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:

  1. Variety of Skills
  2. Cost-Effectiveness
  3. Resources
  4. Adaptability
  5. Communication
  6. Personalised Service
  7. 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

While agencies can provide competitive packages, but these come with hidden costs like office leases, management structures, and admin teams.

A consultant, however, runs a much leaner operation. Your fee goes straight to the expert doing the work.

So, if you’re looking for cost-efficiency, SEO consultants tend to come out on top.

3. Resources

Winner: Agency

Thanks to their team-based structure, agencies are often ideal for handling more complex or high-volume projects.

They have the capacity to assign various specialists to different areas of your SEO simultaneously.

So, if your campaign demands a coordinated team effort, an agency could be the more suitable option.

4. Adaptability

Winner: Consultant

Agencies, with their multi-person teams, tend to run on streamlined processes to manage workflow across accounts.

This can mean that adapting your account setup or strategy involves multiple steps and takes longer than expected.

Consultants are more agile. They’re able to adapt their work directly to your evolving needs without the red tape.

In a fast-moving digital world, this kind of responsiveness can make a real difference.

If plans change, a consultant can often pivot within hours – something agencies may struggle with due to approval chains and team structures.

5. Communication

Winner: Consultant

One standout benefit of hiring a consultant is the continuity they offer – you’ll be working with the same person from start to finish.

This removes the hassle of being passed around different team members or adjusting to new faces, which is often the case with agencies.

Consultants provide a more personal touch, offering direct and efficient communication as they’re the ones carrying out the work.

That level of clarity and consistency helps build trust and makes collaboration far smoother.

6. Personal Service

Winner: Consultant

SEO consultants typically go the extra mile because your success impacts their livelihood directly.

They aren’t distracted by internal politics or reporting structures – their sole focus is meeting your needs.

This often results in a stronger commitment and higher quality service.

Unlike agencies, where you might be one of dozens, a consultant is personally invested in seeing you succeed.

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 Yoga 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 a Yoga SEO consultant…read more