Pros and Cons of SEO in 2023
If you’re here, you probably already have an idea of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and its impact on e-commerce.
On average, there are 40,000 searches on Google every second. That adds up to 3.5 billion daily queries.
Therefore, coming up on the first page of search engine result pages (SERPs) and matching what users are looking for can benefit you greatly.
However, we’re not in a vacuum, and neither is your business. You are competing with the whole Internet and every other company to continuously attract new customers and sales. Therefore, it’s important that you learn the advantages and limitations of SEO to set realistic targets.
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Advantages and Disadvantages of SEO
As mentioned, SEO is very beneficial for your brand, but there are several pros and cons you should be aware of to manage your own expectations, especially when consulting with an SEO agency.
Advantages of SEO
Quality leads
Approximately 90% of users will only look at results on Google’s first page.
If you get to show up on the first page? That is easily millions of views. You’ll get a larger share of potential clients just by showing up when users look for related keywords, improving traffic and brand visibility.
The increased website visits would also attract people who are looking for you! The chances of gaining actual customers who would purchase your products and services increase with SEO.
Close sales and become a market leader
If your business is a reference point for customers looking for your products and services in your locality, you would likely close a sale.
Be the dominant supplier for your specific product or service on the Internet as your visibility improves when you improve your ranking on Google.
Ranking higher on Google SERPs also means that more people would click on your website and become new customers.
You would be the dominant supplier for your specific product or service on the Internet as your visibility improves.
Provide valuable content
With SEO, you would know what people are looking for from all the research you will need to do.
You will be able to offer content that fits exactly what your target demographic wants. You can directly answer user queries head-on, providing them with quality and value while solidifying your brand positioning among customers. A good SEO agency would be able to provide a thorough content strategy.
Thanks to SEO, you can give people what they want exactly when they want it.
Avoid ad fatigue
SEO allows you to provide users with the information they are looking for at the moment they need it. Unlike advertising, which can be sometimes too overwhelming and intrusive, SEO when done well, helps you to attract customers in a more natural way, leaving a lasting impression.
It lasts
Good quality content lasts and will be useful in providing context and value for your customers and prospects for days, weeks, and months to come. Information is always valuable!
Cons of SEO
It takes a while to work.
It may be some time before you see results from an SEO strategy – no matter how comprehensive.
Reaching the first page of Google can take between 2 and 6 months.
Here are some of the important factors:
- The size of your website.
- The age of your domain.
- Freshness and relevance of content
- What keywords are you using to rank
Your competition is the rest of the Internet
It would be best if you utilised tools to check for the other businesses that rank on the SERPs.
Taking your business online is an inevitable outcome this day and age. However, now, you not only compete with other shops in the same area, but with all the businesses that show up on Google – essentially the rest of the Internet.
It also makes competition research more complicated. This is because you will not know who your competition is just by taking a stroll down your street. It would be best if you utilised tools to check for the other businesses that rank on the SERPs.
To set yourself apart, make sure you use more specific keywords than generic ones related to your business to reach more targeted prospects.
Results are not guaranteed
Predicting quantified SEO results is nearly impossible. Even though the results are almost always positive, how much it improves will depend on a multitude of factors, such as Google’s algorithm, trends, and search volumes for each query.
SEO performance will also be affected by what your competition is doing too. Look at the main SEO metrics set at the start of your project to determine if it’s working or not – remember to be realistic!
It requires constant maintenance
SEO requires maintenance – updating and reviewing your strategy is crucial, so you continue to see successful progress.
Review everything that was done for On-Page SEO and Content Marketing and recommend adjustments, so everything stays oh-so-fresh.
It does not give profit at the beginning
It’s quite easy to get discouraged with SEO when you don’t know what to expect. Most clients would opt out too soon before results can come in.
And understandably so. Imagine investing a lot of money and not seeing returns initially. The truth is there is a waiting game that comes with SEO.
Plus, not all visits will translate into quantifiable sales. Not all the people who come to your website will buy from you, but a percentage surely will.
We recommend trusting the process and being patient. Regular spring cleaning, maintenance and optimization are all a part of a comprehensive strategy.
Lack of specialists inflating the costs
SEO is a less popular aspect of
SEO services tend to have high costs, so it’s best that you study different proposals from different companies to find one that suits your budget.
Google penalties
Certain aggressive SEO practices – called black hat SEO – will get penalised by Google.
Black hat SEO manipulates the search engine by “tricking” search engine crawlers so they can gain faster results. Some examples include keyword stuffing or copy-pasting keywords in a font colour that matches the website page background.
Google will penalize you by reducing your ranking on the SERPs.
When Should You Start Investing in SEO?
If you’re attempting to expand, consider SEO to stay ahead of the curve. If you have a website, you’ll need SEO – unless you don’t want to be found!
Tips to Choose the Best SEO Agency
- Avoid anyone who promises results that are too good to be true.
- Stay true to your business vision and objectives – find a company that fits your values.
- Ask your network – you usually find the best agencies through word of mouth from past clients who experienced good results for themselves.
- Find a firm that uses metrics relevant to your objectives.
- SEO agencies are responsible for providing information on progress – make sure the company you hire promises strict and regular reporting.
SEO supports all your other marketing efforts and is almost guaranteed to help your business in one way or another. Get behind it or lose out, but remember to stay realistic!
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