How to Know If Website SEO Working
A common question is how to know if website SEO is working. After six months you should be getting phone calls. That’s how you know it’s working.
You should be getting contacted online and through phone calls.
Let’s clarify a common misconception first: “Generating New Business Online.”
This only means your website is driving calls you to purchase your services or products. Emails and phone calls.
You don’t have to sell actual products online to get business from a website. In fact, your services may be sold and introduced by your website, your videos and pictures and content. Your website holds the first client meeting.
Your website is the first place people go IF they are considering doing business with you. They need to see who you are, watch to your videos, get an idea of what level of work you will provide them.
So when the phrase comes up “generating new business online” it refers to where your website comes up in a search online so that they read about your business and decide to call you.
If SEO is Working You’ll Get New Business
You’ll know your website SEO is working because you’re getting new business. Your phone should be ringing. You should be getting e-mail from prospective clients. You should be selling more product online.
There’s no mystery to it.
When the SEO works, you’re found online in Google, Yahoo and Bing searches.
That’s it. You shouldn’t be reading data or asking to see traffic reports. You’ll know the SEO is working because you’re getting new business. Period. Don’t let anyone tell you that “you’re getting great traffic.” “You’ll get there.” Although this is true for the first six months of a program.
All you want to know is when the SEO work is going work, right?
When Should SEO Begin “Working” on a Website”
If it’s a new website, brand new, just built, it will take at least 9 months to get regular business from your website. If it’s a rebuilt website or you’re in a non-competitive
category, maybe six months.
Lawyers, that’s not you. You’re in one of the most competitive categories online. You’re also going to pay at least $100 an hour. At 9 months, you should be getting new calls, e-mails and online sales pretty regularly. Unless you’re paying too little for SEO.
If you actually paid that e-mail SPAMMER who gave you a list with 30 “SEO activities” for a low introductory price of $250 and you fell for it. You are throwing money away.
WHY would you respond to a stranger, in another country who you believe will “do your SEO.” Please, stop reading those e-mails and wise up. SPAM the Junk Mail.
Investment in SEO = Website Revenue
Don’t expect miracles for pennies or for hundreds. You’ll be paying thousands to make thousands. SEO is a lot of work, grueling non-stop work. You’ll definitely be paying for it at the very least $100 dollars an hour for at least 30 hours a month from a quality firm.
But let’s say you’re a lawyer paying thousands for SEO every month. It’s month six and you’re starting to get more calls. Nine months you’ll have much more business and after 12 months you’ll get regular traffic and new business regularly.
But you have to maintain the SEO and the tactics have to change regularly.
Make Sure Website is Amazing
Now, if you have an old website that didn’t get updated or changed and you’re paying for SEO, that’s a problem. Your website should always be updated, and rebuilt in WordPress to be sure your website is search engine-friendly. Then, you start the SEO.
Paying for SEO on an old website is like throwing good money away. You’re paying for your website to turn up in search. If people get there and don’t like it, your website is old, dated and boring, then you’re wasting your money. An SEO company should be telling you these things.
You Have to Wait for SEO to Work
If you’ve been paying for SEO for a year and not getting any results it’s time to make a change. But if it’s only been four months, six months, wait.
SEO takes a long time to kick in. You can’t pay anyone for a rapid rise to the top. And if you have been paying a firm for a year, getting a few calls and way too many traffic reports, there’s a real problem and you need to have someone review the SEO, review the website and review your capabilities.
It could be that one of the three elements is NOT working well and you’ll need to make some changes:
1. SEO firm SEO is/isn’t working on your website
2. Website is strong/weak
3. Business is struggling/performing
It’s always a good idea to have your work, your website and your marketing reviewed by an outside firm. The Marketing Square provides this for prospective clients and can give a marketing recommendation, schedule and estimate. To find out more call or e-mail.
The Marketing Square is a Winter Park, Florida, website and ad agency that provides new website builds but specializes in working with clients to rebuild and refresh existing websites. Most clients have been in business from 15-35+ years and are located in Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina, New York and Florida.
The Marketing Square is a Winter Park, Florida, website and ad agency. We work with lawyers, doctors, real estate and financial companies who depend on websites for revenue.
