10 Reasons Why SEO Doesn’t Work

The reasons why SEO doesn’t work that range from unrealistic expectations to internal company factors to improper resource allocations. Check out 10 of them here.

As someone who has spent a significant part of their career working directly in search marketing, it’s rare that I can’t find a business case to be made for SEO being in the digital, and broader marketing mix.

There are few growing industries, businesses, or organizations that don’t have a web presence or some type of online level of engagement with their audiences.

SEO is a discipline that takes more time and focus than paid media and other quicker-to-launch and results channels.

That doesn’t mean it’s worthless. It hurts me when I hear phrases like “SEO doesn’t work for us” or “we don’t believe in the value of SEO.”

There are at least 10 reasons why SEO doesn’t work.

Very few have to do with only external, industry factors.

Most of the time when SEO fails, it’s due to one or more reasons ranging from unrealistic expectations or inherent challenges within the company or organization.

There’s no yelling like an angry reality TV celebrity consultant coming in to fix things up here. Just plain truths that might hurt a bit if you can relate.

These are definitely necessary to understand before starting SEO or if you are not sure it will work for you.

1. Unrealistic Expectations

If we’re turning to SEO for our last-ditch effort to save a business, or as the magical source that will produce all of our engagement and conversion goals, we need to pump the brakes.

I’ve witnessed SEO do those things, but those scenarios are rare and come with undue pressure.

Like media channels and other digital marketing disciplines, SEO can be planned, projected, and benchmarked.

Seek out industry data, competitor research, and audience (keyword) data to know what the potential for SEO might look like.

2. Giving up Too Soon

Like many organic efforts, we have to remember that SEO doesn’t have a quick switch that we can flip.

Variables in algorithms, factors with our sites, the fact that links matter, and the competitive landscape all make promising or counting on specific timing for SEO ROI and profitability difficult.

Owners and executives hate the non-committal nature of SEO professionals when it comes to timing for results.

SEO pros hate being asked and pressured into giving an answer with so many unknowns.

The known thing that makes SEO fail though is pulling the plug too soon.

“Too soon” is before you get through the range of indexing, technical, content, on-page, and external (links and more) factors.

The more competitive the space, the more time you need.

The more issues you have when you start that you need to work through, the more time you need.

Read more: www.searchenginejournal.com