Small businesses may neglect SEO for a number of reasons, in most cases misguided. We’ve heard all the excuses over the years. None of them hold water, and all of them are problematic, because they can interfere with the long-term success of your website, and even your business as a whole.
If you’ve used any of these excuses to avoid optimizing your website for SEO, adding a blog or just widening your online footprint, keep reading to find out how you may be holding your business back in the long run.
1. I sell common products, so I can’t offer unique content.
If your e-commerce site carries common products, you’re right to acknowledge that this creates some challenges when it comes to setting yourself apart on the internet, but these are challenges that can be easily overcome with a bit of ingenuity. You just have to learn to think outside the box.
Content marketing continues to be a solid strategy for generating traffic to your website. The Google updates you’ve heard so much about simply reinforce the quality of that content. If you really want to set your website apart, it’s far from a futile endeavor. The key is creating something unique for your customers, in the form of information, news, or even humor.
2. My customers are all local. I don’t need to worry about SEO.
Word of mouth happens on the internet now. Even within the confines of a small town, people will check with their Facebook friends to see where to have dinner, which contractor to use, and even which medical professionals to visit.
In fact, an informal poll we performed on Facebook a while back indicated that for most respondents, their first impulse when they find a business they love is to like that company’s Facebook page. Obviously you have to consider the medium here, but the point stands: people use the internet to find, recognize and promote local businesses.
It’s not just a Facebook phenomenon, either. For the vast majority of business-related searches, Google serves up local results before all others. This means that even if you choose not to hire an SEO firm, your local competitors already have, and they are likely seeing business that could have been yours.
3. We’re a B2B. Customers don’t find us online.
Not only is that not the case, but most statistics show that b2b industries were among the earliest adopters of online marketing strategies. The existence of LinkedIn – and it’s popularity within the social media landscape – is proof of this.
If you’re a B2B you have to be even more cognizant of your online profile. No one has higher expectations of a business than another business. Potential clients could end up judging you quite harshly if they get the impression that your company is behind in relation to the Internet and technology in general.
The better option is to find an online marketing company that has writers already experienced in B2B copywriting to help your business find and speak to exactly the right online audience.
4. We don’t use our website to get new business.
Ok, let’s start with the assumption that you have other avenues for bringing in new business. That doesn’t mean your Internet presence doesn’t matter. In fact, if you choose not to be involved in online activities, you are taking a huge risk.
It is a fact of the Internet and the SEO industry that if someone out there is searching for a term, someone in search marketing is targeting it, for good or ill. That includes your company name, which means if you don’t control your online footprint, someone else might.
At the very least, consider looking into reputation management services that can set up and manage your social media accounts so that the conversation about your company isn’t taking place without your input.
5. My industry has too much competition in the online arena
While it’s true that some markets can be pretty tough to break into with SEO, a qualified online marketing firm knows how to find opportunities where the competition isn’t quite so overwhelming, and utilize those opportunities to break through even competitive industries. We’ve done it for our clients time and again.
Stop making excuses and start using SEO.
Wishing SEO weren’t necessary won’t make that wish a reality. The internet isn’t going anywhere, and consumers are turning to online sources more often, not less. If you haven’t yet delved into the world of SEO, now is the time to find a proven seo firm and see just how successful your business can be in the online arena.