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Why Small Businesses Should Avoid Cheap SEO at All Costs
March 19, 2023
Are you a small business owner looking to improve your online presence and attract more customers? If so, you’ve likely heard of SEO, or search engine optimisation.
SEO is the process of optimising your website and online content to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) for specific keywords and phrases. However, when it comes to SEO, cheaper isn’t always better. In fact, cheap SEO can actually harm your business and cost you more in the long run.
In this article, we’ll explore why small businesses should avoid cheap SEO at all costs, the hidden dangers of cut-rate SEO, and the benefits of investing in quality SEO services for sustainable growth.
Quality vs Quantity
When it comes to SEO, quality is always more important than quantity. Cheap SEO services often prioritise quantity over quality, using spammy tactics like keyword stuffing, link farms, and other black hat techniques to try and manipulate search engine rankings.
However, these tactics are outdated and ineffective in today’s search landscape. In fact, they can actually harm your website’s ranking and reputation, leading to penalties from search engines like Google.
Instead of focusing on short-term gains and quick fixes, it’s essential to invest in quality SEO services that prioritise sustainable growth and long-term results. Quality SEO services use ethical, white hat tactics to optimise your website and content for search engines, creating a strong foundation for organic growth and visibility over time.
According to a study by Backlinko, there’s a strong correlation between high-quality content and top search engine rankings. Websites with high-quality content tend to rank higher in search results, generate more traffic, and attract more backlinks, which are important factors in determining search engine ranking.
In addition to producing high-quality content, quality SEO services also focus on technical optimisation, on-page optimisation, and off-page optimisation.
Technical optimisation ensures that your website is structured properly, loads quickly, and is easy for search engines to crawl and index. On-page optimisation involves optimising individual pages on your website for specific keywords and phrases, while off-page optimisation involves building high-quality backlinks from authoritative sources to your website.
Investing in quality SEO services may cost more upfront, but it’s worth it in the long run. Cheap SEO services may promise quick results and low prices, but they can ultimately harm your website’s ranking and reputation.
By investing in quality SEO services that prioritise sustainable growth and long-term results, small businesses can build a strong foundation for online success and stand out from their competition. Remember, when it comes to SEO, quality always trumps quantity.
Google Algorithm Updates
Google is constantly updating its algorithm to provide users with the most relevant and high-quality search results. These updates can have a significant impact on search engine rankings, which is why it’s important to stay up-to-date with the latest changes and ensure your SEO strategy is aligned with Google’s best practices.
Cheap SEO services may use outdated tactics that are no longer effective, or even harmful, according to Google’s guidelines.
Additionally, Google’s E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trust) guidelines prioritise high-quality content and authoritative sources, further emphasising the importance of quality over quantity. Websites that prioritise E-E-A-T and provide users with valuable, trustworthy information are more likely to rank higher in search results and build a loyal following over time.
By investing in quality SEO services that align with Google’s best practices and guidelines, small businesses can stay ahead of the curve and ensure long-term success in today’s competitive online landscape. It’s important to work with an experienced and reputable SEO provider who stays up-to-date with the latest trends and changes in the industry, and who can create a customised strategy tailored to your specific needs and goals.
According to a survey by Search Engine Journal, 49% of respondents say that organic search has the highest return on investment (ROI) of any marketing channel. Although there’s no science to determining a good ROI, DemandJump states that there’s a simple rule of thumb when it comes to sales and marketing which is 5:1. In other words, for every dollar invested in marketing, you should get a $5 return.
In contrast, cheap SEO services may offer low prices upfront, but they can ultimately harm your website’s ranking and reputation, leading to lost revenue and missed opportunities. By investing in quality SEO services that align with Google’s best practices and guidelines, small businesses can build a strong foundation for sustainable growth and success in today’s online landscape.
Content is King
When it comes to SEO, content is one of the most important factors that search engines consider when ranking websites. High-quality, relevant, and engaging content can attract more traffic to your website, increase user engagement, and ultimately improve your search engine rankings.
Cheap SEO services may cut corners on content creation, using automated tools or low-quality writers to churn out generic and irrelevant content. This not only provides little value to users but can also harm your website’s ranking and reputation.
On the other hand, investing in quality content creation can have a significant impact on your SEO success. By creating informative and engaging content that speaks directly to your target audience, you can establish your brand as an authoritative source in your industry, build trust with your audience, and ultimately drive more traffic and conversions to your website.
According to a study by HubSpot, businesses that prioritise content marketing tend to see an average of 13 times more ROI than those that don’t. This means that by investing in quality content creation and distribution, businesses can see a significant return on their investment in the form of increased traffic, leads, and revenue.
In addition, high-quality content can also attract natural backlinks from other websites, which can further improve your search engine rankings and online reputation. By creating content that is unique, informative, and shareable, you can attract more organic links and social shares, which can further boost your SEO success.
By investing in quality content creation and distribution, small businesses can attract more traffic, engage their audience, and improve their search engine rankings over time. Avoid the temptation to cut corners with cheap SEO services that offer generic or irrelevant content, and instead, focus on creating content that speaks directly to your target audience and provides real value.
Link Building
Link building is another critical component of SEO success, as it involves acquiring backlinks from other high-quality websites that point back to your own. However, not all backlinks are created equal, and cheap SEO services may use questionable tactics to obtain low-quality links that can actually harm your search engine rankings in the long run.
For example, some cheap SEO services may use black hat tactics like buying links, using link farms or private blog networks (PBNs), or engaging in spammy link exchange schemes. These methods can not only harm your website’s ranking but can also result in penalties or even complete removal from search engine results pages (SERPs).
On the other hand, high-quality link building involves acquiring links from relevant, authoritative, and trustworthy websites that are relevant to your industry or niche. This can be achieved through various strategies, such as guest posting, broken link building, influencer outreach, or creating high-quality content that naturally attracts backlinks.
According to a study by Moz, high-quality links from relevant and authoritative websites are one of the top-ranking factors for Google. This means that by investing in quality link building, small businesses can improve their search engine rankings and online reputation over time.
However, building high-quality links is not a quick or easy process, and it requires time, effort, and expertise. Avoid the temptation to cut corners with cheap SEO services that promise quick and easy link-building results, and instead, focus on building a strong and sustainable link profile that adds real value to your audience and online presence.
By investing in quality link-building strategies that focus on acquiring high-quality and relevant links from authoritative websites, you can boost your search engine rankings, online reputation, and brand awareness over time without being penalised.
SEO Penalties
One of the biggest risks of cheap SEO services is the potential for SEO penalties or even complete removal from SERPs. As mentioned earlier, cheap SEO services may use black hat tactics like keyword stuffing, cloaking, or link schemes that violate Google’s guidelines and can result in severe penalties.
According to a study by SEMrush, 53% of Google penalties are due to a sponsored or paid link, 45% are due to guest posts and press releases, and 27% are due to PBNs and link networks. These penalties can have a significant impact on a small business’s online presence, as they can lead to decreased organic traffic, lower search engine rankings, and even loss of revenue and customers.
To avoid these penalties, it’s essential to work with an experienced and reputable SEO provider that follows Google’s guidelines and best practices. This includes conducting regular website audits to identify and fix any issues, creating high-quality and relevant content that adds value to your audience, and using ethical link-building strategies that focus on obtaining high-quality and relevant links from authoritative websites.
As mentioned earlier, it’s important to stay up-to-date with the latest Google algorithm updates and changes and adjust your SEO strategy accordingly. Google’s algorithms are constantly evolving, and what may have worked in the past may no longer be effective or even harmful to your website’s ranking and online reputation.
So, don’t fall victim to SEO penalties and avoid cheap SEO services that use black hat tactics or violate Google’s guidelines. By working with an experienced and reputable SEO provider that follows best practices and focuses on creating high-quality content and ethical link-building strategies, you can improve your search engine rankings, increase organic traffic to your website, and gain more leads and customers.
Long-Term Results
One of the most significant advantages of investing in quality SEO services is the potential for long-term results. Unlike paid advertising, SEO takes time to see results, but it can provide a sustainable and cost-effective source of organic traffic and leads for your small business.
Cheap SEO services may promise quick results and immediate ranking improvements, but these often come at a harmful cost.
As we’ve discussed, cheap SEO services may use black hat tactics that can result in penalties or even complete removal from SERPs. This not only harms your online presence in the short term but also makes it difficult to recover in the long term.
On the other hand, investing in quality SEO services that focus on creating high-quality content, ethical link-building strategies, and following Google’s guidelines can provide long-term benefits for your small business. By building a strong online presence and authority, you can improve your search engine rankings and attract more organic traffic and leads over time.
According to a survey by Ahrefs, it takes an average of 3-6 months to see the results of an SEO campaign. While this may sound like a long time to wait, it’s essential to remember that SEO is a long-term investment that can provide continuous and sustainable results for your small business.
So, while you may see a slow increase in organic traffic over time, the benefits of quality SEO services far outweigh those of cheap SEO services in the long run. By investing in quality SEO services that focus on creating high-quality content and ethical link-building strategies, you can be confident that your small business will gain sustainable and long-term benefits.
Bottom Line
Investing in quality SEO services is essential for small businesses that want to improve their online presence, attract more organic traffic, and generate leads. Cheap SEO services may seem appealing, but they often come at a cost and can harm your online reputation in the long term.
By focusing on quality over quantity, following Google’s guidelines, and investing in ethical link-building strategies, you can improve your search engine rankings and attract more organic traffic and leads over time.
At Novo Digital Agency, we understand the importance of quality SEO services for small businesses. Our team of experienced professionals uses proven SEO strategies to help our clients achieve long-term success and growth. Whether you need a new website, on-page optimisation, or ongoing SEO services, we’re here to help.
So, if you’re ready to take your small business to the next level, contact us today to learn more about our web design and SEO services. Together, we can help you achieve your online goals and succeed in today’s digital landscape.
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