I’ve been working at an agency for a while now, but I’m thinking about switching to in-house SEO. Anyone got insights on what to expect or tips for making the transition?
In-house SEO is a whole different ballgame, honestly. I’ve done both, and while agency work is fast-paced, in-house gives you the chance to focus on long-term results. But, it’s not all smooth sailing—you have to deal with company politics a lot more.
@NomadNerd
Totally agree. I used to think in-house would be easier than agency work, but it can be just as challenging, if not more, especially when you need to get buy-in from multiple teams.
Martin said:
@NomadNerd
Totally agree. I used to think in-house would be easier than agency work, but it can be just as challenging, if not more, especially when you need to get buy-in from multiple teams.
What do you mean by ‘getting buy-in’? Like, you have to convince people internally to support SEO projects?
@Masitsa
Exactly. It’s more about proving the value of what you’re doing to other teams, like marketing or product. You’ve gotta sell them on why SEO should be a priority, which can be a struggle sometimes.
I’ve been in-house for a few years now, and one of the biggest pros is having more time to dive into the company’s core needs. You’re not jumping from client to client like at an agency. Plus, the pay is usually better and so are the benefits.
@meditrix
Interesting! Do you think the work-life balance is better too? Agencies can get pretty hectic.
esleystanley said:
@meditrix
Interesting! Do you think the work-life balance is better too? Agencies can get pretty hectic.
Yeah, for sure! There’s definitely more stability in terms of hours. Agencies tend to have tight deadlines and late nights, but in-house, you’re not tracking every single hour.
@meditrix
But does it ever get boring though? I like the variety of clients at an agency, so I wonder if I’d miss that in-house.
PhantomRift said:
@meditrix
But does it ever get boring though? I like the variety of clients at an agency, so I wonder if I’d miss that in-house.
It can feel slower, yeah, but you’re still dealing with a lot of different projects. Plus, if you’re at a big company, you’ll get pulled in a million directions anyway. So, boredom? Not really a thing for me!
I’d recommend figuring out whether you prefer being a manager or an individual contributor. In-house, you often have the choice to either lead a team or focus on executing projects yourself. I’ve been a manager, and it’s more about supporting your team than doing SEO work yourself.
@Amy
That’s a good point. I’m more of a hands-on person, so the individual contributor path sounds more appealing. Do you get to stay involved in the actual SEO work that way?
Miltan3 said:
@Amy
That’s a good point. I’m more of a hands-on person, so the individual contributor path sounds more appealing. Do you get to stay involved in the actual SEO work that way?
Absolutely. You get to stay in the weeds of the projects, solving challenges and being creative. But if you’re leading a team, your role shifts to managing people, which can be rewarding in a different way.
One of the key challenges for me in-house has been navigating all the internal systems and teams. It’s easy to get pulled in different directions with multiple projects, and SEO sometimes takes a back seat if the company doesn’t fully understand its importance.
@Sadie
How do you deal with that? Do you just have to push harder to show the value of SEO?
EmmanuelBrown said:
@Sadie
How do you deal with that? Do you just have to push harder to show the value of SEO?
Yep, exactly. You really need strong soft skills—communicating with other departments and showing how SEO benefits them. I find that aligning SEO goals with the company’s larger goals helps get more buy-in.
If you’re transitioning from an agency, make sure to network within the company and build relationships. Being in-house means you need people across the company to support your efforts, whether it’s content, development, or product teams.
@Harvey
That makes sense. How do you even get started with that? I’m more used to working with external clients than internal teams.
LillyGrace said:
@Harvey
That makes sense. How do you even get started with that? I’m more used to working with external clients than internal teams.
Start with the basics—attend company events, host SEO workshops, and set up regular meetings with key teams. It’s all about making connections and showing how SEO can help them meet their goals. Once they see the value, it’s easier to collaborate.
@Harvey
Oh yeah, I’ve done lunch-and-learns with the dev team to get them on board with SEO projects. Worked like a charm. You can’t do SEO in a silo, especially in-house.