Will SEO still be a relevant marketing strategy in the future?
With recent changes in internet usage, the future of SEO has become an industry topic regarding its legacy and importance moving forward.
For all business owners, this article will give you some ideas of how vital a well-constructed SEO strategy really is, especially in 2022.
With internet usage going through the roof during COVID-19 and lockdowns, many experts predicted that usage would return to pre-2020 levels, but they haven’t.
Deciphering your SEO strategy is difficult if you are a small to medium-sized business (SME) so finding a well-rated SEO agency is a good starting point.
So is SEO a Good Investment?
As any business owner will know, it all depends on your return on investment (ROI), your ability to handle an influx of inbound needs and your goals and objectives. If inbound leads and increased sales are your objectives, SEO and an intelligent SEO strategy are what you need.
Suppose you are already engaged in SEO and not seeing results. In that case, it’s time to hit the reset button and have a second opinion.
In this article, we will look to cover the basics and get you thinking about where you want to be by the end of this fiscal year.
What is SEO?
Search engine optimisation (SEO) optimises all aspects of your website to get your rankings higher on the search engine results pages (SERPs).
As you may well know, being on page two, three or lower for your keywords and search terms is simply not going to get you where you need to be. Page one is the equivalent of being in the top leagues in the sporting world. It’s everything, and here is where SEO comes in by optimising your website and playing towards what Google (especially) wants. Over time, you will start to gather momentum and raise yourself to get a portion of those searches and people talking about your business.
Google changes its algorithm throughout the year every year, but occasionally there are significant changes; this is where working with a savvy SEO agency will benefit you.
What are the Benefits of SEO?
There are many:
- Increasing traffic: This is your primary target to get more clicks gives you a chance if your website has the suitable composition to gain inbound leads and enquiries.
- Increasing Leads: SEO will position you to do so. However, you can’t just rely on clicks; the website that your SEO strategy and SEO agency will focus on is using it to help convert.
- Increasing your ROI: – It’s not rocket science. If your SEO campaign is on-point, your ROI will follow, and once you gain momentum, it will be at a lower cost than any other form of marketing.
So, Is SEO Worth it?
Organic SEO is no quick fix, it is an investment that will take time, but the benefits outweigh the anxiety we all have with any initial investments.
You always must keep the focus on inbound leads and conversion rates. If you have aligned yourself with a reputable SEO agency, this will be their focus as they will also want you as a client for the long term. Why go through all of this process to have a client for six months when you could be with them for life?
If you are an e-Commerce business, for example, a clothing store, ensuring that each item is tagged correctly for purchase is vital; this includes the aligned keywords.
A B2B company focusing on creative and innovative blogs and getting your SEO partners to ensure they are optimised would help you enormously.
How Much Should I Pay for SEO?
Given that SEO is a longer-term commitment, you have to consider your budget not just for 2022 but beyond.
Again this is where you need help and advice from a respected SEO company. Be open and discuss your business clearly, and be honest with them to ensure they can manage your expectations. Therefore advise you on the best way to increase your inbound leads. Then, you can be in a position to improve your SEO spending and take you to another level.
What About My Niche?
I must be clear that with SEO, there is NO one-size-fits-all solution out there. Even if you are in the same high street and same industry, every business is different. What works for them, given what they sell and what product lines they have and have contracts in place for, doesn’t mean that it is the same for you.
What to look for when working with an SEO agency is if they have worked with other companies in your sector. This will give you a huge advantage as they will know precisely where to reach for backlinks, what directories to get you listed on, and quickly devise a plan and start making progress.
SUMMARY
The future of SEO is going nowhere. It is a vital cog in the wheel for all businesses and e-Commerce platforms for the foreseeable future. Will we see changes? YES, of course, but the internet is now a train that won’t stop. More people than ever are looking at the internet for services they would never have searched for before the global pandemic. If you set your goals and stick to them, align yourself with experts in this field, you will succeed. I sincerely hope this has allayed any concerns or fears you have about investing in SEO. It is the world’s number one marketing tool. Good luck this year and in the future.