What Is SEO?
SEO is search engine optimisation of websites according to search engine guidelines, aimed at achieving the best possible visibility in search results for keywords relevant to the site's business.
Most commonly, sites are optimised for Google, because it has over 96% market share in Poland and is the undisputed leader both in Poland and worldwide, where it holds around 92% market share.
Optimisation is nothing more than adapting a site to Google's guidelines, meaning the factors that influence a higher ranking in search results. These include, among others, making the site mobile-friendly, increasing page load speed, preparing and publishing content rich in keywords relevant to the industry, link building and much more. Over 200 such factors can be identified, and they influence, to a greater or lesser extent, how high a site ranks in search results.
Why Is SEO Important?
SEO is one method of gaining traffic on the internet. It is free traffic, meaning that when a user visits the site, the domain owner is not charged any additional commission for that traffic.
SEO activities on a site are a method of attracting new potential customers who will be willing to buy products or services on the site, or to contact the business directly.
Having organic (free) traffic is usually long lasting and can remain at a similar level for years. A site that has once been optimised can maintain its position successfully until competitors overtake it, Google's algorithms change to the domain's disadvantage, or other external factors occur.
Ending work with an SEO specialist does not result in a sudden drop in domain visibility or the loss of traffic already built up. Actions taken on a site, as well as external links, stay attributed to the domain permanently, or in the case of links, until the links or entire domains expire.
What Does an SEO Specialist's Work Look Like?
An SEO specialist's job is to continuously improve a site against ranking factors, which are too numerous to count and are regularly updated, discovered and added by Google in algorithm updates.
SEO involves checking the site from a technical standpoint, researching converting (sales-driving) keywords, adding them to the site while also keeping optimisation and content-related ranking factors in mind. Ongoing analysis of the actions taken and adapting to changes as they arise. External link building, analysing the link profile, and checking whether the budget translates into results and increased visibility. Monitoring competing sites and applying proven solutions for the specific industry. The list could go on, but I have tried to outline briefly what an SEO specialist has to deal with on a daily basis. SEO is also key in the process of website creation. It is worth working in line with Google's guidelines from the very start, as this can save a lot of work later on.
When to Expect Results from SEO?
Results from SEO are a very individual matter. Depending on the industry, site size, set goals, the site's visibility to Google, technical issues and budget, the first results can be expected after just a month of cooperation, or only after several months to over a year in extreme cases.
The first results from SEO usually appear for low-competition phrases, where search volume is typically low. For competitive phrases, it can take somewhat longer, and the average time is a few months. However, these figures should not be taken as certain, as everything depends on the many factors mentioned above.
How Much Does SEO Cost?
The cost of SEO can vary widely and depends on how quickly results are achieved, how competitive the industry is, the target group and the goals set. The cost of SEO usually consists of paying for the specialist's work plus a budget for SEO activities, including link building. The recommended starting budget for small sites is about €450, while for larger sites and online shops in competitive industries it will be about €600 upwards. This is of course an indicative figure, assuming the scenario above related to the speed of the results achieved.
If we want to achieve results faster, or the industry is already highly competitive, the target market is other than Poland, or we have very ambitious goals, we should increase the monthly budget.
Summary
The SEO industry has existed since the 1990s, yet it remains shrouded in mystery. Prices and the techniques used by SEO specialists can still be something of a taboo subject. In this article, I have tried to answer the pressing questions and bring this industry closer to you. If you have any questions, or want to explore the topic of SEO in Krakow, the city where the marketing agency JustIdea operates, we will be happy to help and answer all your questions about online activities, whether that is website creation, marketing, SEO or other activities.
