Articles have been popping up for months now asking if Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is still useful. Some have even said that SEO is dead and is no longer adding any value to the visibility of a website in search engines. This creates confusion among online marketing professionals as they start to question whether they should still invest their time in SEO activities or simply move on to something else that would make better use of their resources.
The truth of the matter is, SEO is not at all dead. It just changed. With the many updates from Google and other search engines trying to provide better search results for their browsers, it can be disheartening to find out that one part of SEO is no longer best practice so you have to redo your efforts again. So the question is, is there still any real value in applying SEO to your online presence? Here are a few things to remember if you want an answer to that question.
- Google still encourages SEO – When Google, the biggest search engine still provides pointers as to how best to apply SEO, then all online marketers should listen and take that as a sign that SEO is here to stay. As a matter of fact, many of Google’s tips have stood the test of time and have remained unchanged. Unique information, viral content and a clean, well-structured website are all very good tips to follow for many years now and Google still advocates this.
- People search for products and services on the internet everyday – Nowadays, an overwhelming majority of customers prefer to search for reviews and articles about a product or service before actually making a purchase. This is also why businesses need to have a website or at the very least a social media presence. SEO is responsible on making sure your business is visible online and among the top results.
- Your competitors are investing on SEO – Today, more and more companies are allotting greater time and budget for Search Engine Optimization which is accompanied by their renewed commitment to making a strong online presence for their brand. Additionally, SEO is a cost effective aspect of online marketing if compared to buying web ad spaces and pay-per-click advertising and other aspects of internet marketing. Moreover, the results from SEO are easily seen and quantifiable through the use of Google Analytics or Statcounter. So if your competitors are taking SEO seriously, shouldn’t you?
Search Engine Optimization may seem complicated at first but the objective here is online awareness for the long-run. As Google and other search engine algorithms change, so will SEO. The true value of a properly executed SEO strategy is just as good as any other popular online marketing facets, but without the large price tag attached. The question now is no longer whether SEO has any real value; it is now how much of that value can you maximize for your brand.