Job outsourcing helps U.S. companies scale their operations by hiring skilled and remote foreign workers at a fraction of the domestic cost. When it comes to search engine optimization (SEO) outsourcing, India is one of the best-preferred providers for many reasons, including advanced skills and cost savings.
In fact, the 2021 Kearney Global Services Location Index lists India at the top for outsourcing attractiveness, besting China, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brazil for financial attractiveness, business environment, people skills and availability, and digital resonance. In an earlier report, the Index projected that by 2022, more than 40% of the Indian workforce will have become more valuable assets in the development process with constant upskilling and more fresh graduates adept in all things internet and tech. In addition, the majority of the SEO outsourcing companies in India are partnered with at least three US-based clients.
If you are looking to outsource SEO to India, this is the right time to do it. While there certainly are pros and cons of outsourcing a whole SEO department, the advantages far outweigh the challenges in the long term.
This article discusses the key positions that make up a solid SEO team, how a company can benefit from offshoring SEO efforts, the wins and potential drawbacks of doing so, and finding solutions that will guarantee your success.
SEO Outsourcing To India: Who Should Be On My SEO Team?
The best business SEO services in India are so because they have solid SEO team structures that work closely with their U.S. counterparts to get projects through. There are plenty of highly skilled talents in the country whose asking prices are aligned with your limited budget.
If you are preparing to outsource SEO to India, note these key positions so you know what to look for when you hire your team of experts. The core SEO team typically consists of a web developer, a content writer, a content strategist, an SEO strategist, and, optionally, an editor. Here’s what each of them does and how much their services typically cost in India vs. the U.S.:
Web Developer
A web developer creates and tests applications for websites and should be adept in the likes of PHP, CSS, HTML, JavaScript, and other relevant coding languages. This role is vital to the SEO team because this person is the one who maintains and updates websites, troubleshoots issues, monitors traffic, and more.
Web developer average salary per year: India – $3,200, U.S. – $67,602
Content Writer
The SEO content writer is responsible for producing SEO-optimized copy on the website. This person should have a working knowledge of keyword search (identifying competitive long-tail keywords), backlinks and internal linking, rank analysis, and content strategy. The writer should have a deep understanding of the value of organic traffic and how creating content with the right mix of relevant keywords can meet search intent.
Content writer average salary per year: India – $3,070, U.S. – $56,023
Content Strategist
The content strategist’s core function is to develop an SEO plan for the team to meet the customer’s needs and objectives. This person’s task is to create and monitor content pipelines, conduct reviews and audits, track distribution, and analyze data, among many others.
Content strategist average salary per year: India – $4,740, U.S. – $63,942
SEO Strategist/Specialist
The SEO analyst’s role in the SEO process is to identify gaps in the content, find ways to optimize pages, conduct a detailed analysis of performance, devise a link building strategy and point out link opportunities, and identify marketing and traffic-building solutions.
SEO strategist average salary per year: India – $3,355, U.S. – $54,102
Editor
You might want to add an editor on board just to ensure that your content writer doesn’t spend too much time editing and stays on track with deliverables and deadlines. An editor also serves as a fresh pair of eyes to ensure quality content and adherence to SEO best practices.
Editor average salary per year: India – $3,717, U.S. – $50,619
Benefits of SEO Outsourcing
Businesses prefer outsourcing SEO services or working with an expert SEO outsourcing partner to reduce operating expenses and have a sense of shared risk with the partner company. Thanks to globalization and technology, these are very much attainable. By removing the burden of maintaining in-house SEO teams and then passing certain SEO projects and processes to dedicated professionals offshore, owners and managers can allocate more time and resources to handle actual growth strategies for their companies.
The most obvious benefit of hiring SEO experts based in India is the cost. In the U.S., the average cost of having a core SEO team could be around $300,000 per year (based on average salaries reported on Payscale). This drops significantly by as much as 80% if you brought your operations over to India (or another English-speaking country in the Asia-Pacific).
Nice to know: You can compare salaries across different job types and locations using C9 Staff’s payroll cost calculator.
Some other points to note when considering India as your destination for SEO outsource services:
- >While the cost of labor is much lower, the quality of work is actually very high. India has one of the largest numbers of ISO-certified firms globally.
- >According to the National Outsourcing Association (NOA), the second main reason (next to cost) why international firms choose India is the speed and quality of work.
- >Around 3 million highly educated and skilled individuals graduate from the university and join the workforce each year, so there’s always a strong talent pool. This also means that replacing workers will be quick and easy.
- >The Indian government invests heavily in communications technology and infrastructure, equipping citizens with the advanced tools and know-how to keep up with the global market demands.
Outsourcing SEO To India: What You Need To Succeed
There are a number of things that every business owner should keep in mind when outsourcing SEO services to India. Working with a partner for SEO outsourcing who is experienced and well-versed in industry best practices is one of the most important steps to take toward achieving successful SEO campaigns.
Here are five things you should consider when deciding which Indian SEO companies to outsource to.
1. Reputation
The first step is to look for an experienced offshore SEO partner to outsource to. An agency that has received industry awards, regularly publishes thought leadership articles in leading publications, and has its work talked about by industry influencers should be your go-to SEO company.
2. Quality of work
Quality is critical. Some SEO outsourcing services “cut corners” and offer SEO as a commodity instead of as a way to provide real online results for your business. It is important to find SEO professionals who have a proven track record who can help you build authority and reduce competition.
3. Team
You should look for SEO outsourcing services with a talented team of SEO experts who are all passionate about what they do. SEO is a continuous process with practices that evolve as search engine algorithms shift. Your team should be proactive in ensuring that they are updated in the latest search trends.
4. Communication
SEO service providers should always keep clients in the loop about the processes, performance, and opportunities to ensure optimal results. Communication should be regular and consistent. A SEO service provider that listens to client’s questions, concerns, and ideas is more likely to deliver quality results.
5. Accountability
A true professional SEO outsourcing company will have a sense of ownership in every project they handle in order to see every SEO campaign through successfully. This includes conducting regular SEO audits and sending weekly or monthly SEO reports and quarterly reviews.
A Practical and Cost-Efficient Solution To Outsource SEO Services To India
You can skip the stress of hiring your core SEO agency in India by partnering with outsourcing agencies that know the local market well and can provide sustainable end-to-end solutions at a reasonable cost.
C9 Staff bridges the gap between companies that want to gain a competitive advantage globally and highly skilled talents to provide top-caliber work. We take care of end-to-end management and productivity tracking, staff background checks, skill and infrastructure verification, and the other nitty-gritties, so you don’t have to.
If you are planning to outsource SEO to India soon, contact us for a free consultation about our SEO outsourcing solutions.
