SEO That’s Not Too Good To Be True
By Carrie Cousins
Thank you to Valley Business FRONT for featuring our Vice President, Carrie Cousins, in their December 2024 issue.
You probably get 10 emails a week with claims that for $2,000 a company or individual can have you ranking at the top of search engines in just a month. Or you might get a phone call from a sales rep that claims your website isn’t ranking and they can fix it right away. It all might sound a little too good to be true. Because it is.
Search engine optimization is a long game that takes time, strategy, and planning. There are no quick fixes and anyone who claims otherwise might as well be selling beach-front property in Oklahoma.
A client recently asked: How do you know the difference between “real SEO” and someone who is making a false claim? It starts with working with someone you know and trust. If you are new to thinking about an SEO strategy for your website, do some homework and talk to colleagues. Who do they use? What have the results looked like? Be aware of any big promises. A solid SEO strategy takes time.
Pay attention to the overall strategy and how it pertains to your business goals. Are SEO efforts generating traffic that helps you sell more or engage more effectively with your audience or is it just more traffic? (Website traffic isn’t always a good thing.)
Don’t panic with changes to algorithms or Google updates. Changes are happening all the time. If you are creating valuable content for real people, you will always come out ahead here.
Ask questions. Most reputable SEO agencies or providers will not make sweeping judgement about your site and send a random email. They’ll work with you to understand your goals, conduct and audit, and then make recommendations.
Often when you get into conversations about ranking higher in search engines, you’ll look at options for organic growth as well as paid advertising. You may choose to do one or the other or both.
Then they asked: How do you know you have a solid SEO strategy in place?
That answer is a lot easier. You can see the results. Your partner should be able to help you understand what keywords you are ranking for and if that traffic is converting. Are they filling out forms or buying items?
You can also feel it. SEO should not feel like magic; it is a strategic element of your overall marketing mix. It can help you generate more leads, sell more products, and get more of the right people to your website.
A reputable partner will work with you to develop a long-term strategy that supports your business goals. They’ll help you plan the right mix of organic search engine optimization and may recommend some paid search engine advertising support as well.
While there’s no quick fix, businesses that invest in a strong SEO strategy can reap the rewards for decades to come.
Carrie Cousins is the Vice President at LeadPoint Digital in Roanoke. For 15+ years, she has helped businesses tell their stories and get better results online with practical digital marketing strategies. She is also an active leader in AAF, serving on the local and district boards, and is an adjunct professor at Virginia Tech.
