At Big Fish Local, we help small businesses become the big fish in their pond. However, we understand that they don’t always have a big budget to spend on SEO services.
Sometimes clients approach us because they’ve been disappointed by SEO services they’ve used in the past. Usually this is because they went for the cheapest option possible with little regard for quality.
Remember, it doesn’t matter how low the price is; if the service isn’t getting you results, it’s not a bargain. It’s a false economy.
Read on to learn more about the dangers of “cheap” SEO services and why this particular marketing strategy deserves a long-term investment.
SEO: What is it and why does it matter?
SEO is the name given to a collection of strategies designed to increase a website’s search engine ranking. Implemented successfully, it helps websites appear higher on the results page when relevant queries are searched.
This generates increased organic traffic, and it’s traffic that’s especially valuable since it comes from people who are already actively looking for what the website offers. The potential for conversion is high!
SEO tactics include optimizing websites through keywords and headings, publishing quality content regularly, improving functionality, and generating links from external sites.
Search engine algorithms are designed to detect when a website is authoritative, relevant, and easy-to-navigate. This is how certain sites are chosen to rank higher on the results page.
SEO is a long-term marketing strategy that requires ongoing attention and investment. If you settle for substandard services because they’re cheap, then you subject yourself to the following risks.
Risk 1: Your cheap SEO service does nothing of note
SEO is a complex field requiring insider knowledge to understand. Some SEO services take advantage of their clients’ limited awareness by offering cheap SEO services that actually achieve very little.
One example would be companies that offer to index your site for you on Google. This is a straightforward task that doesn’t require the input of a specialist, so it shouldn’t be portrayed as an amazing feat of SEO!
Risk 2: Your cheap SEO service promises misleading results
Unlike PPC ads that can generate overnight traffic spikes, SEO takes time to execute effectively. Reputable SEO services won’t guarantee to put you on the first results page in a week because that isn’t usually feasible.
If you’re being promised immediate gains that sound too good to be true, beware! They probably are exactly that.
Risk 3: Your cheap SEO services uses black hat tactics
You may also be fobbed off by promises to “generate 100 backlinks” or “deliver 2000 words of content.” Remember that these actions will only improve your SEO if the links and the content are of quality.
Dodgy backlinks from link farms will only harm your SEO. Similarly, content that’s inaccurate or copied from another page is easily detected by the algorithm. When it comes to SEO, there really are no shortcuts!
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For a custom SEO strategy tailored to your business goals and your budget, contact Big Fish Local. We make quality SEO services affordable to small businesses.
