Is SEO worth it? That’s the question on everyone’s lips at the moment.
Businesses want to know whether investing their time and money to get to the top of Google search results remains a valuable activity.
After all, isn’t AI killing search engine optimization?
As always, the truth is less sensational than the headlines.
Google remains a multi-hundred-billion-dollar business, and SEO is still essential for online visibility, even in today’s high-tech world.
With that said, proving the value of SEO remains challenging. Long timeframes are necessary to see results, and changing user behavior can muddy return-on-investment statistics.
Additional complications include the need to factor in multi-channel marketing and problems measuring the effectiveness of interventions that occur on either side of big algorithm updates.
That’s all focused on reporting, though. Reporting is, of course, important, but we know it’s vital that you convince your customers that SEO is worth it before they invest.
This post, including up-to-date stats and info, will help you do just that.
Want to share these stats? We’ve created an awesome shareable infographic you can send to clients, your boss, anyone – it’s at the end of the post!
Misconceptions About SEO’s Value
Even with these issues in mind, misconceptions about the value of SEO are commonplace. For instance, many believe paid search is better than search engine optimization because it yields immediate results. As you’ll see below, though, that’s not true: quite the opposite, in fact.
Another misconception is that SEO is unnecessary for firms with recently redesigned websites. They have enough rank-boosting juice already, or so the argument goes. But of course, a strong performance in the past doesn’t necessarily mean it will continue into the future. Search engine optimization is not a set-and-forget activity.
Then there is the misnomer that outsiders or external SEO agencies don’t have sufficient knowledge of the industry. How could outsiders ever provide valuable strategies that could improve ranking?
Again, though, that’s not always the case. Even without a deep topical understanding, SEOs can provide technical assistance (such as improving page loading speeds) and design effective sales funnels to drive conversions.
Finally, many businesses believe SEO will bleed their finances and resources dry. Perceived high costs prevent many from taking action.
Again, this turns out to be a misconception. SEO is unbelievably affordable compared to the returns it generates, and firms can outsource practically any task they want.
So, have we convinced you that SEO services are worth it, yet?
No?
Well, you’re in luck. This post lists some killer SEO statistics that prove the value of SEO to small businesses. By the end of it, hiring someone for your brand’s search engine optimization will be a no-brainer.
1. 68% of online experiences start with a search engine like Google
Search engines remain the number one place people begin their online experiences. Social media and other online channels don’t provide nearly as much traffic.
Because of this, the answer to the question, “Is SEO worth it for small businesses?” is a resounding “yes.” Companies that don’t invest in search engine optimization are missing out on the lion’s share of traffic.
2. 60% of marketers say inbound SEO leads are their highest-quality leads
Search engine and blog leads are more likely to generate revenue than other sources, such as pay-per-click (PPC) advertising or social media accounts. People using search engines to find products are more likely to buy, again, implying SEO should be central to your marketing strategy.
3. 61% of B2B marketers say SEO generates more leads than other marketing initiatives
Businesses that sell to other firms also find that SEO is their most valuable tactic for generating leads. Companies rely on it to pass sales through their funnels and convert customers.
SEO is effective in this context because it establishes awareness and authority. Ranking high in Google search results gives leads confidence they will receive a quality service.
4. 46% of all searches on Google are for local businesses or services
Small businesses can benefit from the sheer number of people who use search engines to find local services. Many firms don’t need to compete for ranking on a national or international level.
Critically, long-tail local keywords are often the least competitive but the most lucrative. Hence, starting SEO today can give you a headstart over your rivals and help establish a long-lasting lead.
5. 25% of small business websites don’t have an H1 tag
Small businesses can also benefit from low-hanging SEO fruit. Many still aren’t using basic practices, such as including H1 tags in their website headlines and titles. Even more are failing to use proper title tags, site maps, or schema to help search engines crawl their sites and provide value to users in search results.
6. 18% of local searches lead to a sale within a day
Local search sales are high because users have strong “commercial intent.” If a lead is looking for a product or service in the local area, there is a high chance they want to purchase it immediately or soon. The same isn’t always true for more generic search inquiries, which might explain why only 7% of non-local searches make a sale within a day.
7. Facebook only refers to 5.1% of all web traffic; Google is responsible for 66%
Google is by far the biggest web traffic referrer. Even Facebook, with its 2+ billion users, doesn’t come close. Other referrers, such as YouTube and Twitter only account for 3.9% and 2.1% of all referral traffic respectively.
Therefore, this statistic answers the question; are SEO companies worth it? Anyone who can capture this platform will enjoy the potential for more inbound leads than any other.
8. The number one result in search has a clickthrough rate of 31.7%, ten times the rate for the tenth place result
Each time you go up a rank in Google search results, the number of people clicking through to your pages increases exponentially. Companies on the first page in tenth place only have a 3.09% chance of having their link clicked. By contrast, nearly a third of users will click the top result.
9. 30% of all mobile searches refer to a location
Customers want to find out what services are nearby and how they can benefit from them. Businesses that understand this behavior can target them with more effective local SEO.
For example, companies that appear in Google’s Local Pack are more likely to get clicks. When this happens, users see a helpful overview of their services, location, opening and closing times, and how they can help them.
10. Users spend an average of 13 minutes and 45 seconds reading reviews before a purchase
Customers also want to know whether they are getting a good deal when searching online. Therefore, many wade through mountains of reviews to find out.
This process helps leads learn about your company and get social proof. It’s also a great way to reach out to people who don’t believe the advertising hype. Google may also take reviews into account when deciding on how high to rank your website.
11. Only 5.7% of pages rank in the top 10 search results within a year of publication
This statistic reveals how important it is to keep going with SEO. SEO takes time, but eventually, it produces valuable results.
12. 87% of smartphone owners use search engines every day
The popularity of search engines isn’t fading, even as AI and social media networks hit the headlines. The vast majority of smartphone users use search engines every day to find local businesses and products, again proving the value of investing in SEO.
13. 51% of smartphone users say they find new products and brands through smartphone web searches
SEO is critical for helping people connect with small businesses in their area. Brands with the highest visibility stand the best chance of being found and capitalizing on this trend.
14. 92% of searchers choose businesses that show up on the first page of local page results
Searchers are most interested in businesses that offer authority upfront, such as those that appear on the first page of Google results. Only a minority of users will continue searching on page two of the results for a given keyword.
15. 56% of local businesses have not claimed their Google My Business listing
Failing to claim their Google My Business listing is putting many companies at a distinct disadvantage against the competition. Google is more likely to display business information to users if companies are a part of the scheme.
16. U.S. businesses and agencies spend over $71.3 billion on SEO every year
Search engine optimization is big business, and many of the world’s leading firms invest heavily to secure an advantage over their rivals. If Fortune 500 companies are doing it, that again proves how valuable it can be.
17. 53% of digital marketers consider guest posting as the most effective link-building strategy
Businesses that use link-building services are more likely to see their search engine results ranking increase significantly compared to those using other approaches. Services, such as blogger outreach, build high-quality, organic links from thematically-related sites.
18. Only 15% of all trackable traffic comes from paid search
Finally, only a small percentage of total traffic originates from paid search. This number is significantly smaller than the proportion coming from SEO and organic traffic.
So, Is Hiring A SEO Company Worth It?
We think so. As you can see, SEO remains highly relevant to small firms and enterprises alike. Companies that use it can enjoy pride of place in Google search results, funneling high-quality organic traffic to their websites.
Don’t underestimate the power of SEO for businesses. It remains an untapped opportunity for many brands, with many failing to apply even the most rudimentary tactics.
Are SEO services worth it? Absolutely.
Love what you’ve just learned? Check out the infographic of these statistics below and find out why SEO is totally worth it.
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