If you’re in the digital agency business, odds are, white label SEO is on your radar.
Growing your slice of the $240 billion SEO pie is a business imperative — do it, or lose out to the competition. Yet every agency owner knows, finding talent is hard.
How do you scale when you’re maxed out and resources are hard to come by?
You’re already exploring the answer: white label SEO.
It’s a powerful agency growth strategy that’s highly underutilized and often misunderstood.
This article pulls back the curtain on how integrating white label SEO can be a master move for your agency. We’ll dispel the myths around what white label SEO actually is, when to use it (and when not to), its pros and cons, and much more.
Let’s dive in to discover how your agency can punch above its (current) weight class.
But first…
What is White Label SEO, Anyway?
White label SEO is an arrangement in which one business renders an SEO service and another resells it under their own brand name. The former is the white label SEO agency; the latter, an SEO reseller.
The end client needn’t know anything about your white label supplier, if you don’t want to disclose that detail.
So, how does white label SEO work, exactly?
White Label SEO vs Traditional SEO
White label SEO diverges from traditional SEO by its very nature of being a resellable service. Traditional SEO is typically in-house or openly outsourced, clearly tied to the service provider.
White label SEO, however, is covert; it’s your label on a service fulfilled by someone else. This allows your agency to offer SEO services without the client knowing you’re not the one doing the nitty-gritty.
Ethically, this is no different from buying a gadget from Apple, Sony, LG, or any of the other electronics giants — they’re usually not the ones actually making the product, but they guarantee the quality.
This allows them to focus on their strengths, like brand-building or research and development, leaving the actual assembly to factories that specialize in manufacturing.
Likewise, the strategic role of white label SEO lies in its capacity to facilitate agency growth. It’s about leveraging external expertise to fill in the gaps in your service portfolio.
It enables you to say ‘yes’ to more clients and projects, broadening your market reach without the immediate need to hire more staff or acquire new technical capabilities.
White Label SEO Agency vs. White Label SEO Software
When it comes to operationalizing white label SEO, agencies have two primary avenues: partner with a white label SEO agency or use white label SEO software.
A white label SEO agency is a third-party provider that manages the SEO workload but stays out of the spotlight, allowing you to brand the outcomes as your own. They’re the backstage crew that powers your front-stage performance.
On the other hand, white label SEO software offers a different toolkit. These tools offer you the option of automating and speeding up various tasks, executing SEO tasks internally.
Choosing between an agency and software is a strategic decision that hinges on several factors, such as:
- Your agency’s current and projected capacity to manage SEO projects.
- The level of expertise your team possesses or is willing to develop.
- The volume and complexity of SEO services your clients require.
- Your preference for control over the SEO process versus ease and convenience.
Each model has its merits, but the choice boils down to aligning with your agency’s operational style, growth ambitions, and the value you wish to deliver to your clients.
Challenges and Strategic Considerations
Integrating white label SEO into your agency’s offerings does come with its own set of considerations.
There’s the challenge of finding a reliable partner whose quality of work meets your standards. Then, the task of integrating their services into your workflow without a hitch. And, of course, there’s the perpetual balance of managing margins to ensure profitability.
Other considerations include due diligence on potential partners, understanding the scalability of their services, and assessing how white label SEO fits into your long-term agency growth strategy.
It’s about making an informed choice that positions your agency to take advantage of new opportunities without compromising on quality or client satisfaction.
Pros and Cons of DIY vs ‘Done for You’ White Label SEO
Navigating the nuances of ‘Done For You’ white label SEO services means peeling back the layers to reveal both the shiny benefits and the potential sticky points.
On one hand, a good agency puts a treasure trove of expertise at your disposal. This does require that you hand over some degree of control. Evaluating that your white label provider will actually deliver on time and to your standard becomes critical.
With DIY white label SEO software, you take the wheel with both hands. But scalability can be a problem with this approach. As your client list grows, your team’s bandwidth needs to keep pace.
You’ll need to invest not just money, but time — to learn the ropes, train your team, and to stay on top of the ever-spinning SEO carousel. And let’s not forget resources. Software might not require sleep, but it does need constant updates, management, and a savvy operator at the helm.
This is where working with a white label SEO provider like SparkLaunch gives you an edge in scaling up (or down) to meet demand without traditional overheads or contracts.
Typical Workflow to Use White Label SEO Services
1. Client acquisition and onboarding
You acquire clients and on-board them at your agency, under your brand. Then, you communicate your clients’ needs and objectives to your white label provider.
2. Strategy and execution
Depending on the level of engagement you need, the white label provider then either takes care of purely execution, such as audits and improvements and technical reports, or formulates an entire SEO strategy tailored to your client’s goals. All under your brand name, of course.
The scope of white label SEO management can include on-page optimization (like content creation, meta tags optimization), off-page activities (like link building), and technical SEO (like improving site speed and mobile responsiveness).
3. Monitoring and reporting
The provider continuously monitors the SEO campaign’s performance using analytics and SEO tools. They provide regular reports to your agency, under your own branding.
4. Feedback and iteration
Based on feedback from the reselling agency and ongoing performance data, the white label provider tweaks and adjusts the strategy for continuous improvement.
How to Choose a White Label SEO Agency
The challenges in implementing white label SEO often lie in the harmony between your agency and the white label provider. Syncing up processes, ensuring consistent quality, and maintaining a seamless brand voice are key priorities.
Finding the right provider who aligns with your agency’s mission and operational style requires diligence when selecting a white label partner. They have to hit the right notes with your brand’s identity and values.
Streamline your selection process with our FREE, user-friendly white label SEO agency selection wizard. This practical tool simplifies the task of evaluating potential white label SEO providers, saving you time and enhancing your decision-making with:
- Detailed Metrics: Precisely assess 16 different aspects of white label SEO services, including technical acumen and customization ability, using a simple yet effective 7-point rating scale.
- Customized Evaluation: Tailor the importance of each SEO service aspect to match your agency’s specific needs, ensuring your selection criteria are perfectly aligned with your goals.
- Direct Comparisons: Place prospective SEO partners side by side for a transparent comparison that’s instantly visual, allowing for a clear view of how they measure up.
- Efficient Analysis: Automate the scoring process to swiftly calculate and visualize potential providers’ strengths and weaknesses, without getting bogged down in manual computations.
