SEO or search engine optimisation is an important and necessary services for many businesses wishing to remain relevant in today’s fast-paced online world. Many businesses are now extremely reliant on the internet for many of their processes and for attracting new customers, and for those businesses hoping to be found, SEO is an important concept. The internet offers businesses a great opportunity to interact with a wider audience than they may otherwise have the opportunity to reach, but only if it is used correctly. SEO is the process of improving organic ranking on search engines like Google. Without local SEO services, your website is unlikely to be found by the people that you want to reach and there’s a good chance that you will be missing out on communicating with your potential customer base.
Why is this so? Because typical search behaviour dictates that most people will click on the top four organic results they receive and only a tiny percentage will scroll beyond page one. With that in mind, read on below to find out some of the most essential things you need to know and understand about SEO.
It’s a process that takes time
When it comes to search engine optimisation, time and consistency matter. Anyone who promises you a quick fix is likely using methods that could get you into hot water later. It’s a process that will take time, effort and consistency and good results won’t happen instantaneously. If you’re starting a new campaign then it’s a good idea to get an approximate estimate of how long you can expect it to take to meet the goals that you’ve set. In general, it usually takes a few months to see the fruits of your efforts and budget but don’t give up, the benefits of an effective campaign are numerous. Investing in search engine optimisation can have an enormous impact on the number of leads and sales your business receives and is a powerful tool for growing your business.
White hat versus black hat
When it comes to search engine optimisation, you’re likely to hear the terms ‘white hat’ and ‘black hat’ thrown around a lot, so what exactly do they mean? Typically, when you come across the term white hat related to search engine optimisation practices it means that they are approved of by search engines and don’t violate their terms of service. On the other side of the coin is black hat techniques which are generally considered to be unethical practices and not approved of by Google and other search engines. These practices might include things like spam links and are generally used to provide businesses with a fast boost in the short term, but can lead to severe penalties if they are discovered by search engine providers. Google and other providers have methods of uncovering black hat techniques and will penalize websites that are doing the wrong thing.
Should you go with an agency or a freelancer?
One of the questions that many businesses ask themselves when looking to improve their SEO is whether or not they should go through a professional agency or a freelancer. There really is no straightforward answer to that question, as it depends on your needs and budget. Some businesses prefer working with agencies as they are able to provide more support and a larger team to work on your search engine optimisation tasks, whilst others prefer the attention they receive from freelancers. In general, you can expect to pay more at an agency than you would with a freelancer and costs may be structured a bit differently.