With the diversity of options that digital advertising has created, one may question if SEO is still worth it in this current day and age? SEO involves applying relevant tactics such as link building, keyword research, page markups, and content optimization to your website so that it can get more organic traffic and rank better on search engines. It is every business owner’s dream to appear among the top organic search results, preferably on the first page as this position drives great traffic and exposure to a business’s website.
Despite the period it may take to see results, SEO is very important to any business that wishes to get consistent and rising traffic that could convert to leads or sales.
Alternatives To SEO
Apart from SEO, there are several other different digital marketing strategies that a business may use to create awareness and drive traffic to its website. The second major model after SEO is PPC or also known as Pay Per Click marketing. Others include Social Media Marketing, (SMM), Facebook Ads, Social Media Posts, Instagram Ads, and Content Marketing using platforms such as Youtube and Blogs.
Beanstalk Growth Marketing is a digital business development and marketing firm that has the expertise to execute any advertising model suitable for your individual business needs and deliver optimum results. We believe in customizing any given model and creating solutions that will boost the growth of your brand.
PPC As A Digital Marketing Model
PPC is a digital advertising model of generating traffic to a site using Google Adwords or other paid platforms. The process involves paying for each click that leads a user to the site. Normally the Google SERP (search engine result platform) highlights the first three ad results that show up on the search engine. The PPC results appear above the top 10 organic search results which yield to be effective in driving traffic and getting wider visibility. Although it can be very effective, PPC may turn out to be very costly in the long run and there are also a number of things to consider before running any PPC campaign.
Advantages Of SEO
- Cost-Efficient In The Long Run.
Although the initial process of SEO does take an investment, once time and effort are put in and results are achieved, it is earned exposure, and unlike PPC marketing, your results do not simply disappear once you stop doing SEO.
- Long Term Results.
If the SEO of your site is done well, you stand to reap the lead benefits for months or years to come, depending on how competitive your industry may be.
- Ongoing lead generation.
Unlike PPC which limits you to a period (monthly) to get leads, SEO offers you a longer period of leads. There are a number of ways for a marketing firm to figure out how competitive your industry may be so that you understand what may be involved in finding you qualified leads.
- Organic search results are trusted more than PPC results.
- High Click rate. SEO increases the click rate of a site.
Disadvantages Of SEO
Just like everything else, SEO has its own share of disadvantages. They include:
- Time consumption.
Takes time to launch and get results. SEO involves in-depth planning and meticulous execution of strategies and because of this, realistic results may take around 6 -10 months to begin showing.
- Implications of Algorithm Changes.
Being the major search engine, Google negatively affects many websites when they change or update their algorithm. In this case, you may find your website loses its ranking power each time these changes or updates take place. To avoid this, get a professional SEO agency that will commit to a strategy that will maintain your ranking.
- Penalties.
Google gives penalties to sites that employ restricted strategies to gain traffic and better ranking. When looking for an agency to conduct your SEO properly, you need to ensure that your SEO partner is updated on the current digital regulations concerning your site.
- Initial Start-Up Costs
Although SEO can produce some amazing results for your business, it should be noted that in order to deliver these results, there does need to be an initial investment made by a business. This investment should go towards the creation of content, page markups, Blogs, Citations & Profiles, Link Building, Backlinks, and much more. It is only when conducting all of these different strategies that you will see a tremendous boost in your SEO results.
So, Is SEO Really Worth It?
Yes, it is! Organic traffic is always worth every effort and minute spent running an SEO campaign. It will take time and effort before you start reaping the benefits, but rest assured that SEO is a trusted and sure way of not only improving your ranking but also delivering the results your clients may be looking for in a much more efficient manner. One visitor to your website is of great value and the best thing about SEO is that each visitor is free.
Depending on your business, PPC campaigns may also be crucial for your growth but for sustained growth make sure you align your marketing operations with appropriate SEO strategies. In some instances, a combination of the two models will prove to be powerful and efficient in achieving the set business goals.
Here at Beanstalk Growth Marketing, we believe that what works for a business will largely depend on its unique needs and goals and that is why we conduct a FREE SEO Audit so that our clients understand the requirements involved before undertaking their SEO journey.
Time To Get A Better Ranking For Your Business
It is never too late to get started on an effective SEO plan or find out if your business may benefit from SEO services. Beanstalk Growth Marketing has got your back and will help you get great value from your SEO investment. Reach out to us today and find out more about how our comprehensive SEO services will increase your traffic and sales.
