Chances are that if you’re a small business owner, you’re fielding phone calls from people trying to sign you up to their SEO service on a regular basis. It can be overwhelming and it may seem like they’re speaking a different language, but that’s exactly why you should be signing up to one of these services.
The world of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is complicated, which is why there is a whole industry dedicated to it. And if you’re a dentist/lawyer/property manager you should be spending your time with patients/clients/tenants, not trying to juggle your SEO. Here’s why your small business needs an SEO service.
Why Small Businesses Need SEO Services
The Yellow Pages are Dead
Paying for an ad in a telephone book is as useful as flushing your money down the toilet. Except for a handful of Luddites and tech-averse geriatrics, everyone goes to the internet to find what they’re looking for. If you want potential clients to find you and your service, you need to have an online presence.
Now, think about your Googling history. When have you ever clicked the “next page” button? Very, very rarely, or, more likely, never. Now imagine your clients searching for the service that you provide. If you’re relegated to the back pages of the search results, those potential clients are not going to see you.
But do you know how to improve your search engine rankings?
Your Small Business Needs It
Improving Search Engine Rankings is A Complicated Art
Climbing your way to the top of the search results page is not an easy task. There’s not even a definite method of how to do it. Google is like Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory in the amount of mystery that it keeps its search processes shrouded in. They might throw out hints or vague statements as to how their bots work or what their ranking is based on, but they will never explain it straight up.
Various companies conduct studies to understand Search Engine Optimization better, and there’s a lot of very technical terms to wrap your head around to truly grasp it. Then there’s the matter of putting into practice. So unless you can take the time to study up on meta tags, black hat, alt text, and long tails (not to mention put them into practice), it’s best to leave it to a professional.
SEO is Always Changing
Like most professions, SEO isn’t static. You don’t just finish your law degree and know everything there is to know about law. It changes, and to stay on top the game you need to always be refreshing your knowledge.
SEO is the same, and if you enlist a true SEO professional they will keep their finger on the pulse for updates in the world of SEO, improve your site accordingly, and ultimately keep your site at the pointy end of the search results page.
Your Competitor is Doing It
Now, it’s not always advisable to follow the crowd in everything in life, but this is one of those times that if you don’t, you’ll be left eating their dust.
It’s naïve to think that your competitors haven’t got an SEO service working for exactly the same purpose as yours. The bar has been lifted. Even if your website was at the top of the results page last year, it won’t remain there for long. Your SEO service will keep the ball rolling and maintain your good search ranking. To not do this is like handing your competitor business.
The Return On Investment is Worth It
It’s not something to jump into lightly, but it’s something you have to jump into or you’ll be left out in the cold. Find an SEO service who understand the needs of your business and know what they’re talking about.
The monthly fee you’ll pay to your SEO service will keep organic traffic flowing to your website and is an essential part of a long term marketing plan. The return for investment will be greater than any full page color ad you ever took out in the Yellow Pages.
