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Today we'll look at SEO from an unusual perspective. Let's imagine that search engine optimization of websites is a product, and let's try to look at it through the prism of business and commerce.
It’s been a long time since I wrote detailed material on the topic of promotion, so let’s skip all the subtleties and assume that you already have a basic idea about this service. In this text we present the main conclusions drawn from independent research for the investor.
1) This is a rather expensive service with a subscription fee.
The average cost of SEO services in the regions is from 15 to 20 thousand rubles per month, and in the capital - from 30 to 50 thousand. Of course, these are more indicative data than accurate statistical studies, but this is the overall picture. In general, SEO prices from most agencies are close to the average salary of specialists working in this field. If the price is higher, the client may wonder if it would be more profitable to hire their own employee. If the price is too low, this is contrary to the interests of the agency - why sell cheaper if you can sell it more expensive?
2) Lack of quality criteria, regulations, standards and guarantees. There are no guarantees in SEO.
Professional agencies avoid promises and guarantees of results. But there are also those on the market who actively use this as a marketing ploy. Such companies advertise their services with phrases about “guaranteed” promotion to the top lines of search engines within three months and other promises that, in fact, cannot be fulfilled. Therefore, it is worth understanding that there are no real guarantees in SEO.
3) Shortage of qualified personnel and lack of systematic training of specialists.
Many SEO techniques quickly become outdated. There are few training programs on the market that train real specialists, and those that exist often provide only general knowledge. The most important methods and techniques are always hidden behind closed doors, and competitors are in no hurry to reveal them. At the same time, there are many courses available that teach standard, but not always effective, methods, without teaching the really important things: analytical thinking, conducting experiments and finding solutions on your own.
4) Long terms for obtaining results.
Of course, all the necessary SEO work can be completed in a few months. However, only a few companies have enough resources to invest the required amounts immediately. In addition, not all specialists are able to work in a project with a specific deadline, since most are accustomed to constant subscriber services.
5) A service that is difficult for the customer to understand.
According to search engines, ranking algorithms include more than a thousand factors. It is sometimes difficult for a manager or marketer to understand all the intricacies of this process. SEO includes technical aspects, coding, working with servers, content, statistical analysis and many other factors. And even professionals do not always understand exactly how all this affects the result.
6) A large number of low-quality offers.
High-quality SEO services are quite expensive, and for many companies the amount of 100-200 thousand rubles per month may be prohibitive. Therefore, there are often offers on the market from inexpensive agencies that promise results for little money. These “professionals” sometimes don’t even know what real SEO work means. For example, they can simply enter the site into free tools, install a couple of counters, and that’s it - the job is done. This leads to temporary visibility, but in the long term the client remains without results.
7) Constant changes in algorithms and increased competition.
Search engines are constantly updating their algorithms, and what worked a few years ago may already lead to sanctions. Innovations and new approaches spread quickly among competitors. Algorithms are not protected by copyright, so repeating or even improving someone else’s idea is not very difficult.
8) The client needs sales, not positions or traffic.
Many customers believe that increasing website traffic will instantly lead to business growth. However, in practice, SEO is only one way to attract traffic. Often clients try to shift responsibility for their failures to SEO. I always explain that we are only responsible for increasing the visibility of the site, which can lead to increased traffic. But for many this explanation is difficult to grasp.
9) SEO is often sold under the guise of integrated marketing.
Website optimization, contextual advertising, promotion on social networks are far from the same as full-fledged marketing. At the same time, many SEO studios are beginning to position themselves as “marketing agencies,” which often leads to confusion and misunderstandings among clients.
10) The growing importance of other online sales channels.
SEO is no longer the only or most important channel for promotion. Social networks, especially such as Facebook, are driving a significant portion of users away from traditional Internet searches. Search engines themselves are actively developing their services - from answering questions to marketplaces - thereby limiting organic traffic.
So what can we conclude? SEO is an expensive service that is often perceived as a one-size-fits-all solution to all business problems. However, there is no guarantee of results; the time frame for completing the work usually significantly exceeds client expectations. There are a large number of low-quality contractors and scammers on the market. At the same time, there is a shortage of qualified specialists.
However, despite all these difficulties, one should not complain about the fate of the agency. The main thing that can be learned from all these facts is the need to develop SEO specialists in the direction of full-fledged Internet marketing. This is one path to success, but not the only one.
In the next article I will explain why real SEO is not dead yet and who needs it anyway.
You can contact us with any questions by email info@seo.computer.
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