Cutting costs and keeping budgets in line is a crucial exercise for any business. That is why I’m never surprised when potential clients balk at the idea of ongoing SEO, or having to pay monthly for SEO.
But you will have optimised my website, why won’t that let me rank number one on Google?”
The short answer is this: If it were that simple to rank #1 on Google, everybody would be ranking #1 on Google.
The long answer is more in-depth, and if I have not given you a satisfactory answer just yet, keep reading.
Your Competitors Are Doing SEO
Simply put, if your competitors are doing SEO continuously and consistently, you will have to invest in SEO if you want to compete. Ongoing SEO will help you not only improve your own SEO but will also mean that your competitors are being monitored so that you know what you will have to do to compete.
Staying Updated With Search Trends
The way we use the internet is continuously changing. The way we use Google is also changing almost daily. Just a few years ago most Google searches were done via desktop computer. Now, 80% of Google searches are done via smartphone or some other mobile device. Part of an SEO’s job is to stay on top of search trends and adjust your SEO strategy accordingly.
It might be as simple as identifying a new keyword that you need to target with your SEO, but without ongoing SEO that would have been a missed opportunity.
Catching the Proverbial SEO Pawpaw Before it Hits The Fan
Google does dish out ranking penalties from time to time. Google also makes changes to their search algorithms daily. These penalties and algorithm changes can be devastating to your rankings and website traffic. An SEO’s job is to continuously monitor your rankings, website traffic, and search console to make sure nothing is done that will cost you rankings in the long run.
Essentially the fan is your business, Google penalties and algorithm changes is the pawpaw flying towards the fan, and ongoing SEO is the guy with a big old catcher’s mitt standing between the fan and the flying pawpaw. His job is to try and catch those pawpaws before they hit the fan and become a massive mess to clean up. Even in SEO, the adage is true: prevention is better than a cure.
Adding new, SEO-friendly, content to your site
Maybe you rank on Google for your brand and for a couple of keywords. Chances are that you can probably get much more traffic if you just ranked for more keywords and more common search phrases. What are those keywords and search phrases that you need to target with new SEO-optimised content on your site?
An SEO would be able to tell you after doing his / her keyword research. He would even be able to tell you what some of the relevant search phrases are that you can start targeting with new content on your website.
SEO is not an on-off switch
You can’t just turn SEO on and off. Much like many other healthy business functions, SEO is something that will be a permanent feature. The internet and Google are not going anywhere, just like taxes and payroll. Could you run a business without an accountant or an accounting department? Sure. Is it better to have an accountant continuously working on your finances so that you don’t go to jail when the tax man comes around? Absolutely.
The same applies to SEO and digital marketing in general. SEO is a long-term strategy, and the longer you work on it, the better the long-term results. The sooner you start working on your SEO the sooner you will start seeing results.
Ongoing SEO shouldn’t be a barrier to entry
More confused? Have you got more questions now than you did before? Luckily we have an SEO Specialist that we can’t get to stop talking about SEO. Please contact us to ask him some questions and give us some peace and quiet.