You may be able to run a business without and SEO strategy. However, doing so exposes you to risks, leaving money on the table. Anyone who has tried to make a case for investing in SEO to a co-worker will be familiar with the common objections. These could be excuses such as it’s unpredictable or it takes too long. However, anyone who knows a thing or two about SEO knows how ignoring SEO could affect your bottom line.
A thoroughly planned SEO strategy will bring more qualified traffic to your website. Quality content that will meet your customer’s needs and expectations will bring in more conversions. These things are well-known. Ignoring SEO altogether doesn’t just mean losing a couple of clients. In fact, it can be risky and could financially damage you in the long-run. Here, we have a few ways a lack of SEO could affect your bottom line.
Using PPC as a Replacement for SEO
Many have tried settling the SEO vs PPC debate by trying to determine an accurate conversion rate for both. While these studies have valuable insight into paid and organic search, there are many variables that cannot be whittled down to a number.
For example, a website optimised for SEO may target keywords for people at different stages of the sales funnel. This could be things from educational articles through to product pages. PPC, however, often leads directly to a sales page.
Many who convert via PPC may have been primed by the content they organically accessed. According to Ipsos, 44 per cent of online shoppers start by using a search engine. The same could also be true for phone or brick and mortar customers. PPC often has a higher conversion rate than SEO but casts a narrow net. SEO means you can broaden that net to reach potential customers at the beginning of the search. Without it, you are missing an opportunity to build the authority of your brand.
Failing to Understand the Niche
You may think that it’s enough to optimise for a few high-traffic terms in your niche. One of the most valuable parts of SEO, however, is knowing the thought processes of your customers. Without small, but valuable insight into how people are likely to find you, you could miss out on a lot of revenue.
Ignoring Google Updates
After the update of Google’s core algorithm in August, there were many reports of a loss in website traffic. This particularly affected the health and wellness sector. Some webmasters even claimed that the update had ruined their business. It’s impossible to predict how the updates in Google’s algorithms will affect rankings. However, following best practices in SEO can mitigate the risk of being adversely impacted by an update.
Ill-advised website redesigns
Many businesses to this day are still employing agencies with little SEO knowledge to redesign their websites. If you go ahead and redesign without bringing an experienced SEP consultant at the beginning of the process, you are basically asking for Google to rip away from your rankings, not to mention your online income streams!
Lack of Credibility and Trust
There is obviously a direct relationship between organic traffic and sales. However, ignoring SEO means you will miss out on many other benefits. For example, it’s well known for organic listings to have more credibility with consumers than paid listings. Dominating page 1 of Google is great PR and will reinforce the idea that your company is experienced and trustworthy.
Conclusion
It is possible to run a business without SEO, but you could be holding yourself back from greater sales and leaving opportunities that will instead be snapped up by your competitors. A solid SEO strategy allows you to minimise your online footprint and leverage the best opportunities to your advantage.
Talk to Search and More
Understanding SEO and PPC marketing can be overwhelming for any business, but ignoring SEO can have a negative impact. Luckily, this is where Search and More come in. Get in touch to hear about our pick n mix service and to see we can help your business bring in conversions online.
