When it comes to the world of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), there is so much confusion around the subject. Not just for business owners who need to drive new customers through their website but many SEO professionals have different views on the subject.
Not everyone knows what SEO is
As an SEO trainer myself, sometimes I think that anyone who owns a business and uses their website as a marketing tool would have at least heard about SEO. This is just not the case though. I speak to many business owners and directors from many industries and it surprises me the amount of small business owners who have yet to be introduced to the world of SEO.
I’ve been in this industry for the past sixteen years and best describe SEO as the process of making sure people who are interested and looking for your service or product can find your website when searching related words and phrases in a search engine, such as Google.
There is so much confusion around the value of SEO
Last week I asked twenty different SEO professionals – “What is the value (NOT price) of SEO?”
Guess what happened? I received twenty different answers. Some of those replies was:
Average client lifetime value multiplied by number of clients acquired.
“For my clients it’s all about increasing revenue/profits and continuing to do so.”
“Being able to pay the bills for both sides.”
“Branding is a perceived value which is great but THE value for any business online or otherwise is one that provides positive ROI.”
“Pre-qualified leads, increased revenue, amazing ROI, brand exposure, never having to increase your marketing budget, cost effective.”
“Value for SEO is that it proves that you are still in business (it is 100% necessary as a business effort).”
As you can see, even marketing professionals who perform SEO daily all have a different view on what the VALUE of SEO is.
The TRUE value of SEO
There is not a one-answer-fits-all to this as there are so many things to think about. If I had to put together a sentence that best describes the true value of SEO, it would go something like:
“The value of SEO is all about (at least) achieving the clients’ goals.”
As a business or website owner, you will have totally different business goals than others within your industry. You may also have very different expectations to run alongside those business goals.
It all boils down to making sure the SEO performed on your website and brand results in driving a constant flow of people to your website who are looking for the product or service you offer. At least, people who are interested in your industry.
The value to YOU, as the business owner would ultimately be – generating new leads and sales.
Now, what if the SEO work has a constant flow of targeted people visiting your website but you are just not receiving any leads or sales? Now, that’s a question for a future post but I want you to think about this – If you work with an SEO agency or consultant and they have got your website ranking for your industry related terms but it does not generate any new business. Who is to blame?
