With that said, the realm of ‘white label SEO’ is becoming increasingly confusing for end users, and that’s not good for anyone. The arena in which SEO is applied has diversified tremendously, with platforms growing in number and complexity. Ask a reputable IT support company like Computers In The City (www.computersinthecity.co.uk) about it and they’ll confirm just how prominent support issues geared towards SEO are currently. From its beginnings as a complex tech pursuit, SEO is now often known only in its simplest forms. However, it’s worth reiterating its reason for existence – and basic definition – because these are what should truly guide your SEO activity and expenditure.
1. Return on investment (ROI) is what SEO efficiency is all about
SEO is a collection of suitable practices that do cost a bit, but return much, much more. For some, the ROI on SEO suffers the same angst as conventional advertising－while you can measure positive responses, you’ll never know to what extent your business would suffer if you didn’t advertise. Fortunately, with the advanced modern analytics currently available, it’s much easier to see how effective your SEO (advertising) reach is, as well as how to enhance certain aspects that are paying dividends. In a nutshell, SEO is best seen in terms of its ROI. Its main jobs are to 1) return paying clients from your online branding efforts and 2) maintain your visibility to prospective clients 24/7 so you can continue growing your company.
2. SEO is built from the basics up
Online advertising works like this: you either pay for it or work for it – preferably both. Google is the resident behemoth, and – although the same practices for alternative search engines may apply – when those in the West talk of SEO, they really mean tying into Google’s algorithms.
3. Different platforms require different strategies for visibility
In fact, each platform has its own algorithms. For example, hashtags and other specific content snags views and liaison on LinkedIn, while it might be the activity + followers formula that generates sales on Instagram or Facebook. SEO is about maximum exposure to the right audience, and you must comprehensively define your audience to avoid wasting time and money pitching to the wrong people. SEO employs keywords, positioning, linking, and other touches and tweaks to achieve one goal: popping up on users’ radar when they do a relevant search. This is working for exposure, as we previously mentioned. It’s positioning yourself as an ideal candidate for Google’s algorithms to return your smiling face to prospective clients when they employ certain keywords in their search. The truth is, SEO is often more about the ‘working for it’ part of online advertising because keywords count for zipping when you’re paying for search position zero. You can say whatever you like in a paid ad－it just costs money. In SEO, you need to be very savvy in what you say－it just takes wit and consistency. For a slightly different take on SEO, here are four salient points in plain English that might give you a better view of SEO and its practices:
4. Good SEO trades on effective use of available resources
Perhaps you write genuinely engaging and relevant articles, but when you review your analytics, it might as well be in Greek? Eliminate SEO costs by producing what you can in-house－be that literary talent or analytical skills－ and contract the rest out to white label SEO professionals with a track record and a list of satisfied clients. Do your homework on knowledgeable SEO agents (and see the third point below).
5. Run analytics alongside your marketing efforts
The shotgun approach to consumers or B2B clients is all but dead online. Utilizing analytics is becoming ubiquitous; e-commerce stores and many other platforms online have standard in-built analytics that makes it easier than ever to see what actions affect which outcomes, and how.
6. Whatever you decide to do yourself, make sure it doesn’t compromise your overall efforts
This is why partnering with an SEO entity is a good idea, as any agency worth its salt will tell you when you’re producing rubbish. If they can’t use your copy or can’t tell how their copy is doing because you’re micromanaging and making a mess of analytics, they should let you know. Using available resources to build an organic presence is great – it’s SEO smarts in action – but it can’t be at the cost of your overall efforts. SEO either works or it doesn’t; if you introduce even one aspect that’s floundering, its value (and ROI) starts sinking.
7. Have a strong social media and web presence, and do the SEO you can
For those who are sold on SEO, love SEO, and want tons of SEO – but are restricted by budget: It will cost money, but if you spend proportionately (as per your business plan) on SEO marketing, it will surely drive sales. SEO can have a small genesis, but grow organically as it pays dividends.
8. Differences and similarities between Enterprise, Local, and E-Commerce SEO
Enterprise SEO is dominated by the desire for scalable results. Here, a sophisticated and wholesale strategy on SEO is king. This type of SEO is often detailed, heavily tracked, and extensive, as corporations have a far healthier budget than most for advertising. Big companies often want to apply SEO to see the same results on a market scale as their paid advertising generates. Local SEO is the current watchword, as global users spend around a third of their search time on local searches. Local SEO can be as simple as optimising copy with localised keywords, or as detailed as actively honing your content for local searches. Finally, e-commerce SEO is, at its core, basic SEO－the only difference being that its sole aim is to make sales. Although e-commerce is a very direct retail experience, its secondary SEO aims aren’t that different from anyone else online. All three types use both on and off-page SEO to increase visibility and sales.
9. On-Page vs Off-page SEO
On-page SEO deals with optimizing individual web pages to make them attractive to search engines. Here, content and HTML (the “source code”) is in play, along with extensive keyword research which identifies targeted keywords that are then used to enhance meta tags and content. It’s a crucial, basic SEO tactic, and anyone without on-page SEO might not rank at all on search engines in the near future. The level of SEO performance required to rank well is always rising. Off-page SEO centres around link building which, in short, involves employing hyperlinks from outside of your own site. High quality links of this kind enable a superior ranking in searches.
10. Consistent and steady SEO wins the race
Remember: SEO is a continuous process. Google and other search engines favor fresh, detailed content, with the accent on fresh. SEO isn’t a once-off – it’s the bullhorn as you open up shop in the morning, calling to customers far and wide. Immediate visibility alongside longer-term brand recognition are two irreplaceable attributes of good SEO, and no thinking business online does without it. Bottom line? SEO is about being found, looking good, and making sales.
