Setting and Understanding Realistic SEO Expectations

 Get Reality Checked for Your SEO Expectations

Many business owners go into search engine optimization (SEO) with an initial misconception: it’s a one-shot deal. However, they inevitably learn that SEO is more of a long-range strategy for growth than a short-term tactic for quick profits.



Getting a firm grasp of SEO means starting to view it as an investment in your company’s future. You put in the work up front, and you receive rewards for your efforts sometime in the future. In that respect, it resembles gardening. You start by preparing the soil, planting seeds, watering and feeding, tending and weeding until finally, you reap your harvest.

You wouldn’t expect to throw a handful of questionable seeds out onto some hard, dry ground, walk away and hope to come back the next day and start picking vegetables. It doesn’t work that way in gardening, and it doesn’t work that way in SEO either.

Still, many people approach SEO with the same attitude. They scatter a few ideas they pick up here and there and expect to see something happen. Additionally, even the best designed and executed SEO strategies take time (at least 9-12 months) to take hold and start showing results.

It takes a while. You have to be attentive and patient with your SEO. Watch it for signs of trouble, get to know it, nurture and protect it.

Why Isn’t My SEO Working?

Even a disorganized and half-hearted attempt at SEO will sometimes bring a slight amount of improvement in your website traffic or conversion rate.

But was it what you expected? Did SEO deliver on its promises? Do you feel like you got your money’s (and time’s) worth? Unfortunately, you probably answered no to the above questions if you are like most people who go into an SEO program with high expectations.

Effective SEO first requires some backend technical tasks. Consider it the “preparing the soil” phase. You must achieve a site structure that is conducive to the search engines, primarily Google.

But now, the work is not over; it’s just beginning. Unfortunately, some business owners purchase a “turnkey SEO” website and then act disappointed with the results. Successful SEO requires more input from you than that. You can’t neglect it one minute and expect it to thrive the next.

Playing the Long Game

Your actions and expectations start to change when you switch your thinking to long-term growth for your SEO program. As a result, you start spending more time and effort on your digital marketing. Then, you notice the small victories and the tweaks you need to make to improve things further.

In other words, you take ownership of your SEO. You begin to see it as a valuable asset for your business. SEO is powerful and can bring a steady stream of loyal repeat customers to your door year after year.

It’s valid to say that a well-executed SEO program with a high likelihood of success can be both time-consuming and expensive. But it’s the ROI that is the most significant factor. And, in most cases, it’s a matter of survival for your business. If you neglect the future inward flow of customers, will you last through the next downturn?

What Does it Take for Successful SEO?

SEO is like life; you get out of it what you put into it. It sounds a little corny, but it couldn’t be any more accurate. You have to consider SEO as an activity that will last the lifetime of your business. It never stops. But, interestingly, it changes continually.

You will never get bored with your SEO plans. As industry trends shift and business owners figure out new and more effective ways to compete for the top spot in the search engines, you will find you have to fine-tune your activities constantly to stay ahead of the curve.

Additionally, Google changes its algorithms regularly, which makes it impossible to sit on your laurels. What worked yesterday may no longer work today. The algorithm changed, and you are losing ranking. It’s time to adopt a new strategy based on expert advice and start working your way back up the results page.

Putting it all Together

Many business owners express that they didn’t intend to go into the SEO business. They already have their hands full with a company that they are trying to keep alive and grow. Again, an understandable sentiment, but it misses the reality of SEO.

SEO should be an integral part of your business. If you consider it a separate entity, you will never give it the attention it needs to work for you. Yes, it will require time; it will cost money, but the returns are worth it. As you build your SEO, you leverage the effort you put into it. The benefits keep compounding as you become a valuable resource on the Internet, and your customers keep finding their way to your site.

Fitz Designz is a web design and digital marketing agency specializing in small businesses in the Santa Rosa, Califonia area. For more information on how we can help you build a successful, long-term SEO program, contact us at (707) 241-3489 or send us a message.