The saturation of social media and the abuse of low-quality content marketing are just some of the reasons why SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is once again the largest source of traffic for business websites.

Online visitors are impatient. They will only wait an average of four to 20 seconds for a page to load, and even when it does, they will only skim it. So it’s important to make sure that not only does your website appear in the search results, but that it is near the top, because most users are not going to scroll through the whole list of results.

Search engine marketing is imperative to any business’s Internet marketing plan. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of affecting the visibility of a website in a search engine’s natural, or unpaid, results. SEO has advantages but also disadvantages that require careful consideration before you decide on taking that route to grow your business. So here are some Disadvantages and Advantages of SEO.

SEO Advantages ( Disadvantages and Advantages of SEO Search Engine Optimization )

Garner Consumer Trust:

Holding the top positions on a search results page will lead consumers to assume that you are the most trustworthy choice. Up to 40% of users will click on the first items on the results list when they use a search engine, especially if their issue needs a quick solution. The majority of consumers won’t know about the SEO practices that have organically moved you to the top of the list, so they will simply trust you as an industry authority. This title will have a lasting impact even if your ranking position slips.

Trackable Results:

One of the best advantages of SEO is being able to track the long-term results of your efforts. With SEO software, you will be able to see how much traffic your site is getting, what keywords you rank on, and how much time visitors are spending on each page. These results give you near-immediate feedback about any keyword adjustments you need to make, what pages may need improvement, and from where your traffic is coming.

Generates Targeted Traffic:

People most often use search engines to search for a specific solution to an immediate problem or need. To gather leads and business, you want to be among the first results when people search for a service that you provide. While paid ads always appear at the top of the results, 70% to 80% of searchers will ignore those paid listings and go right for the organic results. These searchers are the exact audience you’re looking for and who you want to attract to your business.

Sustainable Clicks:

In contrast with paid search marketing, organically-generated traffic does not disappear as soon as you stop paying. Even if you decide to spend less on your SEO services, the efforts you have already made to generate organic traffic will continue to show results. SEO is a digital marketing strategy that has a life that can last beyond the initial investment.

Grow Your Small Business:

According to the Search Engine Journal, SEO generates leads that can have a close rate as high as 14.6%, which is significantly better than the 1.7% close rate that email marketing or print advertising generates. SEO is also effective at bringing attention to your business from local searches by using geo targeting methods. Nearly 59% of consumers are using search engines to find a local business. This type of traffic makes SEO a great strategy to grow your small business.

SEO Disadvantages ( Disadvantages and Advantages of SEO Search Engine Optimization )

Results Take Time:

Unfortunately, SEO strategies do not work their magic overnight. As it takes time for search engines to index the content of an SEO campaign, your website won’t rank on certain terms for days or even weeks. This means that if you need to generate traffic immediately, you may want to try a different method. This is where PPC campaigns come into play, as paid ads will appear at the top of the results page as soon as you invest in them.

Difficulty of Competitive Keywords:

Your competitors are likely trying to rank on the same keywords as you are, and if there are major corporations in your market you likely won’t be able to beat out their domination over general keywords. With this obstacle, you will either need to dedicate time and money to rank on those popular keywords, or aim for the ones with less competition that are specific to your geographic location.

Changing Algorithms:

Search engines, and Google especially, frequently update their algorithms to get more accurate results. While these updates are meant to help consumers get better results, even small changes in the algorithm can move your website from the first position to somewhere on the third page. With 75% of searchers likely to never scroll past the first page of results, you can make sure to always be on that first page with paid ads to support your organic efforts.

Results Are Not Guaranteed:

With all of these variables, it can be hard for SEO service-providers to absolutely guarantee that SEO will position your website as the first result. What quality SEO companies will do is work with your company to find the keywords that can successfully rank on. They also won’t make promises — and take your money — that you will definitely rank on difficult keywords. The best companies will also offer PPC services to help you get on the first page, organic or not.

Search engine marketing companies can provide the search engine optimization services that will help you make the most out of your business’s search results. Let them use their expertise to help you grow your online presence, and turn that into new customers and more business.