The location of your SEO company may be extremely important to you — or it may not be important at all. Before choosing a company to work with, you should carefully weight the benefits of choosing a local SEO company versus a national one.

Here are the advantages — and disadvantages — of choosing local services versus those offered by a company far away.

Choosing a Local Agency

In-person meetings with your internet marketing company can be extremely beneficial. Gathering together in the same room can facilitate fantastic discussion, lead to great ideas or brainstorming sessions, or just offer the opportunity to talk over important details and resolve potential complications before they even happen. Being able to visit your SEO provider can also give you a chance to see how they work, what their office is like, and how they plan on offering you the best service possible.

Be careful to avoid picking a company purely for the convenience factor, though. A local SEO company, especially one that is very small, may not be able to deliver the results you are looking for. Although distance can be a hassle, you shouldn’t settle for the closest company. Look for the right services and the right cost, and consider a short travel distance a perk — not the deciding factor.

When Distance Doesn’t Matter

Having the company that provides your SEO services in close proximity may not be important to you. After all, thanks to advances in technology, you can easily schedule phone calls or video conferences with your agency, and it may be as if they are right there with you anyway! Also, if the rest of your internet marketing is handled in-house, and your company of choice will only be responsible for optimization, you may not ever feel the need for an in-person meeting.

Sometimes, though, it is hard to deny the effectiveness of being able to meet with your account manager or SEO professional in person. It can be difficult to brainstorm over the phone, and important company meetings or gatherings may require the presence of your SEO partner. Flying one or more people in for these events can be very costly. If you foresee your agency’s presence being required at meetings frequently, you may want to switch gears and pick a local company instead.

Whether or not the company you choose is nearby is up to you. Your final decision on who to partner with for SEO should depend on a variety of factors, not just where they are located. Weigh all your options carefully before deciding who is the right partner for you.