Is SEO A Waste Of Money?
There is no clear-cut answer to the question – is SEO a waste of money, time, and effort? It entirely depends on how the procedure is being implemented and what strategies are being used.
First Of All, What Is SEO?
SEO stands for “Search Engine Optimisation.” It is the process of improving the ranking and quantity of web page traffic that comes to your site organically from a search engine.
In other words, SEO improves the visibility of a website in the SERPs (search engine results page) when people search for a term they are interested in finding more information about.
It Is Easy to Waste Money on SEO
If you do not have a clear strategy in place and know exactly what aspects of your business you want to boost to bring in the sales – you may be in for an expensive exercise.
A little knowledge goes a long way. Just picking a keyword out of the air with no research is not a good idea.
Buyer intent is essential in your targeted words.
Using those words effectively on your website and in your marketing strategy is imperative.
Targeting the right audience is also a large part of the exercise.
In other words, money can be spent very quickly and easily – but not generate any revenue.
SEO Can Be Effective And Therefore Worth The Money
On the other hand, if your SEO is working for you, you will reap the rewards of organic traffic for many years to come.
Once good on-page search engine optimisation is in place and doing what it should do, it can be a long-term benefit.
Organic traffic is free traffic. This is the ultimate goal of SEO.
Getting you found in search, reaching potential buyers, and making you money.
And is SEO still important? Very much so.
Without it you have no chance of competing with your competitors.
Recommended Reading: Importance Of Website Speed For Mobile
How Many Types of SEO Are There?
Search engine optimisation is divided into 3 different categories:
- Technical SEO
- On-page SEO
- Off-page SEO
These are described below as simply as possible.
All this can all seem a little overwhelming. But we have broken the concept of SEO down into its various elements and have tackled one section at a time.
Technical SEO
This practice ensures that a website fits the technical standards of search engines in order to increase organic rankings. Known as technical SEO the process includes crawling, indexing, rendering, and proper website construction.
This SEO should all be included in the development fee of your website. If these elements are not completed by your developer then your website will have difficulty gaining traction in the search results.
Not getting these aspects right on a website is definitely a waste of money. They are essential.
On-Page SEO
The process of optimising web pages for specific keywords to boost search visibility and traffic is known as on-page SEO.
It entails placing keywords into the page in specific positions. These include headings, title tags, content, and internal linking.
On-page SEO can be implemented at any time during your website’s life. The sooner the better is obviously best.
On-page is actually an ongoing process that should never stop. Your business evolves over time, keywords searched by users change and google algorithms update regularly too.
All these factors influence search engine optimisation rankings and need to be monitored and updated for effective ongoing results.
Getting this right will definitely help your website rank. Your niche, market, and quality of your website influence the amount of money you need to spend to achieve results.
Sometimes a few, simple changes can achieve visible results. Just increasing your site speed for example can help enormously.
Other times more work is needed on a long-term basis.
Off-Page SEO
Off-page SEO entails procedures that are conducted outside of the actual website. These aid the increase of the sites position in search rankings.
These steps assist in the creation of as many high-quality backlinks (incoming links) as possible.
Link building is frequently thought of as the most important off-page strategy. However, methods like content marketing, social networking, podcast appearances, reviews, local citations are vital.
This is a never-ending task. Keeping at it is the best way to achieve, keep and increase traffic to your website.
How much you want to spend does depend on your budget. But bear in mind, that doing all the above effectively will be money-saving.
Sometimes hiring a professional may save you money in the long run as well as get better results. This is preferable to dabbling yourself and being ineffective in your achievements.
Good And Bad SEO Practices
As in any industry, there will be good and bad practices being implemented.
Search engine optimisation is no different.
For example, some businesses offer backlinking services.
Be aware that this is often detrimental to your website as it is frowned upon by Google.
You are essentially manipulating your website profile by buying “likes” rather than letting them develop naturally.
What Are Good And Bad SEO Practices Called?
White Hat SEO
White hat SEO improves a website’s ranking on a search engine results page (SERP) by using recognised search engine optimisation techniques.
Organic search results are those that appear on search engines as a consequence of approved means rather than by paid methods or deceit.
Black Hat SEO
The technique of manipulating search engine results pages (SERPs) for higher rankings by going beyond search engine guidelines is called black hat SEO.
Marketers who are noticed by Google utilising black hat SEO practices may face:
- Google fines
- removal from search engines
- a full decline in metrics
When To Hire A Professional SEO Specialist
A professional SEO service requires a significant amount of effort and time.
The procedure is lengthy, and obtaining excellent results can take months. That’s the reason why SEO is so costly.
Quality is what Google is looking for these days. Unfortunately, you will not rank without it.
An SEO specialist will look at many aspects of your site to get it ranking. An overall good quality website that is well maintained with all your plugins up to date will make Google take note.
Get the whole story of your website correct. Meeting the many guidelines that Google requires ensures better results.
This is more beneficial than just choosing a keyword and marketing it to death.
If you would like to find out about putting SEO in to place on your website, contact Site Dynamix for a quote.
So Is SEO A Waste Of Money Or Not?
The value of SEO is difficult to measure. But is SEO worth the money?
Not everyone can be #1 – it is impossible.
But if you are seeing more sales, more traffic, and better conversions in the short and long term – then it has been worth the money you spent.
If you have not achieved results over time (SEO is not instant) then:
- change tactics
- put different ideas into effect
- hire a professional
The truth about SEO is that nothing is guaranteed – but it is still necessary.
Trial and error are mandatory in this arena.
