Budget for SEO: It Should Be Part of Your Business Plan

Let's assume that you've got a great idea for an on-line website. And let's assume that you're serious about making this site profitable - quickly. And finally, let's assume that you're at the early stages of implementing your plan. If that's you, we got here just in time.

What Does SEO Cost?

Anything from nothing to more than you spent on your last car - thousands and thousands of dollars. There are lots of things - usually time-consuming things - that you as webmaster can do that won't cost anything to implement. However, most of these no-cost SEO tactics take time to put into place and show results. And, if you don't have a lot of time to develop "organic" search engine traffic, you're going to want to set aside some start-up money for SEO.

How much? Truthfully, you should set aside 50% of your start-up stash for SEO and other site marketing strategies - 25% for SEO and 25% for marketing via PPC programs like Google's Adwords. Just think about it - if you spend a bundle on building a site and filling a warehouse with inventory, but nobody can find your site, you're going to be out of business fast.

So, even if you have to cut back on your original plans for a glossy, feature-rich site, do it and put that money aside for SEO and marketing.

SEO: It's Just One Way to Market Your Site

Think of search engine optimization as a marketing expense because that's what it is. SEO tweaks a site to make it friendlier, more accessible and easier to understand when search engine spiders crawl through.

SEO is designed, not for humans, but for search engine spiders. These crawlers assess a site using numerous criteria including keyword density, inbound links and other spider food. In essence, SEO is marketing for machines, but it's the best way ( the only way) to drive organic traffic to your site. Organic traffic is visitors who found your site through search engine results based on their queries (keywords).

Organic visitors are high quality, i.e. usually ready to buy or commit. They're motivated to take the action you want them to take, whether that's making a purchase or opting in for an e-book download.

Are SEO Pros Worth It?

Is a good doctor worth it? A good, experienced and up-to-date SEOptimizer is worth spending money on. Even if you've had extensive experience marketing and promoting in the real world, it's a whole different dynamic in the virtual world of the W3.

However, before you write that big check, check out the individual or company you're considering to optimize your site. Ask questions.

How long have you been in business?

Obviously, the longer the better. But don't forget, someone who's been doing SEO for 10 years is an old-timer. The first search engine wasn't introduced until 1994 by Yahoo. And, it took a couple of years for the art and science of SEO to come together.

What services will you provide?

You want a top down analysis of your current site including all HTML coding, the substructure that holds up the "presentation layer." And, spiders crawl that presentation layer, also called the site skin, so expect a careful analysis of everything from navigation to page links.

Next, ask for a cost estimate. This is always negotiable so negotiate. If you've found a company you can work with, haggle but don't take them to the mat. You end up losing more in good will haggling over $100. Let it go and put the company to work for you.

Make sure any SEO provides baseline metrics and analysis. Metrics are various measurements of a site's performance such as number of visitors, number of pages indexed, number of pages each visitor sees and so on. Metrics, of and by themselves, are just numbers but when properly analyzed by professionals, they can reveal a great deal about your site - what works and what doesn't.

Baseline metrics are collected before any site changes are made. They are the data and stats on your site pre-SEO and they're an essential barometer for measuring the effectiveness of changes to the site's HTML and skin - the yardstick by which all changes are measured.

How long will you provide services?

Some SEOs provide all of the above services, hand off their final report and leave you standing on your own a few months later. That's not what you want.

Changes to a website may take weeks and even months to produce the desired effect. Any SEO will tell you that, but you want one who will stick around to continue to gather site stats and tweak for true site optimization.

Do you offer any guarantees?

You'll be lucky to find an SEO who will guarantee that your site performance will improve. There are just too many variables and a bunch of hocus-pocus that SEOs spread like office gossip. In fact, SEO is part science, part art. Any SEO can deliver the science - the numbers and the latest best SEO practices making the rounds - but the good SEOs bring art to their work, crafting SEO solutions that actually work.

Can I see some sites you've optimized?

The proof is in the pudding. You want to see a proven track record of performance. Good SEOs will have along list of sites they've optimized. Visit them, study them to see if they have the features and functionality you have in mind.

Also ask for client references. Once again, good SEOs will be able to give you a list of happy clients with contact information so you can hear for yourself. If no such list is available, keep looking.

Do Your Own Research?

If you're knowledgeable about HTML and overall site performance, conduct your own research. There's are plenty of SEO tools - free and for sale - that readily equip you to monitor site activity - yours and competitive sites.

If you do have a budget for a start up, remember the old adage: "Cash is king" especially when you're just starting out, so allocate your funds intelligently. And be sure to leave plenty in your pocket to cover SEO and other site marketing costs. Without SEO and marketing, your site will be invisible to web users.