What is SEO? Does it Actually Help?

If you are a small business owner with a website chances are you’ve heard about SEO (search engine optimization) services. You might have been told that it can help your business or that it’s a magic solution to get more customers. Maybe you started trying to learn but got lost in the technical details. You might still be lost wondering where or how to find an SEO expert that fits your budget. Maybe you’ve already worked with an SEO “expert” or “specialized agency” that made big promises but just didn’t deliver.

If any of these sound like you then you’re in the right place. In this article we’ll answer a few questions:

• What is SEO?
• How can SEO Help My Business?
• Do I Need SEO Services for My Website?
• What to Look for in an SEO Expert?

If you like to dive right in check out SEO Resources & Further Reading

What is SEO?

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) describes a wide range of constantly evolving services all with the end goal of increasing the chances that an internet user will find your website when they search for things. The biggest search engine is Google, but there is also Bing, yahoo and other smaller competing search engines. Because google is so the most widely used, they have extensive resources for learning how to climb the google rankings. Check out their SEO starter guide.

SEO techniques are constantly changing because google and the other search engines are constantly changing and improving their search algorithm. The site Search Engine Land reports:

‍“most experts estimate that google changes it’s search algorithm 500-600 times per year.” (Read More) 

After some quick math you realize that’s once or twice every day! That’s why it’s more important than ever to make sure you are on top of how your site is optimized for search.

How Can SEO Help My Business?

SEO services can help your business in major ways that most business + website owners don’t realize. The main way it can help your business is by getting more people to view your website. If optimized and executed with a clear SEO plan, these new website visitors can quickly be converted into customers both online and at your brick + mortar location.

Do I Need SEO Services for My Website?

This is a big question that all business owners will find themselves asking eventually. The truth is, you may not actually need SEO services. The first step is to ask yourself a two questions: 

• Do I want more website visitors?

Most people will answer yes to this question because.. Of course you want more website visitors!

• Is my website optimized to receive new website visitors and convert them into customers?

If you answered yes to the first question, you might not be sure about your answer to this one. That is okay! Book a meeting with one of our experts to find out.

What to look for in an SEO Expert / How to find a good SEO Expert?

If you decide you want to hire an SEO expert or agency you might not know what to look for. Where do you even start? Here are 3 things to look out for when deciding between experts + agencies.

• Full Service vs. Self Service: Does the agency/expert perform the optimization for you? Or do they just provide you with steps or an action plan to perform them yourself?

The tasks you must perform for SEO can be time intensive. A full service agency might cost more, but could save you valuable time. We provide both full service and self service options. Get started with an intro call to find a plan that fits your budget!

• Pricing: how much does the service cost? Do they provide flexible options or is it a one size fits all approach? How transparent is the pricing?

If an agency doesn’t tell you the cost upfront, it could mean they plan to overcharge you based on the size of your business. Our pricing is transparent and starts at $500/month. Get started with an intro call to find a plan that fits your budget!

• Communication: This is probably the most important but most overlooked aspect of an SEO agency. How often and how effective is the communication between the agency and you? Do they make an effort to teach/inform you about their services and suggestions? 

Many SEO agencies expect you, the business owner, to understand the technical jargon they use. This can lead to misunderstanding between you and the agency, especially if they don’t operate on a full service model. Imagine paying 1000s of dollars for information you don’t understand and can’t implement!

We pride ourselves on our clear communication with our clients. We make sure our clients understand each step of the SEO process, especially if they want to save costs by doing it themselves. Working well with the expert or agency is key to your SEO strategy's effectiveness.

Conclusion

If you made it this far thank you! We hope you learned something new and were inspired to go learn more. Below are some great resources for getting started with SEO. You can also always book a FREE Intro call with one of our experts if you have questions, want to hire us, or just want advice!

Thanks and have a great day.

SEO Resources & Further Reading

Here are some helpful links to get started learning more about SEO:

• Google SEO starter guide: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/beginner/seo-starter-guide/
• Search engine land article: https://searchengineland.com/google-seo-news-google-algorithm-updates.
• SEMRush Ultimate SEO Checklist: https://www.semrush.com/blog/seo-checklist/