensive, involving several moving parts, an agency could be the right choice.
4. Adaptability
Winner: Consultant
Agencies typically follow structured systems, which help coordinate large teams but can slow things down when changes are needed.
Even if your main contact is responsive, broader adjustments can take time to flow through.
Consultants offer a more bespoke service and can respond to changes without delay.
In fast-moving digital markets, that flexibility can be crucial.
Let’s say you want to tweak your SEO focus mid-campaign – a consultant can often do so quickly, while an agency might need to run it through internal processes.
5. Communication
Winner: Consultant
A key advantage of working with a consultant is having one consistent point of contact throughout the project.
This means you avoid the common agency experience of being handed from one account manager to another or dealing with staff changes mid-way through.
With a consultant, communication tends to be clearer and more direct, as you’re speaking to the person actually doing the work.
This kind of connection not only saves time but also helps foster a stronger, more collaborative relationship.
6. Personal Service
Winner: Consultant
SEO consultants are personally invested in your success because their livelihood depends directly on their results and client satisfaction.
Unlike agencies, which often report to directors or larger management teams, consultants focus solely on your needs.
This personal attention often translates into better service and more dedication.
For example, while an SEO agency may treat you as one of many clients, a consultant sees your success as a reflection of their own.
7. Quality of Work
Winner: Equal
Consultants and agencies both have the ability to deliver strong SEO campaigns.
Agencies may draw on a mix of experts, but that often involves delegating tasks to more junior staff as part of their development.
Consultants, however, usually manage the full project themselves, which means your strategy benefits from a more personal, detail-oriented approach.
Final Score
- Agency: 3
- Consultant: 5
Conclusion
Both Agriculture 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 Agriculture SEO consultant…read more