SEO consultant or SEO agency: which should you hire, and how do you judge either?
When an owner decides search needs fixing, the next question is who should fix it. A search for "SEO consultant" and a search for "SEO agency" return similar-looking websites making similar promises. They are different purchases.
Here is how I'd choose between them, and how to judge either once you've hired one.
What you're actually buying
An SEO consultant sells judgment. You pay for someone experienced to look at your site, your competitors and your market, and tell you what is holding you back and what to fix first. The output is a diagnosis and a plan, and sometimes the hands-on work too.
An SEO agency sells capacity. You pay for a team that writes content, builds links, manages listings and handles technical changes every month. The output is a steady flow of work.
Neither is better. They answer different questions. A consultant answers "what should we do?" An agency answers "who will do it?"
| SEO consultant | SEO agency | |
|---|---|---|
| You pay for | Diagnosis, direction, senior judgment | Ongoing execution by a team |
| Typical pricing | Hourly, or a fixed audit or project | A monthly retainer |
| Best when | You don't know why search isn't working | You know what to do and lack the people |
| Who you talk to | Usually the expert doing the thinking | Often an account manager |
| Main risk | You still need someone to carry out the plan | Months of activity with no line to revenue |
When a consultant is the right first hire
Start with a consultant if any of these sound familiar: traffic is flat and nobody can say why, you're paying an agency and can't tell whether it's working, or your competitors appear in Google's AI Overviews and ChatGPT while you don't.
In each case, the problem is not a shortage of effort. It's a shortage of diagnosis. More content from a team that hasn't found the real issue only adds cost.
A good consultant should also tell you when you don't need them, or don't need SEO at all. Sometimes the honest answer is that the website is fine and the real leak is slow follow-up on enquiries.
When an agency is the right hire
Hire an agency when the plan is clear and the work is steady: a content calendar, ongoing local listings, regular technical upkeep, outreach. A capable agency does this more cheaply and consistently than an owner fitting it in at night.
The best agencies welcome a clear brief. The weakest ones prefer vague goals, because vague goals can't be missed.
The setup that works for most small businesses
For many owners the best arrangement is both, with clear roles. The consultant sets the strategy, defines what success means and reviews the agency's work against it. The agency does the work.
That way the people producing the work are not also the only people judging it. If you already have an agency and want a second opinion, that's one of the most common reasons owners book a paid hour with me.
How to judge either one
Whoever you hire, hold them to the same four tests.
They measured before they prescribed. A baseline of rankings, traffic, enquiries and, now, what AI systems say about you.
Reports start with business results. Calls, form fills, bookings or sales come first. Impressions and keyword counts come after, if at all.
They cover AI search. Customers now ask ChatGPT and Google's AI who to hire. An SEO plan that ignores that is already out of date. See SEO vs LLMO.
They say what they can't promise. No one can honestly guarantee a first-page ranking or an AI mention.
If your current provider fails these, my article My Marketing Agency Isn't Delivering Results covers what to do next.
Common questions
What does an SEO consultant do?
An SEO consultant finds out why a business isn't being found in search and sets the plan to fix it: technical problems, weak local listings, content that doesn't answer what customers search for, and a lack of trusted links and mentions. Many, including me, now cover AI search as well as Google.
Is an SEO consultant cheaper than an SEO agency?
Usually, for the diagnosis, because you're paying for hours or a fixed project rather than a monthly team. My first 30-minute call is free and hourly consulting is $350 to $450. Over a year, the cheapest choice is whichever one stops you paying for the wrong work.
Can an SEO consultant manage my SEO agency?
Yes. Briefing the agency, reviewing its work against enquiries and recommending changes is one of the most useful things a consultant can do, and it costs far less than replacing the agency on a guess.
How do I know if my SEO agency is working?
Look for a line from their work to your enquiries or sales. If every report is about activity, such as posts published, links built and impressions, and none mentions customers, ask why. The agency check walks through the questions.
About the author. Siamak Kalhor is an AI marketing and LLMO consultant in Los Angeles with more than forty years of experience in marketing strategy. He advises professionals and e-commerce leaders on becoming the answer AI assistants give. Get in touch, or connect on LinkedIn.