For years, marketing experts have told us that search engine optimization is vital for a business’s online success. You may be spending thousands of dollars and countless hours just to adapt to the ever-changing algorithm.
However, SEO is not as necessary as it seems. In reality, even Google says website owners should be more wary of SEO firms.
In this article, I’ll explain why SEO is not important in the grand scheme. Plus, receive useful reminders for when you’re considering SEO as a digital marketing strategy!
Table of Contents
Understanding SEO
Search engine optimization is the process of improving your website’s ranking. It’s for visibility whenever customers search for your business online.
According to Forbes, when people conduct a Google search, page one results have a 27.6% click-through rate. Meanwhile, page two results have a 15.8% click-through rate. This means the higher your web page ranks, the more clicks you’ll get.
Digital marketers use SEO efforts to help the algorithm understand your content. Simply put, it increases your chances of landing on the first page.
8 Reasons Why SEO Is Not Important
While SEO has some proven advantages, it may not be as important as you think. I believe it isn’t necessary to spend thousands of dollars on SEO, and here’s why:
1. Keyword Stuffing
Keyword research is the first step in every SEO strategy. While it can be effective, some businesses focus too much on keywords, thereby overusing them.
Keyword stuffing is a negative SEO tactic where companies use keywords to manipulate search engine results.
According to Search Engine Land, Google takes action against 40% of brands using keyword stuffing on their Google My Business. In addition, Search Engine Journal says keyword stuffing lowers your search result ranking.
Not only is it bad for user experience, search engines may even penalize web pages that use it!
Instead of using too many out-of-context keywords, Google says it’s better to maintain an authentic writing style.
2. Algorithm Changes
SEO is a digital marketing strategy that’s heavily reliant on the algorithm. So much so that a tiny change in Google’s algorithm can drastically reduce your traffic overnight!
Today, SEO can become a risky and unreliable marketing channel.
Websites that previously ranked highly because of SEO now are being overshadowed by a new focus on AI and intent. Generative AI can even create informative text, images, and videos, eliminating people’s need to enter a website.
3. SERPs and Paid Ads
Most of the time, search engine results pages, or SERPs, vary for each user.
SERPs can depend on a person’s location, language, and search history. Meaning, whether you’ll appear at the top involves other factors aside from SEO.
On top of this, SEO may also become useless due to PPC. Google can prioritize paid ads, placing only PPC campaigns at the top of search results.
4. Shifting User Behaviors
User behaviors are now changing.
For instance, according to a case study by JungleScout, 56% of consumers do product searches directly on Amazon. Other users may also conduct searches on YouTube or similar platforms.
Unfortunately, these websites follow a different set of SEO guidelines.
What’s more, voice searches are changing how people find information. Voice searching through Siri and Alexa is less keyword-based, rendering SEO useless.
5. Content Oversaturation
Another issue you may encounter when you depend on SEO is oversaturation.
The digital space has an overwhelming amount of content. Plenty of websites are also copying each other, using similar SEO tactics. This oversaturation of content makes it difficult to stand out even with optimized posts.
Simply put, there’s too much competition, and SEO alone does not guarantee visibility. It’s especially true now that everyone is following the same set of guidelines!
6. Google Penalties
Black hat techniques are SEO tactics that violate Google’s terms to artificially boost rankings. While it may temporarily raise your rank, pages using black hat techniques now receive heavy penalties, unlike before.
Those with unethical backlink practices, for instance, become blacklisted by Google.
As a website owner, you should be wary of SEO agencies that use black hat techniques without your knowledge!
7. Unpredictable Results
When you look at the bigger picture, getting an exact measurement of your SEO performance is nearly impossible.
Most of the time, SEO can take months or years to work. There are no immediate results, and nobody can guarantee a number-one spot.
Because of the unpredictability, SEO is a marketing channel that’s not as important for some.
8. Niche Limitations
Last but not least are niche limitations.
Some niches, like B2B and local businesses, don’t need to use SEO as much. These businesses can do well with direct contact, community presence, and word-of-mouth referrals.
It’s important to do your research before investing in SEO. You may not realize that simply improving your Yelp reviews may be more effective for your business!
The Rise of Other Alternatives to SEO
Instead of becoming over-reliant on SEO, you can focus your attention on other alternatives. Below are popular options to consider.
1. Social Media Marketing
Using social media is a great way to create a direct relationship with your target audience.
According to Forbes, 90% of social media users follow at least one brand on social media. In addition, 76% of users have purchased an item they saw on social media.
Social media can also feel more authentic for some. In fact, 34% of consumers appreciate the genuineness of short-form videos on social media!
2. Content Marketing
Making great content for your audience is another alternative to investing in an SEO strategy.
Pricing-wise, content marketing costs 62% less than other channels. It’s more affordable and results in six times as many conversions.
The New York Times says content marketing is a powerful tool for creating brand awareness. It creates a more sophisticated communication method, boosting sales opportunities by 20%!
3. PPC Advertising
As per Growthscribe, pay-per-click advertising is a powerful alternative to SEO campaigns. The reason for this is that PPC generates twice as many visitors compared to SEO.
PPC outweighs organic traffic by 50%. Plus, it can return your investment by 200%!
PPC advertising is so effective that 74% of brands agree it’s a major driving force for their businesses.
4. Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing is a relatively new and effective way to gain visibility. Studies show that influencer marketing works because it’s genuine.
More than 60% of consumers say they’re likely to buy a product if it’s recommended by an influencer they trust. Moreover, 82% of brands affirm they get better quality leads from influencer marketing efforts.
You should consider influencer marketing because it’s perfect for targeting niches!
5. Email Marketing
At first glance, email marketing may seem like it isn’t an effective strategy. Yet, 81% of companies still use email marketing to build connections with their customers.
Email marketing is best for direct sales, with a proven track record of returning on investment. It can drive sales for your business, especially if you’re in the childcare or pet care industry!
When Should You Consider Hiring an SEO Agency?
Even though SEO is not as important as other marketing channels, there are still cases where it can help your business.
Consider hiring an SEO agency if you need help with technical SEO. This involves improving your landing pages, site speed, and off-page and on-page SEO.
Another instance where you may want to acquire SEO services is if you have a new product.
You can use SEO to create an optimized webpage, improving user experience and increasing website traffic.
Tips for Hiring an SEO Firm
Below are important reminders for those considering working with an SEO agency for their new website.
- Ask Questions: Do research on the agency and ask for details if something is unclear. The agency should be direct about what they intend to do, and you must interview your prospects.
- Require a Technical Audit: Prospects should be able to determine areas of your website for improvement. They should give you a realistic estimate; avoid ones promising first-place results.
- Understand the Fees: Some agencies could just be driving traffic by placing you in the temporary advertising section. Be clear that you want to allocate the budget to permanent inclusion.
- Perform a Background Check: Ask for case studies, portfolios, and client testimonials. The agency’s references should be legit and able to give you genuine insights into their experience.
- Choose Wisely: Pick an agency that’s open and helpful. If an SEO agency creates deceptive content for you, your website could be removed from Google’s index!
Conclusion
In conclusion, SEO is effective in some cases. However, it’s definitely overhyped. Nowadays, SEO isn’t as effective as when marketers first discovered it.
Today, SEO is not so important, and you don’t have to spend a lot of time on it. As a small business owner, it’s better to increase your online presence by focusing on user experience.
Having quality content and a holistic marketing approach will help you find potential customers.
Lastly, be sure to rethink your strategies and diversify your tactics. Doing so will allow you to create a more resilient business!
