Many business owners feel it’s a necessary evil when it comes to SEO. It can be challenging to do on your own, and if you don’t know what you’re doing, you could end up doing more harm than good. However, should you hire someone for SEO?
The answer depends on your business, time, money, and goals. If you’re looking to increase traffic and sales, hiring an SEO expert is likely worth the investment. However, if everything else in your business is perfect and you have the time to learn and implement SEO yourself, you may not need to hire someone.
SEO is a complex and ever-changing field, so it’s essential to work with an expert who keeps up with the latest trends and knows what works best for your industry and your target audience. An experienced SEO professional can help you identify the right keywords to target, create compelling content and link-building strategies, and optimize your website for search engines.
Can I do SEO by myself?
Let’s start by saying that, yes, you can do SEO by yourself. It is possible to increase your website’s ranking in Google’s search results without paying someone to do it for you. However, it will likely take more time and effort, and you may not get the same results as you would if you worked with an experienced SEO professional.
Seasoned SEO experts have the knowledge and experience to know what works and what doesn’t. They can help you save time by implementing effective strategies tailored to your business, industry, and target audience. In addition, they can help you avoid common mistakes that can negatively impact your website’s ranking.
We’ve seen it before where business owners try to tackle SEO independently, only to get a manual penalty because they accidentally implemented a black-hat technique. Ignorance is not an excuse regarding Google’s terms of service, so it’s always best to work with someone who knows what they’re doing.
How much does it cost to hire an SEO specialist?
What if you hire it out? What if you use an agency or a consultant? How much should you expect to pay for their services?
Of course, this comes down to the specialist’s experience and the size and scope of your project. Generally speaking, you can expect to pay $500-$5,000+ per month for an experienced SEO specialist.
Here at Arbor Green Design, we determine the cost based on the strategy and the level of optimization needed to achieve the desired results. For example, suppose your business just started, and you want to increase traffic from scratch. In that case, it will require a different strategy than an established business trying to improve its ranking for specific keywords.
Is it worth it to pay for SEO?
The answer is yes if you find the right person or agency and you’re clear about your goals. A good SEO specialist can help you rank higher in search engines, which leads to more traffic and, ultimately, more sales.
To determine if your business is worth it, start by evaluating your goals and budget. Then, consider the ROI you can expect to see from an SEO campaign. If the numbers make sense for your business, then hiring a specialist is likely a good investment.
Let’s say you hire an agency to implement a strategy at $2,500 per month. After three months, you’ve spent $7,500; however, your website traffic has skyrocketed, and you landed 64 sales. For this example, you’d need an average profit margin of $117 per sale to break even. Keep in mind, that these numbers will vary from business to business.
But don’t just stop there! The results from the SEO campaign are exponential, meaning that once you’re ranking higher on Google, you’ll continue to get more traffic and sales without spending more money on marketing. So not only is the initial investment worth it, but the long-term ROI is even greater. You’ll need to invest in SEO through content creation, link building, and on-page optimization to continue to hold your gains.
What to look for when hiring an SEO specialist.
At this point, you’re convinced that SEO is worth the investment, and you’re ready to start looking for an expert to help take your business to the next level. After all, you’re excited about the prospect of increased traffic and sales!
However, before you jump feet first into the world of SEO, there are a few things you should know. Unfortunately, not all “SEO experts” are created equal, and many people out there will take your money without delivering results.
When you’re looking for an SEO specialist or agency to hire, be sure to follow these tips-
- Do your research.ย There are a lot of companies out there that offer SEO services, so it’s essential to do your research before choosing one. Make sure they have a good track record and a portfolio of successful projects.
- Ask for references.ย Once you’ve narrowed your choices, ask for references from past clients. This will give you a better idea of what to expect from the SEO company and how they work with clients.
- Set expectations realistically.ย SEO takes time and effort, so don’t expect overnight results. Be patient and give the SEO company enough time to see results.
Hiring an SEO expert can significantly improve your website’s ranking in search engines and increase traffic and sales. But it’s important to do your research first and set realistic expectations.
It can be challenging to determine whether or not you should hire someone for SEO. On the one hand, if you don’t have the time or knowledge to do it yourself, it may make sense to outsource the work. However, on the other hand, hiring an SEO specialist can be expensive. You will have to decide that balance for your own business.
There are some questions you can ask yourself to help make the decision-
- Do you have the time to learn and implement SEO?
- Are you willing to invest the time required to keep up with changes in the SEO landscape?
- Do you have an understanding of how to track and analyze SEO data?
- Is your website already generating traffic? If so, is it the kind of traffic that converts into customers?
If you answered no to any of these questions, it might be worth considering hiring an SEO specialist.
SEO is an ever-changing landscape, and it can be difficult to keep up with the latest trends and algorithms. If you don’t have the time or energy to invest in learning SEO, hiring someone who can do it for you may be best.