Recently, I noticed a number of big name bloggers marketing a new SEO plugin for WordPress that will supposedly do your SEO work for you. Supposedly it will act as your very own SEO Consultant if you subscribe to the monthly fee and service. I won’t name any names, but I will say, I probably won’t be using this plugin anytime soon.
Why?
Because I know what SEO really is. I know how much work is actually involved.
SEO is an art that cannot be replaced by a plugin. What a plugin can do, however, is make the SEO process a little easier and automate certain aspects of the art. The ultimate goal being to redirect one’s time from certain activities that can be automated to higher value activities that require experienced human analysis.
Real SEO Takes Research and Educated Decisions
SEO is similar to legal research in the sense that you will not seldom make decisions until you have all the information. Such research actually involves maintaining spreadsheets, performing manual Google searches, and examining the top listing web sites. While a plugin may provide search volume information and other data, chances are it cannot perform the art as well as the artist.
SEO is an ART
Little things can add up to big things over time, and SEO is all about the little things. It requires tweaking those little things in the code, content, configuration, and hosting of a website. The majority of SEO usually takes place on site, and it should be considered an ongoing process that requires the skill of an artist. It is not something that you invest in once for immediate returns. If you want immediate returns, you should consider advertising. SEO is not advertising, rather, it is a long term marketing investment.
You Should Learn SEO Basics
In order to be a more informed consumer of Internet Marketing services, you should learn some SEO basics first. To find information that will help you on your journey, please see my previous post listed below.
Simplified SEO for Solo Lawyers
Knowing is Half the Battle
SEO takes time. It takes time to do keyword research. It takes time to optimize a website’s code. It takes time to optimize your hosting. It simply takes time. However, it is important to note that certain SEO techniques provide more ROI than others. Some SEO tactics provide measurable results, but may not be worth the expense. This is why it is good to work with a trusted consultant. You need to know where it makes sense to invest your time and energy. You need to work on strategies that give you the most bang for your buck.
Working With an SEO Consultant is an Experience
You can learn allot about Internet Marketing by working with an SEO consultant. In fact, I think its a good idea to hire consultants if you learn something from the process. In fact, the experience sometimes can be part of your actual ROI. Make sure you learn something about SEO if you hire an SEO Consultant. Don’t simply have them do the work without explaining it to you.
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~LawConsuls
