Just about every company uses search engine optimization (SEO) strategies to boost their visibility online and improve traffic to their websites. However, such strategies are dynamic and should change frequently depending on the trends, demands, and needs of internet users. Thus, simply having SEO practices in place, especially ones that are not well-planned or up-to-date, cannot guarantee improved searchability or visibility for your website. Poor SEO can even affect your overall marketing strategies negatively.
So, business owners who don’t have any background in online marketing or those who don’t have money to spend on paid advertising are often faced with a dilemma—should they hire a company to handle their SEO needs or should they just do it on their own?
Why Hire a Company?
Let’s face it—the main reason why a business owner who has no knowledge of online marketing says no to hiring a SEO specialist is budget or, more specifically, the lack of it. But if money is not an object, hiring a SEO company can work in your favor. Here’s why:
- Depend on Experts
Expertise is one compelling reason to hire a company to boost your online marketing efforts. Since their business is focused on SEO, they know how to employ strategies to increase traffic to your website and position your business creatively and appropriately. This is especially true if you want to increase your sales in a specific community.
For example, if you are setting up a new branch or business in Savannah, it makes sense to get a Savannah SEO group because they will have a deeper understanding of the local business environment as compared to, say, an LA-based company who has no involvement in Georgia at all.
- Capitalize on Time Value of Money
Time value of money is another reason why you should consider hiring a company for your SEO needs. Getting someone to improve your online presence while you concentrate on the other aspects of your business operation makes a lot of sense if you have the budget to hire a company. This is especially true if you are a SaaS company that relies on B2B partnerships, as an effective SaaS SEO strategy will enhance your connection with other businesses.
Wouldn’t it be better to spend, for example, a few thousand dollars today to jumpstart your online store so you can start earning back your expenses right away? Plus, you’ll have better conversion rates if your SEO strategies are set up by specialists.
Compare that with a strategy where you don’t have to spend money at all, but you’ll have to wait for a longer period for your online presence to improve on its own.
Why Learn SEO on Your Own?
Simple tweaks to your website can make a huge difference in driving organic traffic and potential customers to your website. However, knowing what changes to make requires knowing a thing or two about search engine optimization. Here’s why you should consider learning SEO and doing it on your own:
- Save Money
If you’re just starting a business—or even if you’re just in the planning stage of putting up your website—it makes sense to learn SEO basics. By not hiring a company right at the outset, you can save money for use in other aspects of your startup. Besides, at the early stages of your business, you can still afford to experiment and do some trial and error without negatively affecting your business.
- Personal Advancement
Knowing the basics of SEO is important for anyone who wants to build presence on the internet, whether for personal or business purposes. Maybe you are looking into becoming a social media influencer or you just want your niche podcast to rank better on the search engines. Knowing SEO techniques will surely help a lot in achieving your online goals.
How to Learn about SEO?
There are many articles and websites that can help introduce you to the basics of search engine optimization. Just search online and you will surely find resources that will give you a better understanding of the rudimentary concepts of SEO.
But if you want to learn more about advanced concepts, you should consider enrolling in an online SEO class. Some topics you want to learn about are copywriting, social media, use of meta tags, keyword research, and link building, to name a few. These are all included in a comprehensive SEO workshop. Many courses are available for free, while others are accessible at a premium. For example, courses like the Profit League cost some money, but they can provide you the strategies you need to grow your online presence almost on autopilot.
Bottomline
No matter how you look at it, it really pays to get a specialist if you want effective implementation of SEO strategies to improve the ranking of your website. With better ranking in the search results, you get more visibility in your target market and better conversion rates, too. On the other hand, learning about the nitty-gritty of SEO on your own will also come in handy when it comes to choosing the right SEO company to do the job for you.
Whatever your decision will be, always remember that your goal is to boost your online presence and support the overall online marketing efforts of your business.
Chris Mcdonald has been the lead news writer at complete connection. His passion for helping people in all aspects of online marketing flows through in the expert industry coverage he provides. Chris is also an author of tech blog Area19delegate. He likes spending his time with family, studying martial arts and plucking fat bass guitar strings.