SEO is a long-term marketing strategy, often taking several months to deliver a good return on investment.
In the short term therefore, the investment on SEO can seem large in comparison with the results.
So in this article, we go over the advantages and disadvantages of SEO, to help you make an informed decision on where SEO fits within your broader marketing strategy (alongside activities offering a quicker return for example).
Disadvantages
As with most things in business, but specifically SEO, your work is never done. With the constant changes to Google’s algorithms, you and your team will be needing to trial and error more than anyone would care to admit. There will be times when you think you hit the nail on the head with the blog topic, only to discover a few days later that Google really didn’t appreciate it quite the same way that you did.
SEO is not a new game, and there will be plenty of competition for every player. Large amounts of competition and a small budget will ultimately result in companies taking years to catch up – good news if you’re the one that’s in the lead, not so good if this is all a new venture for you.
And finally, SEO is a long-term play game with few short term wins, especially if you’re up against a large number of competitors in a mature market. If you’re looking for a strategy to bring in sales with little effort, time, and money then an SEO journey is really not what you’re looking for. It is a known fact amongst the industry that it will take at least four to twelve months to start seeing the rewards from all your efforts. We know that we can sometimes bring results within 1-2 months in low competition scenarios, but typically the journey to high levels of ROI is longer than that.
But before you decide SEO is not the right fit for you, let’s take a look at the advantages of SEO…
Advantages
With all your hard work, there will come lasting results. Once you’ve done your work and established your rightful place at the top of page 1, you can reduce your monthly spend to a maintenance rate, but still see no drop in your website performance. While there will be times you will need to blast out some additional work on your website to keep up with constantly changing Google algorithms, the back of the job is broken.
Word of mouth referrals are great for every company, and they help to bring you influence in your market. However, there’s still a large network of potential clients that you will never be able to reach this way. That’s where SEO comes into play. Whether on a regional or international level, your website can dramatically boost the number of people who interact with your business.
For all this hard work, everyone wants to be rewarded with a high return on investment (ROI), and if you and your team get your SEO done well, that’s exactly what you’ll be treated with. When a potential customer is searching for your product or service, it will generally mean that they are ready and willing to part with the cash – so get your website at the top of page one, and the chances of them converting into a client increase dramatically.
Author
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Founder and Visionary of UClimb Ltd In the dynamic world of digital marketing, Daniel Noakes stands out as a beacon of innovation and integrity. As the founder of UClimb Ltd in 2019, Daniel has carved a niche in the SEO industry, driven by a mission to provide results-focused services. His journey into the realm of SEO was catalysed by firsthand experiences with the darker aspects of the field, including black hat SEO tactics and agencies that failed to deliver true value. These challenges, faced in his previous business endeavours, ignited a passion in Daniel to redefine the SEO landscape. Daniel's foray into in-house SEO was not just a choice but a necessity, leading him to uncover and refine the unique methodology that now forms the backbone of UClimb's core services. Under his guidance, UClimb has evolved from a mere SEO service provider into a holistic digital marketing agency. His visionary approach ensures that website creation and design are not just aesthetic pursuits but are intrinsically woven with SEO principles from the ground up. Daniel's LinkedIn Profile: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/danielnoakes1 As a leader, Daniel is committed to transparency and efficacy, qualities that are the cornerstone of UClimb Ltd. His expertise and dedication are not just about leading a successful agency; they are about elevating the standards of the SEO industry and delivering unparalleled value to clients.
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