Can a business be successful without a strong online presence?
Sure. Anything is possible.
But if a business is easy to find online, won’t it grow faster than a business hiding in the shadows of the internet?
Most likely.
Businesses who aren’t focused on SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, are putting their growth on hold. But what’s even worse than ignoring SEO is trying to tackle all its associated tasks solo.
If you’ve been either ignoring or handling your company’s SEO, we’re sharing four reasons on why you need an SEO specialist.
What is an SEO specialist?
SEO is a complex and technical process used to increase organic traffic, site credibility, and engagement. More often than not, the job requires an SEO specialist.
An SEO specialist is a trained professional who knows how to navigate the ins and outs of SEO.
They’re trained to analyze and research search engine guidelines and provide the best results in the shortest amount of time.
How does SEO work? Think of the last time you typed into Google’s search query box. What you typed into the box was a keyword and the websites that were listed on the results page ranking for that keyword. They accomplished this through SEO.
For example, if you’re an accountant, you may want your website to rank for keyword phrases such as:
- Accountant near me
- How to hire an accountant
- Best accountant in (insert your town here)
Can you imagine the increase in business you would experience if your website popped up in Google’s search results anytime someone typed in one of these keywords?
On the first page alone, the first five organic results account for 67.60% of all the clicks. Snagging one of those top five spots can change your business overnight.
Find a keyword…Use it on your website…Rank on Google.
Sounds simple enough, right? However, Google’s search engine algorithm uses over 200 factors to rank websites. That’s a lot of SEO-related tasks to take on.
And 91% of pages on Google don’t receive organic traffic. If your website isn’t ranking, you’re not alone. But you’re also not destined to remain hidden online forever.
While most business owners realize the power of website ranking, they don’t always want to allocate part of their marketing budget towards hiring an SEO specialist.
Instead, they hire a generalist or, even worse, ask Tommy the Intern to read a couple books on SEO and become their free SEO mastermind. But neither option can provide the results an SEO specialist can.
It’s often said that it’s impossible to know everything about SEO as search engine operations and algorithms are always changing. Neither Tommy or a generalist can keep up with said changes.
But SEO specialists are always training, researching, and evolving, and this is just one reason why you need to work with an SEO specialist. Read on to learn several more.
Are you in insurance? We have a SEO Guide for Insurance Companies.
5 Reasons Why You Need an SEO Specialist
1. They save time
SEO is a never-ending job that will take up more time in your schedule than you can imagine — especially if you don’t know what you’re doing. But an SEO specialist knows how to efficiently tackle an SEO project and quickly get results.
Think of it this way. You need to make a cake. You find a recipe and gather your ingredients. But because you’ve never made a cake before, you have to research how to crack an egg and sift flour. The oven gives you some trouble and your frosting is sloppy. In the end, it took you twice as long as it should have and your cake is less than bakery-worthy.
The same can be applied to SEO. Sure, you can learn what you can and give it your best shot. But to think you’ll get the same results as an SEO specialist will likely lead to disappointment.
2. They’re always up-to-date on SEO best practices
The internet is constantly evolving—as are search engines. To be successful, a business SEO strategy needs to continuously evolve and update as well.
An SEO specialist builds a name for themself by keeping up with changes in algorithms and SEO best practices. According to a Moz report, Google had 11 updates in 2019 alone. Tommy the Intern is too busy with his hourly coffee runs to keep up with such constant flux.
You rely on doctors to be aware of medical advancements. You assume your lawyer is up to date on recent amendments to local law. Should you work with an SEO specialist, you can also assume and depend on them to be aware of algorithm changes and updates while also using only the latest approaches to SEO marketing.
3. Their efforts are continuous
Some businesses outsource SEO work, which is fine. But they optimize their website once, check off SEO from their to-do list, and move on. This isn’t fine.
SEO isn’t a one-and-done business venture. An effective SEO strategy requires constant monitoring, which is why you need an SEO specialist. Their job is to focus solely on your company’s SEO strategy, which includes content marketing, technical SEO, creating an ecosystem for backlinks, and every other ingredient that goes into your company’s SEO stew.
Having your website optimized once is like dieting until you reach your goal weight, but then stopping your workouts and chowing down on that terrible cake you made. Without continual maintenance, SEO will fail every time.
4. They avoid common SEO mistakes
If you’re relying on a generalist to handle your company’s SEO marketing, they’re likely leaving behind a trail of rookie mistakes that are costing you time and money. A generalist might be able to handle the basics of SEO, but this won’t be enough to get you the results you’re after.
When’s the last time you had a medical emergency? There are great general practitioners that can help you diagnose a health problem. But they’ll always refer you to a specialist to have a procedure completed rather than doing it themselves. SEO is the same way. A generalist might understand why something needs to be done, but you’re always better off having a specialist complete the job who knows more than just the basics.
Ready to hire an SEO specialist?
SEO specialists can be invaluable for any business as they improve a brand’s online visibility. With a comprehensive and effective SEO strategy, your business can earn its rightful place at the top of a Google search page, boosting both engagement and revenue.
To make it all happen, you just need an expert — which is why you need an SEO specialist on your side.
