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SEO for small business owners is somewhat paradoxical in that it can be the most transformative investment – and yet many people are absolutely petrified of making the commitment.
In this article, we’re going to write about 5 things that business owners tend to fear about SEO and how to overcome them…
1. SEO is far too complicated
SEO is a complicated beast, there’s no denying it. Even the most seasoned professionals are forever learning something new. However, you only really need to understand the fundamentals of SEO to benefit from it.
Certainly, if you plan to do everything by yourself, in-house, then you’ll need to get a move on and start doing your research. However, if you are going to invest your SEO requirements to the experts, then you can sit back and focus on doing what you do best and leave the complicated grunt work to those who know what they are doing.
2. “SEO is snake oil”
Another common fear about SEO is that it’s just a scam. A bunch of smooth talking nerds selling snake oil to unsuspecting technophobes.
This couldn’t be further from the truth.
Make no mistake that there are indeed countless “SEO experts” out there who would love nothing more than to take your money and give very little back in return. However, for the most part, the average SEO agency has your best interests at heart.
The good news? It’s actually very easy to find highly capable SEO agencies today. For example, if you were looking forSEO services on the Gold Coast, this agency in particular has hundreds of 5* reviews and case studies to support their abilities; real life success stories from satisfied clients who vouch for their authenticity.
As such, when looking for an SEO agency, if you are worried about getting scammed, let their reputation (and customers) do the talking!
3 . If done wrong, SEO can ruin your business
In the wrong hands, SEO can certainly do a number on your website. Inequitable SEO experts who use blackhat techniques could get your website suspended or receive a Manual Order from Google, however, this is easily avoidable.
The only time that you would need to worry about this is if you rush into the first agency that you come across without doing your due diligence.
However, as mentioned above, if you find an agency that has a solid reputation and lots of social proof to support that fact, you can rest assured that they will only be using whitehat techniques – with your business’s best interests at heart.
4. SEO is expensive
Another misconception is that SEO is expensive. There are only two instances in which SEO is expensive:
- When you pay a crap SEO agency a lot of money to do very little.
- When you actively search for a “cheap SEO” agency and get what you pay for.
The reality is, when executed well, SEO can deliver one of the best ROIs in digital marketing. Period. As such, if you take the time to find the right agency who has helped hundreds of businesses before you grow their online presence and dominate their industry, you will no longer be looking at it like an expense, but as an investment in the long-term success of your business.
5. SEO takes too long
It’s no secret that SEO is a slow burner. In fact, it can actually take anywhere from 3 to 12-months before a sustainable ROI is achieved (depending on how competitive your niche is). That said, when you eventually do get to the golden hill, the traffic starts rolling in, and those highly relevant ‘clicks’ are converting into ‘customers’, it will all be worth it.
Final thoughts: Mitigate risk and shop on reputation
Yes, it can be frightening taking the plunge and putting your faith in a third-party agency to grow and nurture your online presence. However, you can mitigate much of the risk by shopping on reputation.
You are under no obligation to sign on the dotted line and part with your hard earned cash unless you feel totally confident in their abilities to deliver the goods. So, find the agency with hundreds of 5* reviews and real life case studies and then go from there!