Rumor has it that the only way to get traffic to your website site with SEO is by being on page one, position one. Is this what you believe to be true?
The fact is, when you compare mobile results to desktop results, the number of clicks for the very first result vary between 26-32%. That leaves a lot of clicks that happen past the first result. And as a small business, that means you have a shot, at times a very good shot, at getting your content noticed and clicked in search.
So how can you get your website on the first few pages? SEO (search engine optimization) is the answer.
SEO strategies work to seed your content on search engines and then grow to top placement over time. This is the work that leads to better engagement, visibility, and potential customers. In the classic funnel model, this falls in line with consumers gaining brand awareness, trust, and eventually a sale.
SEO consultants are the ninjas of this world.
Follow any SEO blog (two of my favorites are MOZ and SEJ) and you will find some of the brightest minds trying to keep up with the ever-changing world of SEO. Everyone in this field reads constantly. They keep up with algorithm updates and Google changes. They know people who do white-hat (AKA best practices) and a few people who try to skip playing by the rules (which never works).
They study the field daily because it’s ever-changing.
So while other marketing professionals may know a lot about SEO, genuine SEO consultants are the only people who exclusively make their living helping people like you grow in search. They can only do their jobs by staying ahead of the forces in front of them, which is why their expertise is so valuable.
If getting to the top of Google is your goal, it might be time to hire an SEO consultant.
Here are 3 specific benefits you gain by hiring an SEO consultant:
Expertise
An SEO specialist has the knowledge and skills to utilize best-practices for a range of tasks from coding, to site structure optimization, to keyword research. This kind of expertise is what brings answers to your big SEO questions the fastest.
Clients often ask me things like:
Why is my site so slow?
What should I blog about?
How can I connect with people who want to buy instead of just read?
How do I use keywords in my content?
Do I need links coming into my website?
How often do I need to blog?
Can I put this same article on different websites?
An SEO consultant is able to sift through the various elements affecting your website to discover the best route to get you to page one.
In addition to analyzing your website’s performance, your SEO consultant should help you determine what consumers are looking for in your sector, so you don’t waste time and energy on the wrong task. They should review your competitor’s strategies and suggest ways to rank higher than them.
Expertise in the SEO world is a time-earned skill. Most consultants have encountered websites that are too tarnished by spam to be recoverable or brands that are in niches that will not grow because of competition.
So of all the benefits of hiring an SEO specialists over doing it yourself, the one that stands out the most is wisdom. SEO specialists have an innate wisdom gained over years of projects and clients. This is the biggest time-saving benefit for you. And one you can’t gain from watching a YouTube video or listening to a friend tell you their SEO strategy.
You Save Time
Doing your own SEO is hugely time-consuming, especially if you are not an expert in SEO or marketing. In such a case, you might be spending too much time on something that won’t work, or can’t work, because of less obvious factors like your website’s speed or how Google ranks a particular keyword.
SEO experts have experience (as mentioned), but they also have TOOLS. SEO tools are the backbone of any SEO project. Without them, you’re flying blind and guessing at things like competition, popularity of a keyword, and site speed. All of which play an immediate role in daily marketing tasks like writing a blog or refurbishing a landing page.
The value gained in hiring an SEO consultant pays dividend quickly because you have time to focus on other pressing tasks while your strategy is being worked out for you. For a busy small business owner, this lifeline to answers around “how to best my competition” is truly valuable.
Finally, When You Hire An SEO Consultant You Save Money
In business, time is money. When you waste time trying to save a nickle here and there doing your own SEO, content, or marketing strategy, you will feel it in the end. Many clients share that once their websites are SEO optimized, the ease of growing their site in search with a plan is a game-changer.
Online presence and searchability are crucial for any business. Getting your SEO campaign running and growing must be a priority if you want to tackle the top of the funnel. Because here’s the truth, we can’t change human beings. People consult, and engage with companies they know. They buy from the ones they trust.
An ineffective SEO campaign can waste time and money by failing to bring you to the right clients. Those same clients who a few months later go from the top of the funnel to the middle of the funnel, ready to consult and explore working with you. Wasted SEO resources can cost your business more money than you could ever spend on hiring an expert.
And as it was said before, SEO is an ever-evolving world. But, it has many rewards. The next time you do a Google search, pay attention to how old the content is on the first page. You’ll often find there are articles that are 5-7 years old still ranking on page one.
So while it does take time to do SEO properly (it can take 3-6 months for your content to rank at all), the rewards often outlive that time by multiple factors when done correctly.
Hiring an SEO consultant is a serious consideration, and one worth thinking about clearly. As you weigh the value out, remember that it’s the years of expertise, the tools, and the relationship with you that make the difference.
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If you would like to talk about your website, SEO strategy or have us take a look under your website’s hood, we would be happy to schedule a call. Our SEO consultation process is complimentary so we can feel assured about the results if we choose to work together. Please reach out when you’re ready.
