An Overview of SEO Pros and Cons

In 2020, web users conducted 5.1 trillion searches on Google. However, many users don’t go beyond the first page of results when they review their search results. Like many businesses, you may have considered or even tested SEO strategies. These are some SEO pros and cons.

SEO Pros and Cons: Disadvantages

It may surprise you to learn that many (57%) of B2B internet sellers feel their content is generic and does not get a response from their clients. In addition, consumers only clicked on a website 33.59% of the time they conducted searches, and 77.2% failed to click on a website when they searched on mobile devices.

SEO Takes Time To Start Working

Search results on the second page of the Google results only receive 1% of user clicks. However, it can take six months or more to see significant results from an SEO strategy. Part of the reason for this delay is that Google looks at more than 200 factors when ranking websites. In addition, your website may need updates to improve its crawlability so search engines can properly categorize it.

Therefore, the first con in this list of SEO pros and cons is time. The internet and its content grow consistently, so it can take SEO companies some time to evaluate the sites and content. Also, you need to build a backlink profile to move up, which can take time. Sites like Google also consider the age of your domain in their ranking.

Your website’s responsiveness, speed and flexibility may need updates. You could also need to adjust your content to match your target audience’s keyword search and intent. Finally, you may need some onsite SEO optimization work.

SEO Requires New Posts and Auditing

Search engines not only review your posts for keywords and intent, but they also search for consistent updates and new content. You may need to review all your previous content while still producing new information for your clients.

Effective SEO Strategies Require Know-How

You need to understand all the factors of an SEO strategy. First, your website needs to be secure and accessible. It should have a fast load speed and be mobile-friendly. You should optimize and regularly update your content.

You also need technical SEO, where you analyze keywords, page titles, headers, descriptions, tags and available apps that help your customers access and read your site effectively, such as those for anyone with visual impairments. In many cases, your strategy will include factors you do not have the knowledge or skills to address. Putting together an effective strategy can become overwhelming.

White Hat Link Building Is Challenging

Backlinks increase your position in search engine results. Companies listed first often have nearly four times the number of backlinks than those in the second position. However, most (95%) of websites and 94% of content have no backlinks at all. Short content receives 77.2% fewer backlinks than long-form content, but linking decreases after 2,000 words. In addition, of all content, only 2.2% receives backlinks from more than one website.

Backlinking is challenging. You need to receive backlinks from websites that Google trusts, and you cannot pay for these links. However, if you can acquire these links, this factor can turn SEO pros into SEO cons.

SEO Pros and Cons: Advantages

Of those who invest in SEO, 60% felt satisfied with their results. In addition, many organizations expect to invest more in their SEO strategies next year. Therefore, this is the second part of the SEO pros and cons list, the pros.

SEO Produces Lasting ROI

Do you rely on the internet to sell your products? SEO helps you get closer to the top of search engine results, which is important because most consumers won’t scroll past the first or second page to find a company to work with. In addition, 65% of consumers’ decisions to go to a website are the result of organic listings or natural impressions, which are the result of SEO strategies, while sponsored and other types of advertising only result in 35% of clicks to websites.

Although it can take time to build an effective SEO strategy, the results tend to last. Your ranking improves over time, and any updates you make can improve your results. Once you start moving up, it is easier to do so in the future because you gain higher traffic. You can also adopt more specific keywords that drive your results and business higher.

Effective SEO Builds Credibility

Did you know that when people look for local businesses, 98% of them search online reviews, and 76% did so regularly in 2021? Users find most of their reviews on Google, Yelp, Facebook, TripAdvisor and the Better Business Bureau primarily. In addition, 29% of consumers left positive or negative reviews, 6% left negative reviews, and 37% left positive reviews in 2022.

Reviews can be either SEO pros or SEO cons. However, when you receive positive reviews and your rank increases, your target market increases its trust in your brand. As you add reputable links to your website and receive backlinks from other trusted sites, customers feel more comfortable working with you. Also, clients appreciate useful content and a well-maintained and updated website.

SEO Provides High-Quality Organic Leads

It may surprise you to learn that 27.6% of users click through the first listing in a Google search. Users are 10 times more likely to click the first listing, and for every spot you move up, your click-through rate increases by 2.8%. In addition, longer, more descriptive keywords receive 1.7 times more clicks.

The people who click onto your website and respond to your CTAs, whether they are for actual sales or adding a client to your newsletter list, already have an interest in your company and products. In addition, as your rank increases, so does your visibility and traffic. These leads are organic. These individuals want what you have, making them high-quality leads with a high potential for conversion.

SEO Spreads Brand Awareness

Like most business leaders, you want to invest in strategies that improve your brand awareness and meet your business goals. Fortunately, 47% of businesses found increased web traffic year over year, and 75% recognized the effectiveness of their web strategies. This increase in traffic is the result of increased visibility, as discussed above. However, as your ranking increases, you can also get greater brand recognition.

Potential customers aren’t just looking for the products or services you offer. They also want to do business with a company they can trust with values comparable to their own. As your ranking increases and more consumers visit your website, they begin to learn more about you and share that information with others, increasing your brand awareness.

SEO Produces Compound Benefits Over Time

You can see how your traffic and revenue link to your SEO efforts. However, did you know that you can also increase your backlink probability as your company moves higher in search results? As your content increases, your brand reputation develops, and you expand your reach into social media platforms, other trusted companies will begin to review your content and company. This can lead to backlinking because you become a trusted website as well, and as you know, few websites have high-quality backlinks.

In addition, it is easier to maintain your ranking than it is to struggle from the bottom of a search to the top. You will also find that you receive additional positive reviews. You can also gain valuable data that you can analyze to pinpoint specific areas that need improvement. All of these factors compound year over year, increasing the benefits you receive from your SEO efforts.

SEO Is Cost Effective

Your customers’ search engine usage increases an average of 20% per year. Most companies plan to expand their SEO next year because 73% of clicks are the result of organic listings. If you have paid for advertising, you understand that when you stop paying, the ads stop and so does the traffic from them. However, as you move up the search engine rankings, you tend to stay there, especially if you stick with your SEO strategy.

In addition, you gain high-quality leads that do not require pay-per-click advertising. SEO also compounds, as you saw above, so every year, you see added benefits. Google sees you as a trustworthy company that has expertise in your industry and much knowledge to share.

Because Google finds your company trustworthy, so will potential clients. Customers tend to stick with specific brands, especially if they receive exceptional customer service on their first purchase. With SEO, you won’t pay for advertising that most customers ignore.

How Our Team Helps You Manage Your SEO Pros and Cons

At BKA, SEO is what we do. We work with you to analyze your SEO needs and build a customized plan that works for your business. You can save time and money and better manage your SEO pros and cons through our blog writing and SEO services. Check out how we can help you get results.