Reasons Small Businesses Don’t Invest in SEO
Most small business owners have either never heard of SEO or are unaware of its benefits. There are plenty of owners of one-of-a-kind shops, restaurants, plumbing companies, and other smaller businesses that have invested in a website but ignored SEO. The experts at Saba SEO, one of the leading San Diego marketing companies, discuss a few reasons small businesses don’t invest in search engine optimization.
It Doesn’t Produce Instant Results
Small business owners are often disappointed when they invest in optimization efforts and don’t see an immediate boost in sales, phone calls, and foot traffic. Because results aren’t automatic, SEO is often relegated to a low priority. Results won’t be immediate with SEO, but they do come in time.
It’s Too Time-Consuming
Another reason small businesses push SEO to the back burner is because it’s a time-consuming process. Business owners are often unsure about how much time it will take to set things up and manage ongoing tasks like producing fresh, relevant content. SEO isn’t an overnight thing.
However, you can manage small SEO-related tasks on your own or partner with a trusted marketing firm. Most reputable firms tailor their services to fit your needs and budget, and they can also give you realistic timeframes based on what you want to accomplish with SEO.
The Process Is Too Technical
There are technical aspects of SEO involving such things as meta tags, robots.txt, and URL structure. However, there are many other aspects of SEO that aren’t all that complicated. In fact, basic SEO is surprisingly easy to learn. Plus, there are plenty of handy (and often free) tools available to help with tasks such as:
• Choosing keywords
• Automating things like social media posts and emails
• Evaluating the overall performance of your existing website so you know where to get started
Fear of Google Penalties
If you’re planning to invest in SEO, you’ve probably heard horror stories about businesses that have literally disappeared from Google rankings overnight because of penalties. However, Google and other leading search engines want to see businesses succeed online.
If honest mistakes are made, Google will typically provide the opportunity to fix things. If you stay away from questionable SEO practices (e.g. keyword stuffing and buying links), you should be good.
SEO Increases Traffic But Not Customers
The main reason SEO doesn’t increase your customers is because your keywords aren’t targeting the right online searchers. You’re more likely to see a better correlation between traffic and conversions (people taking the desired action) if you use relevant keywords. There are tools like Google’s Keyword Planner you can use to gather keyword data such as:
• Search volumes for various words/phrases
• Level of competition for your desired keywords
• Relevance to your business or niche
• Keyword usage based on specific geographic locations
Lastly, small business owners are sometimes overwhelmed by all of the factors to consider when ranking websites. You don’t have to attempt to tackle everything, nor should you. Instead, start off with focusing on a few ranking factors like producing relevant content and using the right keywords. You can always work on other factors later. A slow-and-steady approach to SEO may not enhance your online visibility overnight, but it could give you some good long-term results.
Partnering with a reputed SEO company is one of the best ways to boost your online visibility and expand your outreach. If you’re searching for a reliable San Diego search engine optimization agency, turn to Saba SEO. We have over ten years of professional experience in offering customized, affordable, and quality-assured SEO services to businesses all over the globe. Our experts are up to date with the latest white hat search engine optimization tactics, and we can help you increase your online traffic, click-through rates, and conversion rates. To learn about our high-quality digital marketing services, give us a call at 858-277-1717 today.
