Is SEO Worth it in 2024 ?
If you are on this page, you are probably seeking an answer to invest in SEO or not. To achieve success in SEO, there are no shortcuts available. If you’re searching for a quick and effortless way to obtain results, SEO is not the solution. SEO is for those who want sustainable results but have the patience to put in the required efforts.
The primary objective of Google is to enhance the quality of its search results and keep the users satisfied with SERP outcomes. Therefore, Google places importance on having relevant content on your website. Google Algorithms may change over time, but quality content metrics never change. Providing high-quality content is, therefore, non-optional.
Want to know if SEO is still relevant in 2024? This article explores how the paradigm of SEO works and whether investing in SEO for your business is relevant and profitable in 2024.
Let’s dive in:
Importance of SEO
SEO drives 1000% more traffic than the social media channels of businesses. This showcases the effectiveness of SEO in reaching potential customers who are actively searching for relevant products or services.SEO leads have a 14% conversion rate as per Hubspot. This statistic highlights the quality of the traffic that comes from search engines, as these visitors often exhibit a higher intent to purchase.
However, SEO is not easy. It takes a lot to generate the type of results (stats) mentioned above.
SEO will never work for you if:
- Your definition of SEO means putting keywords in your inferior-quality content or continuously changing meta titles and headings as your content is not ranking.
- You do not focus on providing long-term value to users, buyers, or researchers but only focus on lead generation or clickbait to gain traffic for your website.
- You think SEO is the magic wand to come to the first page of SERP and earning loads of backlinks will help you achieve that.
- Your website is difficult to navigate or does not provide a positive user experience
- Your content is outdated or not refreshed periodically
- You don’t understand what user intent and user requirements are but just want to bombard them with what they call ‘SEO-optimized content’ with no relevance to user query.
So who can actually benefit from SEO?
SEO is 100% worth the time, effort, and money for those with awesome content. SEO is for those who:
- Already have high-quality and well-researched content that is not available anywhere.
- Have content that fills the gaps in existing content on the web.
- Have content that solves the user query, and delivers valuable information in an engaging and crisp way.
Such entities (websites) can utilize SEO to further enhance the chances of discoverability of their valuable content by users.
“SEO should not be used to rank your low-quality content, it should be a means to protect your high-quality content from ‘non-visibility’. Consider SEO as a way of improving your ranking that you already deserve”, says Kapil V, Founder & CEO of Litmus Branding.
The best SEO practices, guidelines, and measures will help you increase your visibility, and improve user experience. Higher and sustainable ranking and enhanced ROI are added benefits.
Costs of SEO: Is SEO Worth Your Investment?
SEO is free. Yes, I am not exaggerating. If done with the right intent, SEO always gives back more than you invest in it, making it practically free for the investor. Even the initial costs are significantly lower than the traditional advertising or marketing costs.
Rome was not built in a day. The same applies to SEO. It takes time. But the results are impressive and sustainable.
SEO is not a quick fix; it requires ongoing optimization and adaptation to changing algorithms and market trends. However, unlike gimmick advertising, which can yield immediate visibility but disappear once funding stops, SEO efforts compound over time, leading to lasting organic traffic and brand authority.
If you earn the intended traffic (relevant audience) then your investment can give more than 400% returns.
High-Quality Content and SEO: The Right Combination that is Worth in 2024
SEO alone is not worth it. But combined with quality content, it is like the ‘zero’ that enhances any number’s value by manifold. Content is the prerequisite for SEO.
Compare the below two scenarios:
Scenario 1: A retail software company that wants to write on retail billing trends in 2024, researches websites like Retail Dive, Dunnhunby, and the International Journal of Retail and Distribution. The company’s content creators further see retail articles on billing and POS on quality websites like HBR, Forbes, McKinsey, or Gartner along with those ranking for the retail billing trends keyword.
Then, they compile excerpts and quotations of CEOs, Founders, Directors, and Retail Managers of companies like Walmart, Target, Kroger, and Home Depot on recent trends and perspectives on billing in their retail stores. Then, relevant images, graphs, statistics, and retail news are added to the article to make it more engaging and rich.
The content creators also search for relevant FAQs, and retail user challenges at billing counters across retail stores and add specific content related to it. In the end, they discuss the latest technologies in the retail billing world like POS, RFID, barcode-enabled checkouts, Self-Kiosks, etc. At last, meticulous proofreading is done.
Scenario 2: A retail software company that wants to generate the same article searches 3-4 top-ranking articles on Google for the retail billing trends keyword. It compiles the top points from each article. Rephrase it and then rewrite the same points in other languages and some minor additions.
The content creators quote any random stats they can get from Statista (like the retail billing market worth) without seeking its relevance to the target audience. The content is generated and published on the website.
What do you think? Which one has the better potential to rank?
Scenario One
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Scenario 2
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No amount of SEO can protect the second one from the wrath of search engine algorithms. In conclusion, high-quality content is not just a complement to SEO; it is a prerequisite. As per Search Engine Journal’s SEO Trends Report 2024, generative AI and Search Generative Experience (SGE) are key areas to watch as SEO parameters evolve in the disruptive AI age.
SEO reduces Customer Acquisition Costs
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a powerful tool for businesses looking to reduce their customer acquisition costs (CAC). Once a website ranks well for relevant keywords, it can attract visitors without additional costs. For instance, a well-optimized product web page can continue to draw traffic for years, significantly lowering the CAC over time. Bagging high-intent users with relevant search results can increase conversion rates and lower customer acquisition costs.
SEO can Position You As the Industry Thought Leader
Long-term success in business is only possible if you are able to establish yourself as a reputed brand, an industry leader, or a go-to entity in a particular industry. For instance, think retail and Walmart come to your mind, think online e-commerce and Amazon will pop up in your mind. These are industry leaders. If you demonstrate Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E.E.A.T.) in your content along with SEO efforts, you will soon become an industry leader.
If you don’t know how to inculcate SEO in your website, it is prudent to get help from SEO experts and SEO agencies.
As per the Google Search Central,key services that SEO agencies provide include:
- Review site content or structure
- Technical advice on website development including hosting, redirects, error pages, use of JavaScript, etc.
- Management of online business development campaigns
- Keyword research
- SEO training
- Content development strategy
Conclusion
Even considering the complex nature of SEO and its various metrics, it is worth the time and effort. Coupled with great content, SEO is the road to SERP’s success. From increasing website traffic manifold to creating a loyal user base, SEO can help businesses beat online competition and gain market share.
It requires a commitment to quality content and ongoing optimization, but the long-term benefits—such as increased traffic, lower customer acquisition costs, and enhanced brand authority—make it a worthwhile investment. If you’re ready to enhance your online presence and leverage the full potential of SEO, consider reaching out to a professional SEO agency today!
