Honestly, there's no magic bullet here. If you've got enough work to keep a senior SEO fully immersed in your brand, in-house wins every time. but most SMBs? They need someone who can juggle SEO, paid, reporting, and actually close leads. With agencies, the real test is asking how they decide what to prioritize, who's actually touching your account, and whether they can explain how SEO ties to revenue without sounding like a used car salesman.
