Hiring a Marketing Agency vs. In-House: Costs, Pros & Cons
- Jorge Melo
- Nov 16
- 6 min read
By Jorge Melo
Introduction
Every business reaches a point where marketing needs to get serious. Maybe you’ve outgrown word-of-mouth, or your old website isn’t bringing in calls anymore. The big question becomes—should you hire an in-house marketer or partner with a marketing agency?
The short answer? For most small and mid-sized businesses—especially dental offices and service-based companies—a marketing agency delivers faster, more cost-effective results than hiring internally. The cost of a monthly marketing retainer is often less than what you pay your lowest-paid employee, and you gain an entire team of professionals instead of one person.
At J Melo Media, we’ve seen it firsthand. Our agency helped New England Tree & Landscape go from invisible online to dominating Google’s search results—ranking #1 for “hardscaping” and “lawn maintenance” in just weeks. That kind of growth is difficult for an internal marketer to achieve alone, no matter how dedicated they are.
Let’s break down the real numbers, the trade-offs, and what makes sense for your business.
Hiring a Marketing Agency vs. In-House: Costs, Pros & Cons
In-house SEO vs outsourcing: understanding the cost differences
Building an in-house marketing team gives you complete control, but it’s expensive. A single SEO specialist can cost $40,000 or more per year, not counting benefits, taxes, training, and software.
On the other hand, affordable SEO services for small businesses through an agency can start around $1,500–$3,000 per month, providing not one person but a full team handling SEO, copywriting, web design, and paid ads.
When you work with an SEO company like J Melo Media, your investment includes advanced tools, analytics, reporting dashboards, and ongoing campaign optimization—all bundled together.
For dental practices and other local businesses, outsourcing isn’t just cheaper—it’s smarter. Agencies already have the data, experience, and systems to launch campaigns quickly and make adjustments in real time.
Key factors influencing SEO costs
Several factors determine the cost of SEO services, whether you keep it in-house or outsource:
Project complexity – Technical website fixes, keyword targeting, and content creation all add layers of work.
Industry competitiveness – A dental clinic in Boston will have more competition than a landscaper in a small town, requiring a more aggressive strategy.
Timeline for results – If you want faster growth, expect higher costs. Agencies can scale resources more efficiently than an individual marketer.
Your website’s current condition – If your site hasn’t been optimized before, early investment is needed to build a foundation.
Comparing in-house SEO costs
Running marketing internally comes with hidden costs that go beyond salary:
Recruitment and onboarding take time and money.
Software licenses for SEO tools, analytics, and ads platforms add up.
Ongoing training is essential—algorithms and best practices change constantly.
Turnover risk—when your only marketer leaves, your marketing stops.
Is in-house SEO right for you?
If you’re a large dental network or a corporation with dedicated HR and IT support, building an in-house team might make sense. But for small and local businesses, it usually stretches your resources thin.
Hiring one in-house marketer means you’re getting one skill set—whereas an agency gives you SEO experts, designers, content creators, and ad specialists under one roof.
Analyzing professional SEO service fees
An experienced SEO agency in New Bedford, MA, or SEO agency in Boston, MA, will usually charge between $2,000 and $6,000 per month, depending on scope. That may sound like a lot—until you compare it to payroll.
Think of it this way: by the time you pay a full-time marketer’s salary, benefits, and taxes, you’re often spending over $4,000 per month. An agency does far more for less—and the results show up faster.
Is outsourcing right for you?
If your goal is to increase leads, improve Google rankings, and get a measurable return, outsourcing is almost always the right choice. J Melo Media’s clients routinely see double or triple their previous traffic within a few months.
Our process includes:
Full website audits and on-page SEO improvements
Keyword targeting for your local area
Monthly blog writing and backlink building
Transparent reporting meetings to review results
Balancing team size and expertise
An in-house hire may be skilled in content writing but not technical SEO. They may be great at social media but weak in analytics.
An agency brings a balanced team—strategists, copywriters, designers, SEO experts, and ad specialists working together. That’s how you get results that move your bottom line instead of just traffic numbers.
For many businesses, a hybrid approach works best: an internal employee manages brand communication while the agency executes SEO and performance marketing.
Making the right choice: factors to consider
When deciding between in-house marketing and hiring an agency, think about:
Budget: Can you afford a full-time marketer’s salary, or does a monthly retainer make more sense?
Goals: Do you need consistent lead generation or just someone posting on social media?
Time: Can you wait for a new hire to ramp up, or do you need results now?
Tools: Do you already have access to analytics and SEO platforms?
For most business owners—especially dentists and local service companies—partnering with a marketing agency offers the best ROI. It’s like having a full marketing department for the cost of one part-time employee.
Measuring ROI: the true cost of SEO
The real cost of SEO isn’t just money—it’s time. In-house teams often take months to find traction, while agencies hit the ground running with proven strategies.
J Melo Media measures ROI through:
Website traffic growth
Lead generation and form submissions
Revenue growth and call tracking
When your phone starts ringing with new patients or customers, you know the strategy is working.
Case study: how J Melo Media helped New England Tree & Landscape dominate Google
When New England Tree & Landscape came to J Melo Media, their old website was slow, outdated, and hosted by a provider charging over $200 a month—without doing any updates or SEO.
We rebuilt the site from scratch, making it modern, mobile-friendly, and SEO-optimized. We added local service pages, rewrote metadata, and began publishing eight blog posts per month focused on their services.
Within three months, their website traffic increased by over 200%, and they began ranking #1 for “hardscaping” and “lawn maintenance” in their service areas.
Now, New England Tree & Landscape regularly receives estimate requests from Google searches—and their owner says many clients mention finding them online.
That’s the difference between hiring an agency and going it alone.
Running Meta and Google Ads with performance marketing
Beyond SEO, J Melo Media runs sophisticated ad campaigns on Meta and Google designed for measurable results.
Our performance marketing approach focuses on:
Tracking leads and conversions through analytics
Optimizing ad spend to lower cost-per-lead
Designing landing pages that convert visitors into paying customers
For dentists, these ads can target patients by location, demographics, and interests, making every marketing dollar count. It’s not about impressions—it’s about appointments booked.
Partner with a trusted SEO agency
Whether you’re looking for local SEO services, full-scale website management, or performance-driven ad campaigns, J Melo Media provides affordable SEO services for
small businesses that outperform traditional in-house efforts.
We treat every brand like our own—researching your market, learning your goals, and executing a plan that drives real results.
If you’re a business owner ready to grow your reach, it’s time to partner with a team that delivers.
Visit our Services page to learn how we can help you grow.
FAQ: Marketing agencies and SEO
What is an SEO agency?
An SEO agency helps businesses improve visibility on search engines like Google by optimizing websites, creating content, and managing backlinks.
Will SEO be replaced by AI?
AI tools are changing how we create and analyze content, but SEO remains critical. AI can assist with keyword research and content ideas, but humans still need to interpret intent and strategy.
What is on-page SEO?
On-page SEO involves optimizing your website’s structure, titles, headings, and content to make it more understandable to search engines.
Is SEO still relevant in 2025?
Absolutely. Search continues to be a major driver of leads for dentists, contractors, and local businesses. The strategies evolve, but the goal—visibility—never changes.
How much does full-service SEO cost?
Depending on your market, most agencies charge $1,500–$6,000/month. Costs vary based on competition, goals, and content needs.
FAQ: About J Melo Media
What industries does J Melo Media specialize in?
We work with service-based businesses including dental offices, landscaping companies, cleaning services, and local contractors.
How do you measure success?
We track website traffic, leads, phone calls, and revenue growth. Our clients see measurable ROI, not just clicks.
Where are you located?
We’re based in Massachusetts and serve clients across New Bedford, Boston, and nearby areas.
Do you offer both SEO and ads?
Yes. We provide complete digital marketing—SEO, Google Ads, Meta Ads, and web design.
How do I get started?
Contact J Melo Media to schedule a consultation. We’ll audit your website and create a custom plan tailored to your goals.
Email us: Jorge@jmelomedia.com
Call/ text us: (508) 972-1223
Conclusion
For most small and local businesses, hiring an agency isn’t an expense—it’s an investment. It’s access to a full team of experts for less than the cost of hiring one employee.
Dentists, landscapers, and local service businesses thrive when their marketing is handled by professionals who know how to get real results. Whether you’re ready for a full digital overhaul or just need stronger local SEO, J Melo Media can help your business dominate search results—just like we did for New England Tree & Landscape.
Sources
Garitty, Owen. “Should You Hire an Agency or an In-House Marketer? How to Make the Right Choice.” Forbes, 13 Mar. 2023.
Scott, Charles. “Hiring a Marketing Agency vs. In-House: Costs, Pros & Cons.” ExpertBeacon, 15 Jan. 2025.
Carter, Emily. “In-House SEO vs. Outsourced SEO: Which Is Best?” SEO.com / WebFX, 6 May 2025.
Agile Digital Agency. “In-House SEO vs Outsourcing: Understanding the Cost Differences.” Agile Agency Blog, 11 Dec. 2024, updated 5 Feb. 2025.
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