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If I were in your shoes, I’d think of SEO in “layers”:
DIY layer (you can absolutely handle):
– On-page basics (titles, meta, structure, internal links).
– Content creation (service/location pages + blogs).
– Consistent NAP + review strategy.
Specialist layer (where hiring pays off):
– Backlinks: Not just random guest posts, but hyper-local links (chambers of commerce, senior living associations, healthcare directories). That’s tough to DIY unless you’ve got the network.
– Technical SEO: Site speed, schema markup, crawl budget optimization – the stuff that doesn’t show until you fix it.
– Analytics setup: Making sure you’re not just tracking “traffic,” but conversions that tie back to business outcomes (calls, form fills, booked consultations).What usually works best is a hybrid approach: you keep control of content + brand voice (since you know your clients best), but bring in someone who’s already solved the backlink/technical puzzle for service-based local businesses. That way, you’re not paying agency overhead for things you can already do well.
Retainers make sense if you want ongoing authority building (links, content promotion, continuous optimization). A one-time overhaul works if your site just needs to be set up correctly and then you can run with it. For most home-service businesses, I’ve seen the best ROI when they do one solid technical + local SEO foundation project, then keep a smaller monthly budget for link building and local signals.
In your case (longstanding business + competitive local market), you’re sitting on a strong brand that just needs the right scaffolding to scale. If you can pair that with PPC, you’ll cover both short-term demand and long-term compounding growth.
Happy to share how I’d approach it step-by-step for a company like yours if you want to swap notes.
