There is a lot to learn about SEO and digital marketing. The SEO landscape is in a constant state of flux. There is certainly no shortage of methods that marketers can use. However, they are all without merit if they cannot produce results. As such, there are critical SEO lessons to learn from the practice of optimizing a small business website. What better way to learn SEO than from web experts and site owners themselves? Here are several business lessons learned firsthand from building and designing websites.
1. SEO Can Be Demanding but Is Still Doable
Like other things in life, the drive to be perfect can strain and hold back progress. You are going to fail at some things and win at others. However, you will always be gaining experience along the way. In time, marketers learn more about how to perform SEO audits, develop and execute link building strategies, write effective content, and expand their social media footprint.
Marketers and site owners also get better at tracking and understanding Google’s algorithm changes. These changes can strike fear in the hearts of seasoned marketers if they are slow to learn about these updates.
Site owners can also learn the differences between SEO and PPC. They can determine when it makes sense to use one or both as an SEO approach. Many of the fundamentals of SEO will always remain the same no matter what the approach. Website owners must make it easy for Google to crawl and index new content.
Marketers must also optimize for the keywords users are likely to use to find their site. They should also seek backlinks to boost their SEO standing. With e-commerce websites, SEO can be a bit more challenging. However, the approach to SEO remains the same. There is just more work to do.
2. SEO Results Do Not Happen Overnight
SEO does take time to demonstrate its effectiveness. Depending on how many people are in your organization who understand SEO and web development, you may have to outsource the work. You will need a solid backup team of people who can code, design, and write content. You will also need people who are good at editing CSS or HTML. Coding can be a challenge. Without someone who is knowledgeable, very little will get done, and results may not be as forthcoming as expected.
3. Transparency Matters
In SEO, you learn that you can never promise results, but you can offer an assurance that best practices will eventually lead to positive results. If you are a web developer, you always answer a question in a way that helps clients understand complex topics.
Transparency can also work for people who have had bad previous experiences in dealing with SEO, either as a website owner or developer.
4. SEO Is Easier with Some Platforms
There is also an SEO challenge for people who want SEO but do not have websites that sit on popular platforms like WordPress or Joomla. These platforms are already built to accommodate SEO efforts. There are many Internet sources with information about these platforms that can help individuals to understand their value better.
5. Client-Web Developer Relationship Is Important
The best way to learn SEO is from the experts themselves. However, sometimes when working to optimize a small business site, you learn that web developers have their own personalities and ways they communicate. This, too, falls under the category of transparency. Site owners and developers should both be aware of the value of communicating clearly. However, the vast majority of web experts deal well with clients. It would be impossible to remain long in the field without having expertise in this area.
Sometimes, clients with smaller budgets can also be a bit fussier about the SEO process. It is a natural reaction because they have less money to work with. The thing to remember is that a competent web developer or web design firm has the knowledge and skills to take your company where it needs to go in the world of SEO. A little trust can go a long way in accomplishing important tasks for both developers and their clients.
If you are an individual or company looking to learn SEO, Advanced Digital Media Services is your best bet! The company has SEO solutions that can help your brand grow its online presence. Consult with us when looking to optimize a small business website. Just fill out the form below.