Mon 29 Jun 2009
Improving your search ranking is hard work. It takes time, effort and resources. For many who are managing multiple websites, the effort is multiplied given the need to manage so many web pages and keyword terms. The reality is that SEO is not free. The more websites you have the more time and effort is required.
Whether you are focusing on search engine optimization or pay-per-click marketing, you must make an investment in time, resources, and dollars to achieve you goal. Often times SEO is compared to PPC. This is an unfair comparison because pay per click marketing has an immediate and direct cost. The costs associated with SEO are more indirect but just as expensive. Consider you time, effort, and work associated with any optimization effort.
The costs associated with search engine optimization begin with an expert analysis of your existing websites and web pages. Additional costs are related to competitive and keyword analysis. Many web site owners consider doing these types of activities on their own. In many instances they can, however they will need tools to do so. These resources don’t come cheap because they solve a need. When thinking about a do-it-yourself type commitment, you often spend valuable time ” which has a monetary value, and money paying for helpful online tools and resources.
The expense of doing things on your own are real. A great way to determine actual costs is by dividing your current salary by two thousand labor hours or the equivalent of a full year of work. This gives you an hourly rate. If you are doing much of the heavy lifting for your search engine optimization efforts, this is essentially the price you’re paying. It may not feel like the same as paying someone an hourly fee but the impact is largely the same.
Once you have completed a thorough review of your web site, completed the necessary analysis, and have determined the keywords you are going to optimize for, the optimization process begins. And this work can be very costly. Again, you have to consider the time you are spending on SEO related activities and how much its costing you by not focusing on other, more challenging opportunities. The process of link building is an arduous one and can be outsourced to expedite the process or lower your costs.
Think about using online search engine optimization tools and resources to help prioritize your tasks. This can help you make the most of your time and save you from hours of meaningless work. Tasks such as article submission and so on can be automated or semi-automated with the right tools. You can even find a third party to handle seemingly repetitive tasks for little or no money. Consider what tasks can be performed at a lower cost and set up a plan to take advantage of more affordable resources.
SEO is not free. You may consider it less expensive than other forms of online marketing because you’re doing much of the work on your own. However, you should consider the value of your time and alternatives for reducing your workload and improving results. Whether you are thinking about online resources or additional individuals to do a number of the repetitive tasks necessary to build in-bound links and corresponding page rank, your analysis should consider costs and benefits. Even though SEO is not free, its worth every penny.