Many people think that SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a one-off task that you do when your site is built, or maybe a year later when you fail to see substantial traffic. Unfortunately, it's not quite that simple. The first steps you might take for SEO, like having valid code when you build your site and adding keywords and titles, are a fantastic foundation, but they need to be built upon to gain real benefits.
SEO activities are increasingly linked to social media such as Facebook, Twitter and blogs. Ongoing, skilled assistance with SEO is an important part of any online marketing strategy and while it may seem to some like an unnecessary cost, the experience and skill of a good SEO consultant will inevitably lead to increased traffic to your site.
Large businesses can, and increasingly do, employ teams devoted to SEO and increasing online presence. Smaller companies and individuals are less fortunate and often need a helping hand. In this article we examine some of the most pressing reasons why ongoing SEO consultation should be a part of every online marketing strategy.
1. The search engine industry is constantly changing
Search engine companies are constantly changing the way they crawl the internet to find your site, and new search engines are emerging all the time. For example, it is only a relatively recent development that has enabled Google to list Flash based websites effectively.
It is difficult for everyone to keep up with the changes in the industry, and with social media becoming more and more relevant to SEO, changes are happening every day. Expert advice from a consultant that is up to date with the most recent advances in SEO and social media, will allow any company to gain an advantage.
2. Many companies don't follow up on site traffic reports
Many companies get traffic and "analytics reports" for their websites, but fail to use the information to make improvements, either because they are unable to identify where the pitfalls are, or because there simply isn't anyone to do it. An expert consultant would be able to review analytics and make recommendations on how to achieve goals and increase traffic.
3. SEO recommendations often go unimplemented
Unfortunately, many companies receive recommendations from SEO consultants when their site is built, or perhaps later down the line, but then fail to implement those recommendations. When you include ongoing SEO consultation in your online marketing strategy, it allows you to have constant guidance on the best way to make improvements that are right for your site. There are often organisational reasons why a change cannot be implemented, and a good consultant will help you to work around these reasons and still gain good results.
4. SEO is more effective when done over time
In most cases, search engine rankings don't come over night. They take time to develop. The factors that affect your rankings are infinite, but broadly speaking, the time it takes to see any results at all can be dependent on your industry, competitors, the length of time your site has been active, the frequency of updates to your site and the quality of the website code itself.
By constantly reviewing your results and making changes, even really small content or keyword changes, you can improve your ranking over time. If you have to choose between one big SEO effort, and an ongoing project it is almost certainly more effective to make small, consistent efforts.
5. In-house SEO might need a helping hand
SEO activities are increasingly being brought in-house, whether it's a small part of an individual's job description or a team specifically employed to build SEO. In many cases this works really well, but all too often the business fails to see any real results. That's where using an SEO consultant on a regular basis to offer advice and guidance can be helpful. Sometimes the job of the SEO consultant is to physically make changes to the site or relevant media, but more often than not, they can simply offer advice and guide a business through making the changes themselves.
Summary
Companies often spend money on SEO and then fail to follow through on that investment. In order to reap the benefits you need to monitor the results of your efforts, keep up to date with search engine technology and make changes accordingly over a period of time. Investing in SEO and other online marketing activities can put you miles ahead of the competition. Getting expert guidance tailored to your business will increase your presence on the web and ultimately leave you more time to devote to your core business.
This article was written by Zoe Hoskins, founder of Skills on Toast, a web design and online marketing business based in Bristol.
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