First of all, an SEO agency will not necessarily be more competent than an SEO consultant (and vice versa). However, the main advantage of working through an freelance SEO consultant is the cost of the latter. In most cases, an agency will charge higher rates, as it has more expenses than a freelancer (premises, communication costs, etc.). Another advantage is that the SEO consultant will offer you more proximity than an agency. You will be able to ask more questions and get answers more quickly as you will only have one contact for your project. 

While most people are familiar with the concept of SEO, not so many understand how search engine optimization actually works. There was a time when optimising your content for search engines was fairly simple and could be mastered by almost anyone. As search engine algorithms become more sophisticated and continually change, the need to hire an SEO expert becomes more and more necessary. Improving search engine visibility can have a significant impact on website traffic, brand image and revenue. 

As opposed to a marketing strategy like pay-per-click (PPC) advertising that works almost instantly, SEO campaigns can take some time to produce results. This means that you won't see your website rise to the top of the rankings the same day you implement SEO. You won't see customers flooding your storefront, and your revenue won't increase in the first week of implementing your campaign. Instead, you can expect to wait about six months before you start seeing results. These results go beyond rankings, too. However, since every site is different, this time can obviously be shorter.

As with all service providers, the price of an SEO consultant varies according to the time required to complete the SEO assignment. Depending on your needs, the SEO consultant will provide you with a quote based on the estimated workload. A minimum commitment of 6 months is generally required for SEO services. Search engine results are obtained within this contractual time commitment.