Great question. If you are a small business or just starting out, it can seem like when you buy SEO services a la carte, you will get the secret sauce that will boost your website to the top of searches thus flooding your business with customers. But unfortunately it is not all that easy.
Salsa…you can eat it by itself.
SEO…you can buy services a la carte.
Salsa is really good, but it isn’t meant to be eaten by itself. Salsa is an enhancer of flavor. It is meant to complement the meat you choose for your taco. If you are having a fish taco vs. chicken vs. beef or pork, the type of salsa you choose to add may be a bit different.
The same it is true of SEO. Search Engine Optimization is meant to enhance your online content (aka website, blogs, videos) and make it irresistible to the search engines when people are searching for what your company offers. Buying SEO services, partnered with a marketing strategy that is targeted and niched, can help smaller businesses compete with the big fishes.
If you want to order SEO services a la carte, it won’t hurt you if you choose the company wisely. Most of the time SEO services can only help you…(but there are black hat SEO services that almost wiped out a business’ online presence).
But I am not here to scare you, I am here to help you understand that the SEO services you contract need to fit with and enhance your taco…um I mean…your marketing strategy. The Search Engine Optimization services are more effective and efficient when they are part of your big picture marketing strategy. Your business may even benefit when your SEO services are aligned with your offline marketing strategies as well. This helps your brand be consistent and get the most out of your marketing efforts.
One of the biggest factors in aligning your marketing strategy is considering SEO from the beginning. It is much more effective to work with marketing agencies who consider on-page and off-page SEO from the start of your website, your campaign or even your brand and website URL. Choosing the right keywords, website layout, and names can make or break your business online. So please, don’t buy SEO services as an afterthought.
SEO can be the "salsa on the side" or better yet, enhance the whole meal; not just your taco, but add the chips and rice and beans with a nice margarita on the rocks, then the meal is complete. It works, it fits together…there is an ambience that comes with the meal and you can see the big picture. So, place your SEO order with the rest of your meal at the beginning and you will see a much better return on investment!
If you are interested in learning how Half a Bubble Out can help you with your marketing strategy, contact us for a 30 minute consultation.
