Why SEO is a Joke?

As a marketing professional, I often get asked about Search Engine Optimization. There are plenty of companies out there that focus on SEO as their main service offering.

So why would it be a joke?

I will admit that SEO is a legitimate service that can help a website get boosted in the searches, so more people will find that site when they do a relevant search. However, for vast many websites, SEO is a waste of time and money.

Most websites are developed to be eye-catching and give generic information. More like an online brochure. Rarely do I see a site that has a lead capture mechanism, and it is even rarer that I see a site that actually does a respectable job of converting visitors into customers. (A “customer” could simply be someone asking for more information or subscribing to your mailing list.)

So, if your site does not convert well if the site does not capture the lead if the site does not do SOMETHING to measurably move the visitor from BROWSER to BUYER, then SEO is useless.

It would be like running an amazing television commercial during the big football game to promote a store that is not open yet.

It does not matter how many visitors you drive to your website. If the site itself is not compelling enough to get those visitors to take action, then it is an exercise in futility.

Better to find a professional marketer who knows how to design a website that will actually convert visitors to leads or sales. Once you have that, then start focusing on driving more traffic.