Many small business owners struggle to determine whether is SEO worth it. search engine optimization doesn’t ensure that you will rank #1 on Google search, in contrast to sponsored search advertising.
Also, SEO does not provide a pre-built performance dashboard that shows you how your daily spending converts into improved revenue.
Furthermore, there is a lot of language in this sector. Many so-called “SEO experts” are hardly more than sophisticated hype artists. So getting intelligent advice on the subject can be difficult.
It’s hardly surprising that some small businesses feel SEO isn’t right for them. However, the empirical data shows a different picture: Is SEO worth it in 2024? You just need to approach it the proper way.
Here, we’ll examine the financial implications of SEO services for 2024 and see if they remain worthwhile. We’ll also address some typical concerns consumers have about spending money on organic search.
What is SEO?
A basic misinterpretation of the term itself is what most objections against SEO arise from. Let’s begin with analyzing what SEO is and what it isn’t.
SEO is For:
- Digital marketers use certain tactics to make their content more visible on search engine results, notably Google which accounts for over 93% of all internet searches.
- An effective way to boost your content’s ranking on SERPs thereby making it appear at or near the top of the search results list whenever someone types keywords or topics related to it.
- It’s not just about selecting the right keywords. It also involves increasing your content authority and quality while improving user experience to cater to users who visit your homepage (such as enhancing website performance).
SEO is NOT For:
- Using click-bait headlines or meta titles to attract a large number of visitors to your page (only to disappoint them when your content fails to meet their expectations).
- The mistaken belief that “my content will rank higher on Google the more times I repeat this popular keyword” encourages you to overuse keywords in your writing.
- Adding the proper keywords to subpar content or a web page that does not provide a good user experience (for example, because it takes too long to load or is not mobile-friendly).
Is SEO Worth It in 2024? Learn The Truth
Since SEO’s inception in 1997, there has been disagreement among digital marketers. SEO supporters argue that it is a trustworthy technique for establishing your brand, getting more traffic, generating more high-quality leads, and achieving a higher long-term ROI on marketing expenses.
Opponents argue that it is an expensive and time-consuming process in which success is not assured. They claim that SEO, for example, inexpensively employs keyword stuffing and clickbait techniques to boost traffic with minimal bearing on the performance of your marketing campaigns as a whole.
So, let us get right into it: is SEO worth it? SEO is one of the most effective investments for increasing company visibility and gaining new customers online in 2024.
While some detractors believe SEO is too expensive and time-consuming, 80% of CMOs plan to retain or raise their SEO expenditure this year.
SEO frequently provides the same number of visitors as sponsored adverts but at a fraction of the cost.
This involves matching material to what their target audiences want, as user experience and content quality are the two most critical variables driving SEO performance.
Additionally, you should anticipate taking six months to a year to see any effects before treating it as a long-term plan.
Does SEO Really Work and How Effective Is It?
In summary, search engine optimization (SEO) is an affordable marketing avenue that can greatly increase your company’s visibility, traffic, and revenue.
But don’t simply take our word for it. Here are some statistics to support it:
More Brand Awareness
Improving your organic search engine rankings allows you to reach a far larger number of prospects.
When you consider that Google processes over 40,000 queries every second, but just 0.63% of visitors click on the second results page, it’s evident that the better you rank, the more your target audience will know your brand.
However, the benefits extend beyond just brand familiarity.
The more frequently your prospects see your site show for the searches they’re looking for, the more they’ll believe your brand is trustworthy. The reasoning is straightforward: if Google believes your website is worthy of the top slot, your company is most likely legitimate.
Increased Traffic
Google receives over 86 billion visitors per month, with roughly 60% of all organic clicks on desktop and mobile landing on one of the top three results.
This means that when your site begins to appear at the top of search results pages (SERPs), you may expect a disproportionate rise in visitors. Furthermore, this traffic is made up of users who are actively looking for information about your products and services—and it is completely free!
53% of all web traffic is produced from organic search, according to statistics. This percentage reduces to 15% for paid search and 5% for organic social media.
Increased Sales
Increased brand recognition and traffic are ineffective unless they lead to higher sales.
The good news is that proper SEO allows you to attract leads at every stage of the customer journey, from window shoppers to indecisive prospects to ready-to-buy customers.
It’s vital to note that 59% of internet consumers use Google to research things they wish to buy. The average close rate for organic leads is 14.6%. Furthermore, 76% of local searches result in an in-store visit within a day.
SEO client acquisition costs are significantly inexpensive because you are not paying for clicks (an average of $942 versus $1,907 for paid search). Additionally, organic search produces twice as much income for B2B companies as all other channels put together.
It is therefore not surprising that 63% of companies regularly invest in organic search, and about 50% of marketers claim that organic search is their most lucrative channel.
Lowers Customer Acquisition Costs
Over time, SEO becomes less expensive than other marketing tactics. You do not pay for each visitor like you would with advertisements. As your visitors and sales increase, you will receive a greater return on your initial investment.
How to If Your SEO Go Worth It or Not?
A variety of elements will determine whether or not SEO is worthwhile for you. Your niche, CLV, existing revenue, and competition will all play a role.
Now that you’ve learned how to assess the potential value and cost of SEO, apply your own example to generate an estimate.
These measurements are subject to change depending on the season, product, and campaign. To give yourself some leeway, take a cautious approach.
As a business owner or marketing manager, you must evaluate your SEO costs and how far your marketing dollars will go.
Does Your Website Rank?
“Does your website rank on the first page already?” is one question you should ask yourself while deciding whether SEO is worthwhile.
If the answer is yes, you should assess whether you are satisfied with these organic ranks. Could you make them better?
Is it time for an SEO audit?
Should you reconsider your keyword optimization techniques and look into new topic clusters to target?
If you are not currently on the first page, SEO could be the next obvious move.
You may (or may not be) startled to learn that 90.63% of pages receive no search engine traffic. This is partially due to the fact that 75% of searchers never make it beyond the first page of Google’s search.
Are Customers Looking for Your Services?
“Are your potential customers looking for your services via search?” is another important question to ask yourself when evaluating the worth of SEO.
SEO might not be beneficial if customers do not enter any relevant search terms for your company in a search engine.
Given that 4.3 billion individuals use Google to find information, it’s likely that a sizable portion of your target audience is among them.
According to research, 79% of consumers act appropriately on their phones before completing a purchase. They compare prices, read reviews, and search for deals.
76% of individuals use their phones to find something nearby and then visit a business the same day. Of these searches, about 28% end in a sale.
In case your store is physical, don’t let this chance pass you by and help these searchers when they most need it.
A great online presence can attract new clients to your offerings.
It is critical to understand what your audience is looking for. Depending on where they are in the marketing funnel, they may be ready to buy or simply seeking for more information.
This is where SEO services can be most useful.
You may raise awareness of your product or service by providing content that solves problems for your target audience. This will enable you to grab new leads and nurture them to conversion through quality content marketing and the assistance of a site designer.
Possibilities for Investing in SEO
Therefore, in theory, SEO is worthwhile if you say “yes” to either or both of the above questions. But there’s one more item to consider: the cost/effort may outweigh the benefit.
Basically, there are three possibilities for investing in SEO:
Hiring an Agency/Consultancy
Probably the most expensive choice, with rates ranging from $99 (for SEO companies) to $171 per hour (for consultancies). In many circumstances, you will be required to pay a monthly retainer. The good news is that you can get started quickly and don’t need to understand SEO.
Building a Team or Outsourcing to Freelancers
Fairly costly. In the US, an in-house SEO specialist costs $71K per year, whereas SEO freelancers charge an average of $71.59 per hour. It’s imperative that you possess expertise and dedicate sufficient time to the hiring and onboarding procedures.
Doing it Yourself
This is the cheapest option. However, it takes time to master the ropes.
Hiring a freelancer or agency for a while and monitoring the outcomes could be the fourth “hybrid” option. After that, you might wish to hire an internal SEO team or perhaps become an SEO expert.
Are SEO Agencies Worth It?
Yes, SEO services are definitely worthwhile because you can reach a larger audience at a reduced cost thanks to their expertise and experience.
Of course, you can conduct SEO yourself, but unless you are an SEO professional, there is a significant learning curve.
SEO is time-consuming and involves multiple moving elements. Learning how they mix will be difficult, and you don’t want to squander months of trial and error.
Although it can be less expensive to handle SEO yourself, you might not have the necessary skills or time.
Hiring an in-house SEO or SEO agency for small business can help you retain control of the project. It is up to you to oversee them, though. Unless you understand SEO, you will be unable to adequately monitor the quality of your new employee’s job.
Paying for SEO services from an SEO firm is a more dependable method.
Partnering with an SEO consultant or company allows you to leverage their knowledge and resources. Not only do you not have to worry about administration or oversight, but you can see results faster.
The goal is to select an agency that provides paid SEO services in your sector. Additionally, it has demonstrated success working with businesses that sell goods comparable to yours.
As a business owner, selecting the right SEO provider can be intimidating.
Before beginning to interview agencies, review their portfolios and testimonies. You want to know that you can trust your new companions.
Before deciding on a new partner, look for consistent indications of achievement.
Unfortunately, due to its vast scale, the SEO sector draws a slew of individuals offering to deliver SEO results that will astound you. If you believe they are overpromising or do not appear reputable enough, keep looking.
SEO does not have to be expensive, particularly if you own a small firm. If you engage an SEO specialist, you can scale back your efforts after a few months if you notice a positive return on investment.
SEO vs. Traditional Marketing
Traditional marketing campaigns are more costly than online marketing. A print ad might cost anything from $2000 and $160,000.
Paid search advertising, like Google Ads, can cost several hundred dollars, depending on the competition and specialty.
However, unlike SEO, the leads stop when you stop running marketing.
Traditional marketing, like print and television ads, is less targeted than web marketing. A television or newspaper advertisement is also frequently geographically constrained.
It might be difficult to calculate the return on investment for traditional marketing. You will rarely be able to tell if someone made a purchase after seeing your print ad.
Analytic solutions enable you to track a variety of SEO analytics, including impressions, traffic sources, and conversion rates.
You can determine which pages generated the most conversions and where your best clients are coming from.
SEO can help you reach people who are already searching for exactly what you have to offer. All you have to do is ensure they find you by following SEO best practices such as keyword research and content production.
While you can do local SEO, you can also target the entire world, depending on where you can serve.
50% of digital marketers think online marketing offers an advantage over traditional marketing.
You might have multiple interactions with a lead online. They can view your advertisement, visit your social media page, or read a blog article. They can get to know you before they decide to spend their money.
The standard conversion rate for SEO is 14.6%, compared to 1.7% for traditional marketing. The majority of businesses now place more of their investments in digital marketing channels and less in traditional ones. This has been particularly obvious after the outbreak.
Consider SEO rather than increasing your budget for less focused traditional marketing strategies. It has the potential to become your business’s primary source of revenue.
Why Local SEO is an Excellent Opportunity
While many digital marketers have recognized the benefits of SEO methods such as keyword research and user experience optimization, a new type of SEO is gaining popularity: local SEO. This method increases the visibility of local companies (physical stores) to customers looking for items or services in their area.
Local SEO has been present since the early 2000s when many local businesses began identifying their locations and advertising online. It has grown increasingly crucial with the advent of social media and online mapping tools like Google Maps.
According to Think With Google, 76% of individuals who search for a local supplier of a product or service will visit at least one local business the same day, with 28% making a purchase.
Common Questions and Objections to Investing in SEO
As previously stated, SEO has its challenges. There are also common SEO mistakes small businesses make. Here’s a rundown of some of the most typical concerns you could hear about SEO (and why they don’t match the facts):
Objection #1: SEO is too Expensive
Is SEO expensive? Absolutely. But is it a worthwhile investment? Of course! As was previously mentioned, paid advertisements are typically significantly more expensive per click, yet SEO really generates more traffic and trust than these.
Objection #2: SEO Results Take Too Long
Sure, SEO can take months to yield results. It is, however, a long-term growth plan. Investing in a costly paid advertisement campaign is the best option if you want to increase traffic quickly. However, there is no substitute for SEO when it comes to developing your brand, growing a loyal consumer base, and sustaining positive customer relations over time.
Objection #3: Don’t SEO Professionals Use Shady Tactics?
The modern SEO expert understands that there is no way to “cheat” at SEO; instead, one must connect their content with the right audience. If clickbait is all you are doing to draw in a large number of visitors, what does that really mean for generating high-quality leads? Google’s algorithms have been continuously improving over the past few years to identify high-quality, valuable content and display it more prominently than low-value clickbait. Additionally, keyword stuffing is no longer a useful SEO technique.
Objection #4: I want to do SEO Myself
It is entirely feasible for some marketing departments to hire a full-time SEO specialist, or possibly an entire team of them. Most small- to medium-sized businesses may not be able to afford this luxury. That’s why hiring external SEO specialists on an “as-needed” basis is the most cost-effective solution. However, this does not imply you lose all control over your SEO activity. SEO, like any other component of content marketing, should always be a collaborative effort, with the goal of ensuring that your content and methods represent your business in the way you want it to.
Objection #5: SEO Looks Like Too Much to Manage
SEO is a complex job. But it is an essential aspect of any successful digital marketing plan today. Happily, there are now tools and plenty of external specialists at your disposal to help manage the burden and produce better results.
Final Verdict
So, is SEO worth it for small businesses, what do you think? There is no doubt that SEO is a complicated, time-consuming, costly, and continuing process. But is it worth investing in 2024? Definitely, SEO is worth it!!
Just keep in mind that investing in SEO takes time. If you don’t start seeing results right away, that’s very typical for SEO. Don’t give up. Make sure you utilize all of the resources and cooperative partners available to you in order to reap the greatest possible benefits. You can make sure that your SEO investment pays off and that your business has more online exposure by surrounding yourself with the best SEO experts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it actually important to do SEO?
SEO spending is crucial if you’re investing in content to guarantee a higher return on investment. Compared to non-SEO material, SEO content is considerably more visible and accessible to your audiences.
Is it possible to earn money with SEO?
Yes, SEO is a tried-and-true method for expanding your company’s reach among prospective clients. Spending on pricey pay-per-click advertisements might be decreased in addition to growing organic traffic. Studies reveal that businesses using SEO can achieve a 400% reduction in ad spending while maintaining the same level of traffic.
Does hiring an SEO agency make sense?
An invaluable asset to any team involved in digital marketing is SEO specialists. Because SEO experts command hefty compensation when hired on a full-time basis, many marketing departments would rather engage with independent SEO strategists and consultants on an “as-needed” basis.
How is SEO different in 2024?
According to 80% of CMOs, their expenditure on SEO will either increase or stay the same in 2024. These days, 10% of the typical marketing spend goes on SEO. Since high-street retailers are finally operating again after the pandemic years, many companies are increasing their local SEO investments in an effort to draw visitors to their physical locations.
