It is no secret that a company you would always benefit with the extra help of hands. This is why many companies have been outsourcing their work to others since the 1990s. Companies who outsource their work to other countries also try to increase their sales by selling their products through overseas branches.

Outsourcing has increased so much that the global outsourcing market is worth $92.5 billion in 2019. At the same time, it was worth only $76.9 billion in 2016. However, the global outsourcing market’s net worth is expected to be around $397.6 billion by 2025.

Since there is growth in the outsourcing world, there are challenges faced by companies while searching for outsourcing services.

This is why today’s article’s main intention is to help you understand what is outsourcing, how long you should work with an outsourcing company, what challenges you face while outsourcing, and the benefits of outsourcing your SEO needs for the success of your business?

What is outsourcing?

Outsourcing is a business practice where services or job functions are given to a third party for completion. The most crucial reason why companies outsource their work is that it helps them with cost reduction (70%).

The second most favourable reason is flexibility (40%), as they do not have to worry about doing the work and can utilise their time to achieve some other task. Most companies choose to outsource their SEO services onshore (in their own country), nearshore (neighbouring countries) or offshore (to another country).

As a company, you might think it is not wise to outsource your work to others. But many Fortune 500 companies have outsourced their work to India. The main work that India does is mostly IT and software development.

When you’re planning to outsource your work, you should decide how long you intend to give them the project, i.e. you must decide the deal length.

What should be the ideal outsourcing deal length?

What is the best length for a skirt? Just like this answer has changed over the years in the fashion industry, the deal length of outsourcing contracts has also changed over the years. However, the outsourcing industry is not as fickle as the fashion industry.

Outsourcing was initially introduced around the 1970s, and in the 1980s, it was used to reduce internal cost structure and hire cheaper talents. During the 1990s, companies began outsourcing, and they started giving jobs that were not related to the core business.

When companies figured out the outsourcing option, long contracts were made. These contracts were as long as ten years. When companies started realising that the outsourcing contracts started losing their shine, these companies started drafting shorter contracts.

Although no proper answer gives the proper deal length, it all mainly depends on what is being outsourced and why. History is proof that long outsourcing contracts have mainly gone sideways; you should always be careful about the deal length and discuss the length of your superiors and co-workers.

When you’re outsourcing SEO work, you need to ensure that the work done by the professionals will give you long-term benefits. For such scenarios, you cannot give the contracts for a short duration because you might not see the results if the contracts are short.

Therefore, you should analyse the work and then decide the length. Prolonged arrangements should be avoided at all costs if possible.

What are some challenges faced during outsourcing SEO services?

There are several challenges you could face when you’re outsourcing the work. Therefore, today we have listed a few challenges you might face when outsourcing SEO services and how you can overcome the challenges?

1- Having high and unrealistic expectations

The most typical blunder that most companies make when outsourcing SEO services is that they think the business will take care of everything. This is wrong, and there are certain things that you can do to help them. Such unrealistic expectations lead to project failures.

The solution is to discuss the problem with the outsourcing services beforehand. Tell them about their role, explain what you want, and ask them how they plan on delivering it. Ask them about any risks and let them know about anything that you need in specific.

2- Organisation and time zone differences

Globalisation is good for companies, but one serious challenge that most of these companies face when outsourcing is organisational and time zone differences. Organisational difference between the deal is carried between two companies. Time zone difference arises because the country might be situated in a different country if you choose offshore outsourcing.

The solution is to organise a training program to train the employees regarding the organisational and time zone differences. Initially, before making the deal, the professionals of both companies should discuss and agree to a mutual agreement.

3- Data security and cloud applications

Data security is very important because you’re assigning the outsourcing company to work on some facts known only to your company. Therefore, you must handle the data security aspect of the challenge. Although cloud computing is beneficial, it is not risk-free. There is also a concern about data security.

The solution is to bind the outsourcing service providers with a non-disclosure agreement. A data breach is a threat for which the service provider should have strict protocols in place, and it should be regularly tested for any malpractices. You can avoid the chances of a data breach if the provider follows proper protocols.

These were some of the challenges companies face when outsourcing their SEO needs. Now we will understand how your business will benefit by outsourcing your SEO needs.

How would your business benefit by outsourcing the SEO services?

Outsourcing is a practice that companies use that helps with cost reduction. However, this is not only the only benefit. There are several other benefits of outsourcing, and these benefits are explained in detail below.

1- You get the best content

It is no secret that content is king. If you have the best content with you, your chances of getting higher ranking and recognised increases drastically. Around 95% of B2B service and product buyers have reported they look at the content and then decide whether it is worth buying products from them.

Most companies do not have a skilled content writer with them. They outsource it, and the service provider has a skilled writer. It is now the writer’s job to create the best content, i.e. weekly blogs, newsletters, press releases, infographics, and the SEO team publishes it on the company’s website.

2- Helps setup better backlinks

Did you know that around 55% of websites do not have a single backlink? It is a well-known fact that the more backlinks a website has, the more traffic it will get from the search engine. Most companies ignore this crucial aspect and focus on other aspects of digital marketing. A person with no experience cannot handle the backlinks as it requires a professional touch.

The top five results on Google have 3.8 times more backlinks than the websites below. This is why your website must be visible on the top five results. The outsource team has professional builders who are trained and know how to build backlinks for better reach properly.

3- You get to see the results

SEO work is a process that requires patience, hard work and dedication. If your in–house team isn’t patient, they will not be able to see the results at the desired time. Also, it requires a certain level of experience handling SEO that many newbies lack, but the outsourcing agencies have experienced professionals in this field.

The outsourcing SEO agencies in India are very experienced, and they deliver the best results. This is why India is the top outsourcing destination. Indian companies get the job done at lower budgets favoured by foreign countries. Therefore, they can show an increased ROI, and their work also shows better and organic traffic growth across all platforms.

4- You get the latest and updated strategies

The internet is growing rapidly, which is why search engines are continuously bringing in new changes to their algorithms. Due to these changes in their algorithms, better and organic traffic is directed towards websites that are reputed and adhere to all their conditions. Optimising the website as per the latest algorithm change is something that should not be taken lightly.

It takes years of practice understanding the outcomes of various strategies and failures that teach a professional the most valuable lessons of campaigns and strategies. This way, the outsource professionals remain updated with the search engine changes and can implement the best changes for optimum growth.

5- You trust a team rather than a person

Many start-ups usually trust a single person from their in-house team to finish the task and expect results. If the person is inexperienced, then the company would have to pay triple the amount just to undo the changes. However, if the person is experienced, they will still face difficulties because the entire work needs to be carried out by the person.

The content marketing team, backlink professionals, graphic designers, etc., collectively work to ensure your website ranks higher on the search engine. They will also develop new strategies to cope with the current trends. When you outsource the work, the entire team works on your project rather than a single person.

6- A different perspective

Suppose your in-house team is doing great with the current SEO trends. They remain updated with the latest changes and are performing beyond your expectations. Let’s say because of this you plan to expand your company to foreign markets. However, your team is not well-versed with the market changes and demands of the local people.

This is when the outsourcing team comes into play. They know the current market’s demands; this experience and a new perspective can also help you expand to new horizons and take control over their market. The new team brings in a different perspective and new strategies that can assist you in expanding, and the in-house team might also learn something from their SEO team.

7- It is the most cost-effective option

The main reason people started outsourcing their work is that it is the most cost-effective option. Companies that outsource their IT work can save up to 40%. India is the best country for outsourcing because they do the work cheaper than developed countries.

Many companies prefer it over an in-house team because hiring a new person, giving them training, and buying the necessary tools will cost you thousands and thousands of dollars. This can be saved by simply outsourcing to an offshore company at affordable rates.

8- The services can be scaled as per your needs

Even if you have a very low demand for SEO in a month, your in-house team will still be getting paid for that low need. However, if your SEO needs grow in the future and your in-house team is in a position where they are overworked, you might think of hiring temps. Then you again need to train them, which is a tedious task.

But if you outscore the work, you need not worry about wasting your time on training temps. You can directly give the work to the professionals, and they will do the work at the same rates your current in-house team is doing. Once the work settles, you can scale the outsource services as per your needs. They have plans that are scalable and can easily fit your needs.

Summary

Outsourcing your SEO needs to help companies save the trap of spending money on training temps and buying new tools. There is always a 50/50 chance your in-house team might be able to achieve the goals you’d planned for.

However, before choosing any outsourced company, you should research their capabilities and ability to complete the work. Read their reviews and ratings on several third-party websites. One such outsource company that maintained a good reputation over the years is SEO.in. Contact them to learn more.