Article
Penguin Team4 min read
Adding a Channel Without Hiring: A Guide for Four Types of Agency
TL;DR The right use of a white label partner depends on what your agency already does well. Web agencies can add SEO to what they build, SEO agencies can add PPC, PPC agencies can add SEO, and full-service agencies can add capacity to what they already sell. Adding a channel you don't run usually means the Growth Partner model; adding capacity to a channel you already run usually means Execution Partner.
Web development agencies: adding SEO
You build the site, and clients ask whether it will rank. A launch is a project; SEO is monthly. White label SEO lets you offer an ongoing service after launch without hiring an SEO specialist.
Where to start: a setup package (an audit plus first on-page fixes), sold as a post-launch package, then monthly management. The usual model is Growth Partner, because you do not have SEO expertise in-house.
What to watch: some SEO fixes need developer time. Technical fixes are priced separately, from $400, so agree upfront who implements them, your developers or the provider's.
SEO agencies: adding PPC
Your clients hit the ceiling of organic growth, or they want results sooner than SEO delivers them. Paid traffic gives faster feedback. Start with one platform, usually Google Ads, and add a second later using the 50% setup discount.
The usual model is Growth Partner for PPC, because paid media is a different skill set. What to watch: your reporting should show both channels together, so ask the provider to report in the same template you already use.
PPC agencies: adding SEO
You run ads, and your clients depend on ad spend to keep results coming. Organic search reduces that dependency over time. Start with a setup package, an audit plus first on-page fixes, and move to management once the first cycle proves the process.
The usual model is Growth Partner for SEO, while you keep PPC in-house. What to watch: timelines. Competitive keywords typically move over 3–6 months, so set expectations with your client before the first invoice.
Full-service agencies: scaling delivery
You already sell everything, and capacity is the bottleneck. Here the Execution Partner model fits: you keep strategy and the client relationship, and hand off the execution queue.
What to watch: scope. The clearer each task is, the faster delivery runs. Agree one point of contact on your side for approvals, so tasks do not wait on a committee.
How to pick your first step
- One channel, one client, one package. Do not start with everything at once.
- Judge the first cycle on communication, deadline, quality, and how close the result was to ready to send.
- Add the second channel or the second client once the first is running smoothly.
Have a client ready to launch? Start with a scoped setup. Need ongoing optimisation? Compare monthly management packages and share the client’s platform, market and budget.
