When I was a kid I tried to give myself a bowl cut.
Now apart from the fact that I had lousy hair for that particular trendy doo, my choice was extremely ill advised. Trying to hold a bowl squarely on your head while steadily clipping with sharp scissors was too much of an uphill struggle, and what I ended up with was an uneven, lop-sided mess. When my very angry mother took me to the barber shop, I remember the man who fixed me up wisely telling me: “even barbers don’t cut their own hair.”
When it comes to digital marketing, some individuals choose to go a more do-it-yourself route to save money. That having been said, whenever I hear about a business owner trying to manage their own SEO, I think of myself with that bowl and those scissors trying hard not to accidentally clip off part of my ear and I absolutely cringe.
The fact is, SEO is a complex and ever-evolving science, and it’s better left to the professionals. Here are a few important reasons why it’s worth investing in some outside help when it comes to your SEO strategy.
You probably don’t know as much SEO as you think you do
Although that statement might sound rude, the fact of the matter is that even if you are extremely web-savvy, you’re quite likely still not up to speed with current SEO trends. The reason is, SEO is changing all the time. In order to really understand the do’s and don’ts, you have to be up to snuff on search algorithms, content requirements and other factors that almost demand constant research on search engine trends in order to maximize your website’s results.
You don’t have enough time to manage SEO yourself
Even if you’re an absolute expert, managing your SEO requires constant attention, regular tinkering, and other time-consuming activities most busy business owners simply do not have time for. Rather than trying to save a couple bucks by avoiding paying a professional to manage your SEO, operators should focus their attention on running a profitable and efficient business. Delegating search engine optimization management to an expert will free up your time to go do what you should be doing: earning money for your business.
An innocent mistake in SEO can really hurt your business
As search engines become smarter and smarter, the rules of SEO are also constantly evolving in terms of what is legal, and what is illegal conduct. It’s fairly easy to research certain techniques to jump your business right to the top of the Google ranks, but these ‘black hat’ tactics do not often go overlooked, and can result in severe penalties that could seriously hurt your business’ online reputation and presence. SEO professionals know how to get you organic, progressive growth up the search engine rankings, and trying to cut corners (intentionally or unintentionally) can get you banned from search engine results all together.
In other words, if you’re serious about increasing your online presence, it’s time to put down the clippers and hand mirror, and go to a proper salon for your pixie cut. Even if it costs you a little extra, the greater results will be worth it.
