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Search engine optimization (SEO): How to be found on the web

Why should Internet entrepreneurs invest in relatively expensive search engine optimization in the start-up phase, although they could invest their money in cheaper online marketing campaigns in the short term? We explain what SEO is, what you can achieve with it, and how to use it in a targeted manner.

For many founders, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a kind of mysterious black box, if not a bottomless pit: you invest money and time in optimizing your own web presence without an immediate effect in the form of an increase in conversion or sales to determine sales. Nevertheless, hardly any Internet start-up can afford to do without SEO.

On the one hand, this is due to the surfing behavior of Internet users, who use search engines to search for and compare providers of the products and services they want. On the other hand, although success can be achieved relatively quickly with search engine advertising, the optimization of organic search results is still the most sustainable, cost-effective method of search engine marketing in the long term.

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WHY INVEST IN SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION?

About 80 percent of Americans use the Internet more or less frequently, be it to obtain information, exchange ideas with friends, or buy products and services. With a market share of around 90 percent, Google is the most popular search engine. Internet users like to use Google to compare prices or to look for a provider with an appealing service, both when preparing for and when making a purchase decision.

Almost every start-up plans a budget for search engine marketing - after all, paid search ads can be used to guide visitors to the website using previously defined search terms on Google and, in the best case, convert them into customers.

 So why should you invest in long-term search engine optimization, which is relatively expensive, especially in the initial phase, although you could better invest the tight budget in other search engine marketing campaigns and perhaps even feel the effects of the investment on the same day?

Internet users generally trust organic search results more than paid advertisements. A study by comScore found that about 75 percent of searchers prefer organic over paid search results. If you do without search engine optimization and thus good rankings in the organic search results, you also do without a large number of potential customers.

It should also be considered that SEO is the cheapest and most cost-efficient channel in the long term if implemented well. As part of the paid search ads (Google Adwords), Google allows you to be paid for each mediated visitor - depending on the competition, the click prices are usually between 10 cents and 10 euros.

 With search engine optimization, on the other hand, there are no costs per additional visitor. Instead, investments must first be made to achieve good rankings on competitive search terms. So while with SEM the costs increase according to the traffic volume, with SEO the traffic volume should increase with constant investment.

There is no way around SEO for Internet entrepreneurs, but rush jobs should be avoided as much as possible

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WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF SEO?

Search engine optimization (SEO): How to be found on the web

Despite the many opportunities that SEO has to offer, we do not want to hide the risks or disadvantages of this online marketing channel. As already mentioned, the algorithm that determines the organic rankings is a black box (a self-contained system that is not fully accessible to the outside world due to its dynamics). Around 200 criteria are used to determine the positions in the search results.

Although it is generally known which criteria are considered particularly relevant (more on this in the second part of the series), the algorithm is constantly being further developed, so that today's knowledge can be outdated tomorrow.

 Cooperation with external service providers, i.e. outsourcing search engine optimization, should therefore be reconsidered. After all, start-ups have to concentrate on their core business.

• But there is a great lack of transparency, especially in the market for SEO agencies. References are often kept secret for good reason, after all, you don't want to unnecessarily frighten the competition on the relevant keywords.

• Furthermore, very few companies will want to openly admit that they operate various link marketing measures. To make matters worse, choosing the wrong provider at the beginning of the SEO activities can cause long-term damage to the website.

• If you take the wrong path when making strategic SEO decisions, subsequent agencies must first correct the mistakes of their predecessors. In the worst case, the work of an agency that massively violates the Google webmaster guidelines can even lead to the (temporary) exclusion of the website from the Google index.

• Last but not least, a start-up cannot be reminded often enough of the fact that SEO must be considered long-term and sustainable. In particular, companies that want to put their business model to the test first can fail because of the cost-benefit curve of search engine optimization.

• In the initial phase of the optimization, quite high budgets have to be planned for technology, editing, and marketing. Half-hearted search engine optimization can lead to frustration relatively quickly since results are not recognizable.

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IS SEO WORTH IT?

Search engine optimization (SEO): How to be found on the web

Based on the advantages and disadvantages, young companies should weigh up whether they want to face the challenges of search engine optimization on their own or in cooperation with an agency. In principle, there is no way around SEO for Internet entrepreneurs – but quick fixes should be avoided.

 A long-term, sustainable SEO concept must be worked out. The management should have internalized the basics of search engine optimization to be able to weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of strategies to improve visibility in search engines with employees or external consultants.

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