Is SEO Worth It for Small Business?

Wondering, is SEO worth it for small business?

In short, yes.

There’s a lot of noise and hype about SEO.

While some marketers swear by it, there are others who like to stick to other digital marketing alternatives.

However, there are several other factors that you should consider before hiring an SEO agency. And, we’ll be discussing all about it in this article.

Sit back and relax, because we’re gonna dive deep into the world of SEO and figure out what exactly it is.

Are SEO services worth it?

How much they cost?

What ROI does it give?

and, how can you make the most of it?

I’ll also answer a few frequently asked questions about using SEO for small businesses.

Let’s begin from the basics.

SEO or Search Engine Optimization is the process of improving your website’s visibility on search engines’ ranking pages.

Your visibility, and in turn traffic, increase as you rank higher on the search pages.

Small businesses, that often struggle to build brand awareness, can take really good advantage of SEO.

It becomes a tool for not only building brand awareness and credibility but also bringing in conversions in the long term.

Also, since SEO helps people find your website/business organically, they’re more likely to trust your products and services.

However, it is also true that SEO is a long-term commitment and there are other digital marketing solutions that can bring faster results at the same amount of investment.

So, why do most small businesses still opt for SEO?

Here’s why many small businesses swear by SEO and make it a must in their marketing efforts.

1. Target the Right Audience

SEO allows you to target people who may already be interested in what you’re offering.

Since you’re offering them a solution, they’re more likely to click on your website and purchase your products or services.

2. Target Your Competitors’ Customers

When you outrank your competitors on search engines, there’s a higher chance that you divert your competitor’s audience to your website.

3. Brand Awareness And Long-Term Marketing

The best part about using SEO is that once done, it keeps on yielding results in the long run.

All you need to do is keep up with the regular hygiene checks.

This means, as long as you keep your content updated, you will keep gaining traffic for your targeted search.

Moreover, SEO helps you maintain your website’s health which helps you keep an up-to-date platform that your customers can trust and visit when they need your services.

This takes you to my next point.

4. Enhance Your Website’s Quality

Good customer experience comes from a high-quality website.

While SEO’s main purpose is to optimize your website so it ranks higher on search engines, it also helps you maintain a website that always looks and performs its best.

This increases your chances of attracting the same customers and helps you improve conversions.

Remember, a professional-looking website is always more trustworthy than a poorly kept one.

5. Bring New Customers in Through Local SEO

Did you know that 46% of all Google searches are local?

And not only this, but 50% of people who conduct local research usually visit the store within a day or two.

What could be better than diverting the attention of all these potential customers to your business?

Possibly, these local business listing sites can enhance your local SEO presence.

But, is SEO marketing worth it for your business?

Every business is unique and that’s why every business’s marketing approach should also be the unique one.

That’s why, I would personally like you to consider these two factors to determine if you should opt for SEO or not.

• Are people searching for what you’re offering?

The first thing you need to consider is if people are looking online for the products and services you’re offering.

According to Google, 4 in 5 consumers use search engines to find local information and around 28% of people search for something nearby result.

So, if you’re just starting out, then Local SEO is a great way to attract the right audience. More about it in a bit.

• Are people searching for solutions your business helps to solve?

If the above point is not true for you (which is hardly ever the case), then the next thing you need to consider is whether people are looking for the solutions that you’re offering.

As per my research data, 69% of online purchases start through online research – a perfect way to divert potential customers to your website.

More often than not, both the above factors are true for most businesses.

When SEO helps your business get exposed to such a large audience, then it’s not the best decision to ignore this powerful marketing tool.

The cost of SEO varies on how you decide to go about it. There are three ways you can implement SEO:

1. Through An Agency:

An SEO agency would not only give you the professional guidance you need but will also handle your complete SEO framework – from strategy to execution.

However, hiring an agency can be quite expensive. Most agencies charge over $130+ per hour (+retainer).

2. Hire a Consultant/Freelancer:

An SEO consultant with extensive knowledge about the subject is another great way to go about it.

Marketing consultant will do what an agency will do but at a much more reasonable cost. Consultant fee varies from person to person.

3. Do It Yourself:

The cheapest way to go about it is to do it yourself.

However, it takes time to learn about SEO and if done incorrectly, you might be losing more money than earning it.

Also, you’ll have to consider the time you put into it and how will you manage it with a business to run.

So, if you ask me,

Are SEO companies worth it?

The answer would be no.

However, you still need the guidance of a professional SEO to know what keywords to target, identify the technical issues and build a long-term strategy.

Not only this, but they will also help you enhance your current SEO practices.

That’s why paying for SEO is always worth it and the best way to go about it is to hire a consultant.

But, what about returns?

When it comes to SEO, you need to consider two important factors while looking at ROI:

Time Invested: The number of hours you put in for building the right strategy, optimizing your website, and content optimization.

Cost: Annual charges for technical SEO tools, performance tracking tools, plagiarism checker tools and page optimization tools.

To understand the ROI, multiply the search volume of the keyword you’re targeting by the expected click-through rate (CTR), average conversion rate, and average order value.

For example, you’re targeting the keyword “scented candles” whose search volume is 27.1K according to various online tools.

While the click-through rate varies for different search positions, the CTR for the top pages is usually over 30%.

Now, say your conversion rate is 2% and your average order value is $20, so your estimated revenue would be:

27100X0.3X0.02X20 = $3,252

Note that this is the estimated revenue for only one of the targeted keywords When done properly and with a strategy, your revenue could keep increasing.

In fact, on average the right SEO techniques can bring you tens of thousands of dollars in revenue every month.

Here are some commonly and frequently asked questions about using SEO for small businesses.

SEO is a powerful tool for small businesses to build brand awareness and credibility, and drive long-term conversions.

It allows businesses to target the right audience, enhance their website’s quality, and bring new customers in through local SEO.

That’s why small businesses should make the most of this marketing tool.

A professional SEO consultant can help you understand what SEO practices to go for and help you build a strategic plan for your business.

Get in touch today and let’s build a loyal customer base for your business together.