Many business owners ask the common question, “Do I need SEO?” When I’m asked, I’m likely to recite any of the following.
- Because the internet demands you sync it with other online/offline marketing initiatives. What are you missing if you spend $1m for a Super Bowl commercial about a monkey jumping out of a car trunk and beating up a thief if you can’t find “monkey super bowl commercial” in Google?
- Because the ROI of SEO is that you’ll be around in a year. Sound like hype? Well, you’re competitors who are heavily focusing on SEO hope you take it that way.
- Because what a user sees and what a spider sees can be very different. Google has a sixth grade education, and you may not be teaching them anything in a language they can understand.
- Because you’re only rock stars in your own mind.
- Because if I see your listing in the top 5, and it looks like cheap promotion to me, I’ll skip.
- Because your paid search quality score will likely improve. Maybe you could actually afford bidding on those non-brand terms and introducing your site to brand agnostic visitors. Remember advertising?
- Because Google owns your site, not you. This goes for even the biggest brands. Think about it – even if someone knows your URL, they’re still probably going to type it into Google to find you for the first time (check your analytics). It would be a damn shame if you didn’t show up.
- Because without SEO, you won’t know the missed opportunities. Search is a function of demand. With a little R&D, you’ll be able to not only develop functioning landing pages, but create products. Remember marketing?
- A fuller semantic web is the future of SEO, and I don’t mean just mean programmatically. Semantic indexing! I personally believe the hype, and I write for it. I think it at least helps my readers, so that’s a good thing.
- Because SEO bloggers need something more substantial to write about over, and over, and over again.
In the meantime I’m working on a case study with a family member’s family law office in Reading, PA. Should have some data soon to really show the before and after of a 6 month SEO campaign. So far it’s pretty compelling.
Bill Sebald - Ex-big agency guy, now focused on helping small and medium sized business. I've been practicing SEO since 1998. I started the SEO practice at a major digital agency owned by eBay and helped develop SEO products for one of the largest ecommerce platforms. I'm a proud member of the Philadelphia SEO scene. I'm passionate about search, writing, UX, CRO, and psychology in marketing.
Cijo Abraham Mani
It is important to study how people search about your brand/product. A successful SEO campaign can only be gained by a successful keyword research. If your product/service is a local one then it is highly important for your SEO professional’s to update his local search optimisation skills.
Cijo Abraham Mani
It is important to study how people search about your brand/product. A successful SEO campaign can only be gained by a successful keyword research. If your product/service is a local one then it is highly important for your SEO professional’s to update his local search optimisation skills.
lansing movers
There really are a lot of good reasons why SEO is worthwhile. For me, the “opportunities” one is most important. Many people don’t realize the opportunities they’re missing by not actively optimizing.
lansing movers
There really are a lot of good reasons why SEO is worthwhile. For me, the “opportunities” one is most important. Many people don’t realize the opportunities they’re missing by not actively optimizing.
Jim Caruthers
Do I need SEO? Yes, apparently after reading this, I realize I need it more than I thought. Thanks for the insight.
Jim Caruthers
Do I need SEO? Yes, apparently after reading this, I realize I need it more than I thought. Thanks for the insight.