Search engine optimization (SEO) is one of the fundamental elements of any marketing strategy. Most businesses looking to utilize SEO know that they want to rank higher among search engines, but don’t necessarily know how to get there. In this blog, we’re going to go over common SEO practices and the expectations associated with each, as well as the realities. 

Expectation: SEO results can happen overnight.

It’s commonly thought that once content has been optimized, search engines will recognize it and immediately place that website on the top page of search results.

Reality: SEO results take time.

The reality is that there are many factors that go into optimization. SEO requires a lot of observation and data collection, and the level of competition in different industries can make it difficult to catch up in the higher rankings. Most of the time, you’ll start seeing results somewhere between four and 12 months, but there isn’t a definitive answer. It’s important to know that it takes time to see results, and it’s not going to happen overnight. 

Expectation: On-site SEO is enough to generate traffic.

Having a well crafted website is important for your brand and customer accessibility, but you can’t rely solely on your web pages to get search engines to notice you. You want your content to be valuable enough to be seen and included on other sites. 

Reality: Backlinks, blogs, and citations prove your website is trustworthy.

Your SEO strategy should include content that adds value to your readers and search engines. Guest posting or writing an article or post about someone’s website is a great way to increase your SEO because it spreads your content across new platforms and audiences. This also helps establish your name as a trustworthy website. 

Expectation: High traffic means more sales. 

You do need traffic to get sales, but it’s not about the number of people visiting your site, rather the quality of the lead. High traffic doesn’t always provide you with the sales results you think it will. 

Reality: Increase in web traffic doesn’t always guarantee conversions. 

Your content is ultimately what can make your visitors convert into customers. Your goal is to catch the reader's attention and entice them to stick around to find out more about your brand. A good place to start with this is cleaning up your web design and developing new content. This will make it easier for visitors to navigate your site and learn more about your brand. After all, they’re looking for a brand that’s going to provide them with what they want. 

Expectation: Once SEO efforts are completed, Google will handle the rest. 

While it would be nice if Google could autopilot the rest of the work once you’ve optimized your website and content, it’s not a one-and-done effort. 

Reality: SEO is ever-changing. 

Technology is always changing, and so are search engines. Whenever changes are made to the way search engines function, SEO and rankings can literally change overnight. Keeping your content relevant and monitoring your website’s keywords and traffic is going to be imperative to your SEO efforts.