Published 28/02/2023 and Updated on 20/05/2026.
The simple answer is – yes! Nothing is stopping you from carrying out your own SEO, as long as you have the time, knowledge and resources to do so successfully. But to ensure you have a complete understanding of which option is right for you and your business, we have put together a complete guide on doing your own SEO Vs. hiring an SEO agency to do it for you.
Doing Your Own SEO
So what does doing your own SEO actually entail?
It simply means taking on the tasks and strategies necessary to improve your website’s visibility and ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs) without outsourcing to an external marketing agency or SEO consultant. These tasks include keyword research/implementation, technical SEO, off-page SEO and content writing.
The Benefits of Doing Your Own SEO
There are a number of reasons why someone might choose to do their own SEO.
1. It’s Cost Effective
Firstly, SEO is incredibly cost-effective, especially in the long run. Unlike paid advertising, which stops generating results once you stop paying, search engine optimisation can generate long-term results, and can generate long-term value after the initial optimisations. In order to maintain ranking regular maintenance will need to be carried out, due to fast moving elements link AI search and Google’s search core updates.
In terms of upfront costs, doing your own SEO will save you money on agency fees or consulting fees that you would otherwise have to pay to an SEO agency. Likewise, doing your own SEO eliminates the need to hire an in-house SEO specialist or team, saving you costs of salaries, benefits, and training workshops.
2. You’re The Expert of Your Own Business
Another great advantage of doing your own SEO is the fact that no one knows your own products/services, target customers and language better than you do, which can help you create a more customised strategy. You can tailor your content and keywords to match the needs and preferences of your target audience, with complete peace of mind that you’re painting your business in the best possible light.
3. AI Search
AI search is becoming more and more common, and with Google integrating their AI, Gemini, more heavily into search, AI is set to become more relevant then ever. AI in search has lead to speculation on SEO, and if it will branch into new specialties like AEO or GEO. But Google has one confirmed that traditional search and AI search optimisation is all SEO, making SEO in the right investment.
The fundamentals of SEO are still just as relevant for AI as traditional search. Crawlability, helpful content, technical clarity, and authority are all still key for AI search. Businesses should remember to focus on original, experience-led content that AI can site and understand.
4. There Are Plenty of SEO Coaches To Help You
One of the main benefits of being able to do your own SEO is that there are plenty of quality SEO coaches out there to help you get started. Even if you choose to do your own SEO, you don’t necessarily have to do it completely on your own. SEO coaches are there to provide you with guidance, knowledge and skills to successfully optimise your website for search engines and increase visibility.
SEO Coaching at Lumen SEO
If SEO coaching sounds right for your business, we offer affordable SEO lessons led by ex-Google coach Aled Nelmes. These lessons are individually designed and delivered for your business in 1-1 or small group sessions, whatever is easiest for you and your budget.
What is included in our coaching?
- Free audit to determine your website’s biggest opportunities.
- Tailored to your website and wider business goals.
- No contracts or minimum commitment is required.
- Online sessions are available, which will be recorded for your use.
- Easy to understand and actionable advice that you can complete in-house.
Hiring an SEO Agency
Hiring an SEO agency entails collaborating with SEO professionals who specialise in optimising websites to improve their visibility on search engines. Learn all about what an SEO agency, like ours, does here.
The Benefits of Hiring an SEO Agency
While it is certainly possible to carry out your own SEO, it can be a complex and time-consuming process that requires a significant amount of time and resources. It is for this reason that many businesses opt to outsource their SEO to a professional SEO agency. Here are 3 main reasons why you may choose this option:
1. Expertise and Experience
One of the main benefits of hiring an SEO agency is their sheer amount of expertise and experience when it comes to optimising websites for search engines. Agencies will typically have a team of specialists who have expertise in different areas of SEO, such as including technical SEO, content, link building, and keywords. This gives clients access to a wide range of specialised skills and knowledge that would otherwise be difficult to access in-house.
What’s more, SEO is constantly changing, and it can be hard for businesses to keep up with the latest trends. SEO agencies, however, are dedicated to staying up-to-date with the latest best practices in the industry with access to the latest tools.
A good example of this is Google’s Core Updates, which are major changes or updates made to Google’s search algorithm and systems. Google will release a number of different core updates throughout the year, each with their own set of adjustments and improvements to the algorithm. An SEO agency will keep up to date with these updates, ensuring that their marketing efforts are aligned with the latest search engine algorithms and best practices.
2. Frequent Analysing and Reporting of Results
Another benefit of hiring an SEO agency is regular reporting on the performance of their SEO strategies, which may be weekly, monthly or quarterly, depending on the business. This provides clients with ongoing insights into the effectiveness of their SEO strategies, allowing them to understand exactly how their money is being spent and what results are being achieved as a result.
At Lumen SEO, we have finetuned our reporting process, providing our clients with weekly, easy-to-understand reports stating what tasks have been completed and what results they have achieved, ensuring complete transparency of your campaign.
Interested in our SEO services? Enquire today and see how we can help your business rank higher on search.
3. Outsourcing Allows You to Focus on Your Business
Last but not least, outsourcing your SEO solutions will allow you to focus solely on your business, with peace of mind that your SEO is in expert hands. This is especially the case if you’re a small business owner with a number of different tasks at hand.
Instead of you or your team spending hours researching best practices or troubleshooting any SEO issues that have arisen, an experienced agency can handle these quickly and competently, ensuring that your SEO efforts are optimised from the start, and that you’re not wasting precious business time.
Taking SEO out of the picture will therefore free up much more time for you to put efforts into running the business, managing your staff and ensuring your customers are happy.
SEO Services at Lumen SEO
At Lumen SEO, we can take care of your whole SEO strategy, including keyword research, link building and technical SEO.
If you like the sound of working with us, we also offer free, no obligation free SEO audits on business websites. To claim yours, simply enter your details and we’ll get a free SEO audit to you within 24 hours.
To learn more about what we do and how we can help your business, get in touch with our SEO experts today on +44(0)77110 52211 or email Aled at aled@lumenseo.co.uk. Alternatively, you can message us on either our LinkedIn or Instagram pages.
Written by Kate, for Lumen SEO.
