In search engine optimization (SEO), outsourcing means paying an external source (could be an agency/company) for your SEO needs. This external source will work on local SEO, technical SEO, website auditing, and more to help your business increase its reach online.
Key points discussed in this article –• Outsourcing started gaining traction in India in the mid-2000s, and since then, the country has seen exponential growth. • Cheap labor, skilled workers, english proficiency, and many more reasons make it an excellent choice for any business trying to outsource their work to India. • Since there are hundreds of options available to choose from, there are specific criteria that the agencies should fulfill. Otherwise, it’s not worth the time. |
Outsourcing SEO services in India: The beginning
In the mid-2000s, offshore businesses started outsourcing to India for affordable cost of services, highly skilled workers, English proficiency, and more such reasons.
As time went by, the digital market business in India grew exponentially, creating numerous SEO agencies/companies, and today, this landscape is enormous.
There are about 30,000+ marketing agencies in India as of 2024, which is good for the digital marketing sector but not for businesses looking to outsource their SEO work. The market has never been more crowded.
55% of the total number is in digital marketing, so not every 30,000+ of these marketing agencies deal with SEO companies.
Why outsource to India?
Since businesses started outsourcing, the digital marketing landscape has expanded tremendously and constantly evolves in India.
Following are the reasons why you need to outsource your SEO services to India:
The cost advantage
Image Source: Freepik
It’s no news that India has an overabundant workforce, which has led to the rise of cheap labor. Due to this, people are willing to work for highly competitive prices.
If you are a business owner looking to outsource cheaply, India is the place.
For example:
Figure 1:
Image source: aalpha.net
Figure 2:
Image Source: ahrefs
To put the prices into perspective, you can outsource your SEO campaign to India for $120 – $370 per month instead of $500 – $1500 in the US. That’s a huge difference!
I’m aware that cheap labor doesn’t necessarily equate to good labor. Still, you’ll be surprised to see the difference between India and any other country where you can outsource your SEO service. Low cost is only one of the reasons here!
Skilled workforce in digital marketing
Image Source: Image by ASphotofamily on Freepik
Yes, the workforce is abundant, but it doesn’t mean there’s a lack of skilled workers in India. The country’s education system and emphasis on technology have significantly produced a talented pool of experts, resulting in businesses worldwide increasingly turning to Indian SEO experts for their expertise and ability to deliver exceptional results.
In fact, India is on its way to becoming one of the largest providers of skilled workers. So, a cheap labor cost paired with qualified workers is heaven for businesses looking to outsource.
| I believe cheap labor costs and expertise in the field should be enough reasons for businesses to outsource their SEO services, but here’s more if you are still unconvinced. |
Language proficiency
India has a vast workforce that can communicate fluently in english. In fact, India is second only to the US regarding the number of people speaking english. Having many english speakers presents an excellent opportunity for other countries to work in conjunction with India.
Advanced tech and infrastructure
India’s SEO excellence is backed up by advanced technology and robust infrastructure. They utilize state-of-the-art SEO tools for keyword research and analytics. High-speed internet connectivity ensures seamless collaboration, and with 24/7 accessibility, SEO professionals of India use advanced tools for efficient client-agency interactions.
Foreign income and outsourcing policies
Outsourcing is one of India’s leading sources of foreign income, and to make the process even smoother, the govt. has made several outsourcing policies to encourage foreign companies.
In 2010, the total income from outsourcing in India was $US 50 billion, which more than doubled to $US 118 billion after six years.
Choosing an agency to outsource
The availability of hundreds of SEO agencies can be confusing to you. If you outsource to India for SEO services, here are a few things to remember:
1. Experience: Experience is one of the most important things you must look for when it comes to agencies or companies.An experienced agency portrays the following qualities (in no particular order):
• Expertise: With experience comes expertise in marketing strategies. The people working in the agency will be experts in their SEO strategies (on-page SEO, off-page SEO, technical SEO, and more);
• Adaptability: With years of experience comes the ability to adapt to the ever-changing nature of online marketing.
• Efficient: Experts are efficient in their work and require minimal intervention once they understand what the client wants.
2. Reviews & Testimonials: The only decisive way to know whether a particular company/agency is true to its claims is to look at what its previous clients had to say. Potential clients should see reviews to know how agencies work. You can read testimonials for agencies, but I believe they are just praises and end up talking only good about the agency. On the other hand, a review is comprehensive and states the pros and cons of working with an agency.
3. Ethical Practices: Avoid being associated with outsourcing agencies that use black hat SEO techniques; prioritize those employing white hat SEO methods instead. Using such techniques will rank your website quickly. Still, search engines have become better at distinguishing shady techniques. Once caught, your website will be penalized, dropping your rankings on SERPs (search engine results pages) or removing your website entirely from SERPs. So, it is crucial that you inquire in every detail about the techniques the agency uses.
| No agency will come forth and say that they are going to employ black hat SEO. You’ll have to look at their reviews if you want to know. Maybe someone mentioned how they got ranked quickly, but it dropped soon after. Or you can look at client testimonials and see if they mention anywhere that the agency has helped them rank fast, which is a dead giveaway. |
Summing it up
The outsourcing market in India has grown exponentially over the past few years, and SEO outsourcing services are one of the significant contributors to that growth. This growth has pushed the boundaries of innovation and technology for India, making it one of the best countries for businesses all over the world.
The landscape of outsourcing services will experience significant improvements in the coming years, thanks to the rapidly increasing integration of artificial intelligence and automation. These advancements will lead to a substantial enhancement of efficiency and effectiveness in SEO outsourcing companies based in India.
FAQs
What is white-label SEO outsourcing?
White-label SEO outsourcing is when one company (the reseller) offers SEO services to clients under its brand. At the same time, another company (the outsourcing provider) executes the services behind the scenes. The reseller maintains client relationships, controls branding, and gains access to expertise without managing an in-house SEO team. It’s a scalable and cost-effective solution for businesses looking to expand their service offerings.
Should I outsource my SEO?
If you lack in-house expertise, want to focus on core activities, seek cost efficiency, need scalability, desire access to advanced tools, and aim for a global perspective, then yes. Carefully weigh the pros and cons based on your specific circumstances before making a decision.
