Unearthing the Truth: Are Monthly SEO Services Worth the Investment?
Let's first delve into the world of Digital Marketing to grasp the full essence of SEO. The uprise of digital marketing gave traditional marketing mediums such as TV and Print a run for their money. Successful platforms like Amazon triumphed while former retail giants like Sears and Toys R Us tasted defeat. We've seen newspapers and magazines fall out of favor, replaced by YouTube and Google. Socializing moved from scrapbooking to Facebooking. And phonebooks? Who uses them nowadays? It's crystal clear - digital marketing is a crucial cog in every business owner's wheel. Your website is often your potential customers' first point of contact with you.
Amazon may not be the internet's crowning achievement, but it is undeniably one of its most impressive masterpieces. Amazon stands as the 7th largest retailer worldwide without a physical storefront, edging past Walmart to secure a spot among companies with the largest market capitalization.
Search marketing, social media, display advertising, and email marketing form the pillars of digital marketing channels. Interestingly enough, digital marketing budgets have already surpassed TV advertising expenditure in 2017. And who rules this kingdom? Search engines do.
Search engines churn out roughly 200 billion searches per month (source: SEO.com). By 2019, search engine users would have crossed over 236,000,000 in the USA alone. Marketers are flocking to increase their organic presence online - it's their topmost ambition. Approximately 72% mobile users who looked for a local store online ended up visiting it physically. Social media merely drives an average of 3% website traffic whereas search engines lead the pack, driving most online-based sales and website visits.
We've established that (1) digital marketing has outpaced TV and other channels and (2) search engines are kings of digital marketing sales. This implies that search engine marketing is indispensable for every robust marketing strategy. And within this space, there are two kinds: sponsored search or PPC, and organic search or SEO. The latter trumps the former both in terms of cost-effectiveness and ROI when executed correctly.
When pondering over "Is it worth investing in monthly SEO services?" you ought to consider the potential loss if your business isn't indexed by search engines. Traffic driven by searches takes second place only after referrals, pushing your offerings to interested customers at their moment of intent. This makes SEO a no-brainer investment for any savvy marketer. With millions of people searching millions of items daily, you're looking at a high sales conversion ratio.
One might wonder if a one-time effort in SEO would suffice rather than a long-term commitment. But remember, SEO is not a sprint; it's a marathon. Websites don't jump from rank #1000 on Google to #1 overnight. It takes time to win over search engine trust. With over 500 updates each year and 200+ 'signals' dictating website rankings, Google's algorithm changes faster than quicksilver! Ongoing SEO efforts are essential as the landscape constantly shifts underfoot, often dramatically different from what it was just three years ago! A single company might not sustain an isolated SEO project forever but beware - your competitors certainly won't halt their efforts! An abrupt stop in your SEO journey isn't advisable - your business stands threatened if you drop this powerful marketing tool prematurely.
Beware of subpar SEO companies - some are blatantly exploitative while others suffer from sheer incompetence despite having sound theoretical knowledge. When scouting for an SEO company, take your time. Look for proven track records, not just smooth-talking salespeople. Ensure the company is competent, ethical, and easy on the pocket.