Are SEO Companies Worth the Money?

If you have an online business or a blog, then you probably know by now that SEO is of the essence. If you’ve ignored this aspect of digital marketing so far, then it may be the reason behind your relatively poor performance. If you’ve been struggling to get it right but haven’t seen any significant result yet, then it may be time to bring in specialized help.

So many variables!

We’ll get to them in a second

But first, a short recap.

What Is SEO?

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is defined by the actions you take to gain more visibility for your website in search engines. It is not a printed flyer you give people on the street, inviting them to visit your website or social media page. SEO is the behind the scenes strategy. By using targeted keywords, quality content, strategic backlinks, and so on, you ensure that someone who Google searches the product or service you provide will find you fast.

What Does SEO Do?

The short answer is that it makes you relevant for the search engines. You must understand at least the basics of how the search engines work and gain experience in observing their algorithms, then giving them exactly what they want. The supreme goal: to become a regular on Google’s first page of results, of course.

Or is it?…

You see, nowadays, an SEO strategy is more than just ranking for specific keywords. It is more than increasing the number of unique daily visitors. All these things can still be done through classic SEO tactics, but they won’t necessarily translate into better business.

“Are you telling me that SEO doesn’t work anymore?” we can almost hear you cry.

No. What we are saying is that the SEO game has changed. What could be achieved a few years back by cheap, enthusiastic SEO service providers is no longer as effective. As search engines evolve, the tactics should change too. And, today everything is shifting towards content marketing.

Is SEO Worth Paying for?

“I’m a business owner with a busy schedule. I want to know if it’s still worth paying for SEO or if it’s losing me money”. Let’s see when SEO is worth the money and when it’s time to stop investing in it.

When choosing an SEO agency, business owners who are inexperienced with digital marketing might be tempted to choose “a good offer,” like being promised to rank high in one month, for a low price. Small businesses might not even have a choice, in terms of budget. But, no matter how much money you’re willing to spend on SEO, remember this: bad SEO campaigns can actually damage your company.

To better understand what a business needs to thrive in the digital marketing world right now, here is what is worth paying for regarding SEO and what is obsolete or even damaging. Bad news first.

1. A Lot of Traffic on Your Page Can also Be a Bad Sign

What a lot of agencies can promise to provide is an increase in the number of visitors to your website. You will pay for it and, yes they will deliver what was promised, but your business won’t necessarily do better.

Are those new visitors relevant? Did the agency attract the right people that have the potential to engage with you and become customers? That takes more effort in targeting and researching, so ask the companies who are they planning to attract, instead of how many.

Be careful, if Google keeps being sent to you for irrelevant content, it will penalise you by decreasing your rankings.

2. Ranking for Specific Keywords Is No Longer the Ultimate Goal

Again, when you pay for SEO services, don’t fall into the “quick and easy” trap. Another thing that agencies might promise is to increase your ranking for specific keywords. If that worked like a charm a few years back, it’s no longer the case.

As Google stopped showing the keywords that brought the most relevant visitors, you’re left in the blind when it comes to organic search results. You can test keywords with pay per click campaigns, but it takes time.

3. Cheating or Taking Shortcuts Will Cost You a Lot Eventually

Black hat SEO might also aggressively advertise fast, guaranteed results. Some business owners might be tempted by it. Don’t be one of them.

Cheating strategies might get you high rankings for a moment, but falling from there is painful and almost inevitable. Google values excellent user experience and will eliminate any shady activities from its results.

Now that we’ve seen what a waste of money some SEO agencies can be, you can focus your investment on something that works. What should you pay for? SEO, of course!

There is SEO that works and that will grow your brand. You’ll need to collaborate with the right provider.

Here is what to look for in an SEO company

1. They Create Interesting, Original Content

Content that actually helps entertains and surprises the visitors will increase your conversion rates naturally.

2. They Have a Long-Term Plan

 

SEO strategies are meant to work on the long term, not just to get an immediate boost in your numbers. Slow, legit growth is more stable than sudden spikes and will bring you a loyal audience.

3. They Don’t Promise Miracles

This point may also serve as a conclusion to our article: fast and cheap SEO is not worth the money. SEO agencies that are willing to give you realistic expectations are worth your investment.

Are you interested in how content marketing works? Do you want a reliable strategy that is tailored to your business? Contact Australian Internet Advertising for an audit, advice or just for saying hi.