{"id":176281,"date":"2024-06-26T10:57:37","date_gmt":"2024-06-26T15:57:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/?p=176281"},"modified":"2024-10-04T11:07:09","modified_gmt":"2024-10-04T16:07:09","slug":"how-to-explain-the-value-of-seo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/how-to-explain-the-value-of-seo\/","title":{"rendered":"How Do You Explain the Value of SEO? I Asked 100 Experts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"intro-txt\">This article is for anyone who wants to convince their boss to invest in SEO, or those who want to sell SEO services.<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>SEO is a well-known and widely used marketing tactic, but convincing your boss\u2014or a room full of skeptics\u2014can be&nbsp;tough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, to make this easier for you, I reached out to over 100 SEO pros and asked what arguments they used and how they overcame objections. I even got some answers from entrepreneurs who shared what convinced them to use&nbsp;SEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Benefits\" data-section=\"benefits-of-seo\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-176281-_vok2vqc8bvwt\"><\/a>4 impossible-to-ignore SEO benefits<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Out of the many good reasons to invest in <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\">SEO<\/a>, based on our experience and the responses from over 100 people, I\u2019d say these four benefits are the strongest and universal to all types of businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"1. Get targeted, evergreen, compounding traffic\" data-section=\"compounding-traffic\">\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-176281-_ue5qzgy25ppv\"><\/a>1. SEO brings targeted, evergreen, compounding traffic<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s unpack this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Targeted<\/strong> means that you attract people who are likely to become your customers by targeting keywords that are relevant to the problems your business solves.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Evergreen<\/strong> means that as long as you rank, you get traffic. Even if your content is years&nbsp;old.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Compounding<\/strong> means that traffic from optimized pages (such as blog posts) adds up, creating gradual, cumulative growth.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These traits are not unique to SEO, but what makes SEO truly hard to ignore is that it possesses all these characteristics simultaneously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s look at an example. Below you will see the performance of a few blog articles we wrote years ago. Notice how their traffic grows over time and cumulates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s the first article published in 2016 and its \u201chumble\u201d beginnings \u2014 only 71 monthly visits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"974\" height=\"584\" class=\"wp-image-176282\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/traffic-to-a-blog-post-soon-after-publishing-.png\" alt=\"Traffic to a blog post soon after publishing. \" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/traffic-to-a-blog-post-soon-after-publishing-.png 974w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/traffic-to-a-blog-post-soon-after-publishing--680x408.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/traffic-to-a-blog-post-soon-after-publishing--768x460.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 974px) 100vw, 974px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Fast forward to 2024: not only the traffic from that same article grew to over 10K monthly visits, but other articles written along the way added over 100K visits on top&nbsp;that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"609\" class=\"wp-image-176283\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/search-traffic-to-an-article-years-after-publishin.jpg\" alt=\"Search traffic to an article years after publishing. \" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/search-traffic-to-an-article-years-after-publishin.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/search-traffic-to-an-article-years-after-publishin-680x202.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/search-traffic-to-an-article-years-after-publishin-768x228.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/search-traffic-to-an-article-years-after-publishin-1536x457.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>And of course, this is not \u201cjust traffic\u201d. These articles target keywords tightly related to our product allowing us to naturally feature our product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The more popular a niche is, the more searchers can come your way. But a less popular niche can be good too \u2014 it means less competition and higher conversion rates. Highlighting the size of this opportunity is key to <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-buy-in\/\">getting SEO buy-in<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>If the opportunity is big enough (must be data-driven, of course), then the organization will move mountains to make it happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><div class=\"quote-photo\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Baptiste 'Baba' Hausmann\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Baba-rect.png\"><\/div><div class=\"extra-box\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Baptiste \u2018Baba\u2019 Hausmann,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">SEO Consultant, <a href=\"https:\/\/baba-seo.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Baba SEO<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Daniel E. Lofaso, what helps to seal the deal are traffic forecasts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>We persuade clients to invest in SEO by providing a forecasting model based on their customer lifetime value, average sale amount, or traffic and compare to competitor data using, in part, Ahrefs Top Pages report. When the forecast looks good, and the client is agreeable to the time horizon, the persuasion can be pretty strong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><div class=\"quote-photo\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Daniel E. Lofaso\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/daniel-lofaso.jpeg\"><\/div><div class=\"extra-box\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Daniel E. Lofaso,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">CEO and Founder, <a href=\"https:\/\/thedigitalelevator.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Digital Elevator<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, the longevity of SEO can create a psychological effect of reassurance that there\u2019s a marketing tactic constantly working for&nbsp;you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>When business owners work on SEO, it\u2019s like starting another marketing machine running in the background. With SEO on their side, they don\u2019t have to feel as pressured to show up on social media every single day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><div class=\"quote-photo\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Jessica Freeman\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Headshot.jpg\"><\/div><div class=\"extra-box\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Jessica Freeman,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">Owner, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.jesscreatives.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Jess Creatives<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/evergreen-content\/\">Evergreen Content Explained: 2 Key Ingredients for Success<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/organic-search\/\">What is Organic Search? Everything You Need to&nbsp;Know<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"2. Reach buyers at all stages of their journey\" data-section=\"buyers-journey\">\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-176281-_e12pn16jtg0v\"><\/a>2. SEO lets you reach buyers at all stages of their journey<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-content-strategy\/\">SEO content<\/a> allows for uniquely specific targeting of your audience: when they just want to be entertained, when they want to solve a problem, when they\u2019re considering a purchase, when they\u2019re actively comparing you to competitors, and so&nbsp;on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s all about the keywords and their <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/search-intent\/\">search intent<\/a>. Jon Morgan from <a href=\"https:\/\/venturesmarter.com\/\">Venture Smarter<\/a> leverages the intent behind keywords to demonstrate how SEO can target people who are ready to make a purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>SEO can sound complex and, frankly, expensive for a small business. But I explained it like this: imagine every time someone searches for \u201cbest pastries nearby,\u201d their bakery pops right up on the first page of Google. That\u2019s potential customers walking through your&nbsp;door!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><div class=\"quote-photo\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Jon Morgan\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Jon-Morgan.jpg\"><\/div><div class=\"extra-box\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Jon Morgan,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">CEO &amp; Editor-in-Chief, <a href=\"https:\/\/venturesmarter.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Venture Smarter<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s an example from our blog. When people search for something like \u201ckeyword monitoring\u201d they\u2019re clearly in need of an app that tracks keywords \u2014 according to our <strong>Identify intents <\/strong>feature, 75% of the traffic for this keyword goes to pages about those&nbsp;tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"846\" class=\"wp-image-176284\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/identify-intents-feature-in-ahrefs-.png\" alt=\"Identify intents feature in Ahrefs. \" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/identify-intents-feature-in-ahrefs-.png 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/identify-intents-feature-in-ahrefs--680x281.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/identify-intents-feature-in-ahrefs--768x317.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/identify-intents-feature-in-ahrefs--1536x635.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This allows us to feature our <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/rank-tracker\">Rank Tracker<\/a> in the content and promote it naturally, without any \u201chard selling\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1348\" height=\"1454\" class=\"wp-image-176285\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/featuring-a-product-in-an-article-.png\" alt=\"Featuring a product in an article. \" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/featuring-a-product-in-an-article-.png 1348w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/featuring-a-product-in-an-article--394x425.png 394w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/featuring-a-product-in-an-article--768x828.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1348px) 100vw, 1348px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>SEO content lets you reach buyers for globally distributed products and local services alike. Many lawyer websites use this approach by providing basic information about common legal problems and the types of services needed to solve them, effectively capturing demand for their services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"731\" class=\"wp-image-176286\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/educational-seo-content-on-a-lawyer-firms-website.png\" alt=\"Educational SEO content on a lawyer firm's website. \" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/educational-seo-content-on-a-lawyer-firms-website.png 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/educational-seo-content-on-a-lawyer-firms-website-680x243.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/educational-seo-content-on-a-lawyer-firms-website-768x274.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/educational-seo-content-on-a-lawyer-firms-website-1536x548.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\">\n<figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Educational SEO content on a lawyer firm\u2019s website.<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1254\" height=\"554\" class=\"wp-image-176287\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/keyword-data-via-ahrefs-.png\" alt=\"Keyword data via Ahrefs.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/keyword-data-via-ahrefs-.png 1254w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/keyword-data-via-ahrefs--680x300.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/keyword-data-via-ahrefs--768x339.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1254px) 100vw, 1254px\">\n<figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Results of that content \u2014 top ten in the location where they offer the service.<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"3. Increase your visibility (and decrease competitor visibility)\" data-section=\"decrease-competitor-visibility\">\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-176281-_i55yi2j57xea\"><\/a>3. SEO increases your visibility and decreases competitor visibility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>In SEO, increasing visibility in search engines simultaneously decreases your competitor\u2019s visibility \u2014 your gain is their&nbsp;loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To illustrate, here\u2019s a graph of organic traffic to our article and some competing articles. You can see the exact moment when updating our article resulted in a traffic increase (blue line) with a simultaneous traffic decrease of articles that used to rank above&nbsp;us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1574\" height=\"854\" class=\"wp-image-176288\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/comparing-search-traffic-to-competitors-pre-and-po.png\" alt=\"Comparing search traffic to competitors pre and post optimization. \" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/comparing-search-traffic-to-competitors-pre-and-po.png 1574w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/comparing-search-traffic-to-competitors-pre-and-po-680x369.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/comparing-search-traffic-to-competitors-pre-and-po-768x417.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/comparing-search-traffic-to-competitors-pre-and-po-1536x833.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1574px) 100vw, 1574px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>That said, this benefit is a double edged sword \u2014 missing out on SEO creates more space to grow for others. But you can turn it into a compelling argument by using competitor data:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>Pointing out specific examples of competitors\u2019 articles that are generating significant organic traffic and ranking above the client for relevant searches makes the opportunity cost of not investing in content painfully apparent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><div class=\"quote-photo\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Marshal Davis\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Marshal-Davis.jpg\"><\/div><div class=\"extra-box\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Marshal Davis,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">President, <a href=\"https:\/\/ascendlymarketing.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Ascendly Marketing<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-competitor-analysis\/\">How to Do an SEO Competitor Analysis<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"4. Reduce the cost of customer acquisition\" data-section=\"reduce-acquisition-cost\">\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-176281-_8u8jgig3nh4\"><\/a>4. SEO reduces the cost of customer acquisition<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>In the long term, SEO is cheaper than most marketing tactics. Compared to search ads, the cost of investment in creating SEO content is often lower, and you don\u2019t need to pay for every&nbsp;click.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Take our blog for example. If we were to \u201cbuy\u201d this traffic with search ads, we\u2019d have to spend $543,000 each month. Instead, SEO allows us to generate it passively, and we can spend resources to write new content and add to the traffic we\u2019re already getting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1852\" height=\"528\" class=\"wp-image-176289\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/search-traffic-and-its-value-.png\" alt=\"Search traffic and its value.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/search-traffic-and-its-value-.png 1852w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/search-traffic-and-its-value--680x194.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/search-traffic-and-its-value--768x219.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/search-traffic-and-its-value--1536x438.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1852px) 100vw, 1852px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>But that\u2019s not all \u2014 the longer a blog exists and drives traffic, the better value it becomes because it generates more revenue for the same initial investment. In other words, the customer acquisition cost (<a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/customer-acquisition-cost\/\">CAC<\/a>) of SEO improves over time. We can clearly see this in the correlation between organic traffic to our blog and the traffic\u2019s value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1670\" height=\"910\" class=\"wp-image-176290\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/correlation-of-search-traffic-and-its-value-.png\" alt=\"Correlation of search traffic and its value.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/correlation-of-search-traffic-and-its-value-.png 1670w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/correlation-of-search-traffic-and-its-value--680x371.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/correlation-of-search-traffic-and-its-value--768x418.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/correlation-of-search-traffic-and-its-value--1536x837.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1670px) 100vw, 1670px\">\n<figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Organic search&nbsp;traffic and it\u2019s value are strongly correlated - both go up and down at the same&nbsp;time.<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>We got an interesting response from a \u201cpast doubter\u201d, a CEO invested in SEO and now advises how to convince people like&nbsp;him:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re bumping heads with someone who used to be like me, connect the dots behind how SEO drives sales and increases net earnings. Money talks. Explain how it complements existing sales funnels and how it can even reduce costs and burdens on a sales staff or production itself, which are likely huge operational expenses. Drive home cost savings, and the ROI confusion will take care of itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><div class=\"quote-photo\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Roman Zrazhevskiy\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Roman.png\"><\/div><div class=\"extra-box\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Roman Zrazhevskiy,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">Founder &amp; CEO, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mirasafety.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">MIRA Safety<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>And since SEO can reduce the cost of customer acquisition, Lee Moskowitz points out the opportunity cost of <em>not <\/em>investing in&nbsp;SEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>I explain that by neglecting organic traffic as a channel, you will make yourself too reliant on paid channels and other tactics that aren\u2019t sustainable or may stop working well one day. (\u2026) One of the most impactful ways I\u2019ve overcome this barrier is by running competitor reports in Ahrefs and comparing website metrics to those of competitors\u2019 websites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><div class=\"quote-photo\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Lee Moskowitz\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Lee-Moskovitz.jpeg\"><\/div><div class=\"extra-box\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Lee Moskowitz,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">Director of Growth Marketing, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smartpass.app\/\" target=\"_blank\">SmartPass<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Objections\" data-section=\"objections\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-176281-_jvht5gyz0nm\"><\/a>7 common objections to SEO (and how to respond)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Based on our experience and feedback from other SEOs, there are at least seven common objections you might encounter. Don\u2019t worry, though \u2014 we\u2019ve also gathered some excellent responses to address each of&nbsp;them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"1. Takes too long\" data-section=\"takes-too-long\">\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-176281-_3ypm3e20tmrf\"><\/a>1. Takes too&nbsp;long<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This argument is built around the fact that it takes time to rank high on Google. And it\u2019s true, SEO takes time to show effects; according to our poll, it takes <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/how-long-does-seo-take\/\">three months on average<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1284\" class=\"wp-image-176291\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/how-long-does-seo-take-results-of-our-poll-.jpg\" alt=\"How long does SEO take - results of our poll.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/how-long-does-seo-take-results-of-our-poll-.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/how-long-does-seo-take-results-of-our-poll--530x425.jpg 530w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/how-long-does-seo-take-results-of-our-poll--768x616.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/how-long-does-seo-take-results-of-our-poll--1536x1233.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>But that\u2019s only one side of the coin. It\u2019s also true, and perhaps more important, that the results SEO delivers are sustainable and have a lasting impact \u2014 we\u2019ve already demonstrated that in the examples above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So it\u2019s not really that SEO is slow; it\u2019s just a long-term strategy that may seem like a worse choice compared to a faster tactic like PPC. But that\u2019s like comparing a waterfall to a&nbsp;tap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1374\" class=\"wp-image-176292\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/seo-results-are-continuous.png\" alt=\"SEO results are continuous \" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/seo-results-are-continuous.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/seo-results-are-continuous-495x425.png 495w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/seo-results-are-continuous-768x660.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/seo-results-are-continuous-1536x1319.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Besides, some keywords will bring results faster. Generally speaking, when the top 10 pages ranking for a keyword have a weak link profile (low number of pages from unique domains), that keyword will need fewer backlinks to rank, and therefore less time to&nbsp;rank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can find those keywords easily with Ahrefs\u2019 <strong>Keyword Difficulty<\/strong> metric.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1179\" class=\"wp-image-176293\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/kd-metric-in-ahrefs-.png\" alt=\"KD metric in Ahrefs.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/kd-metric-in-ahrefs-.png 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/kd-metric-in-ahrefs--680x391.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/kd-metric-in-ahrefs--768x442.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/kd-metric-in-ahrefs--1536x884.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, updating content where you already rank in positions 4 - 15 tends to bring results fast. In Ahrefs there\u2019s a pre-made report that collects those keywords for you, just head on to <strong>Opportunities<\/strong> in <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/site-explorer\">Site Explorer<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"677\" class=\"wp-image-176294\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/opportunities-report-in-ahrefs-.png\" alt=\"Opportunities report in Ahrefs. \" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/opportunities-report-in-ahrefs-.png 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/opportunities-report-in-ahrefs--680x225.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/opportunities-report-in-ahrefs--768x254.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/opportunities-report-in-ahrefs--1536x508.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>So let\u2019s hear how some of our experts react to this objection:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>I address this by breaking it down into realistic milestones \u2014 improvements in three to four months with significant traffic increases by month six. For instance, at Kiddom, we saw webpage engagement rise by 35% within six months. This demonstrates that while SEO requires patience, the benefits compound and provide a substantial ROI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Rex Liu,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">Head of Sales &amp; Marketing, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gosite.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">GoSite<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>We offered a grace period with our services at a discounted rate, allowing them to demonstrate the effectiveness of our work internally. In the first three months with us, they saw a 75% increase in sales from organic search compared to the same period the previous year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><div class=\"quote-photo\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Juan Pineda\" src=\"https:\/\/www.agiledigitalagency.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/signature-assets\/jp.jpeg\"><\/div><div class=\"extra-box\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Juan Pineda,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">Managing Director, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.agiledigitalagency.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Agile Digital Agency<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>One of the biggest things you can do is show momentum quickly with quick wins. Once a business owner sees these, you will have less of an issue bringing forward other use cases for further work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><div class=\"quote-photo\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Ryan Jones\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Ryan-Jones.jpeg\"><\/div><div class=\"extra-box\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Ryan Jones,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">Marketing Manager, <a href=\"https:\/\/seotesting.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">SEOTesting<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"2. It's volatile\" data-section=\"volatile\">\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-176281-_vtk2ujm8mggm\"><\/a>2. It\u2019s volatile<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This objection to SEO is built around the sentiment that Google changes too much too often for any serious business to safely invest in a search engine as a traffic source.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Google does introduce changes to their ranking systems <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/google-algorithm-updates\">quite often<\/a> (some bigger, some smaller), but they are not drastic \u201crevolutions\u201d that move the search engine in to a new direction each time. They are rather coherent, incremental improvements towards the same goal \u2014 a better experience for users, harder to spam and&nbsp;cheat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because of the nature of Google algorithm changes, the principles of SEO don\u2019t really change. It\u2019s still about quality content, <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/high-quality-backlinks\/\">quality links<\/a> and having a <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\/technical-seo\" data-ahr=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/technical-seo\/\">technically healthy site<\/a> \u2014 and it\u2019s been proven many&nbsp;times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For instance, we once <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/impact-of-links\/\">studied the impact of backlinks by removing them<\/a>. Result: rankings went down, links are still important just like years&nbsp;ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1426\" class=\"wp-image-176295\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/impact-of-disavowing-links-study-by-ahrefs.png\" alt=\"Impact of disavowing links - study by ahrefs \" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/impact-of-disavowing-links-study-by-ahrefs.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/impact-of-disavowing-links-study-by-ahrefs-477x425.png 477w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/impact-of-disavowing-links-study-by-ahrefs-768x684.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/impact-of-disavowing-links-study-by-ahrefs-1536x1369.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>As for the role of content quality, this hasn\u2019t changed either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Case in point: we regularly update old content, each time making slight improvements. We do this consistently because it yields significant results. For example, we saw an improvement from 100 to 2200 visits with just a single content update that took less than a day to complete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1790\" height=\"1340\" class=\"wp-image-176296\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/organic-traffic-graph-via-ahrefs-.png\" alt=\"Organic traffic graph via Ahrefs. \" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/organic-traffic-graph-via-ahrefs-.png 1790w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/organic-traffic-graph-via-ahrefs--568x425.png 568w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/organic-traffic-graph-via-ahrefs--768x575.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/organic-traffic-graph-via-ahrefs--1536x1150.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1790px) 100vw, 1790px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>So when the instability objection enters the scene, you can do what Luke Hickman from <a href=\"https:\/\/bird.co.uk\/\">Bird<\/a> does:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>To address this issue, I\u2019ll simplify the process and focus on the fundamentals of SEO, removing any jargon and reassuring them that, even with core changes, the core principles and benefits of SEO will stay the&nbsp;same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><div class=\"quote-photo\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Luke Hickman\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Luke-Hickman.jpg\"><\/div><div class=\"extra-box\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Luke Hickman,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">Head of Search, <a href=\"https:\/\/bird.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\">Bird<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-ai-deep-content\/\">How \u201cDeep Content\u201d Will Protect Your SEO in the AI&nbsp;Era<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"3. Too hard to measure ROI\" data-section=\"hard-to-measure-roi\">\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-176281-_lw1sl68zibqu\"><\/a>3. It\u2019s hard to measure the ROI of&nbsp;SEO<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This is an objection I\u2019ve heard a lot \u2014 the return on investment (ROI) in SEO is so hard to measure that it\u2019s always going to be dubious even if someone attempts to measure it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the thing is, I\u2019ve heard the same about other marketing tactics. Even <a href=\"https:\/\/sparktoro.com\/blog\/provable-marketing-attribution-is-a-boondoggle-trust-your-gut-instead\/\">digital advertising has its challenges<\/a> for accurately assessing ROI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Measuring ROI is a big and not entirely solved problem for marketing as a whole. The challenge lies in attribution within a multi-touch buyer journey. The pricier the product or service, the longer the journey, making it even harder to measure ROI. In other words, determining which dollar spent is wasted and which dollar generates more revenue is complex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the good news is that there is more than one good way of proving that SEO impacts the bottom line of the business:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Use Google Analytics to <strong>track the value of organic traffic conversions and assisted conversions <\/strong>(<a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-roi\/\">this guide explains how<\/a>).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Calculate the <strong>correlation between additional traffic from organic search and revenue\/signups<\/strong> (ChatGPT will help you do the&nbsp;math).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Show how much money SEO saves<\/strong> by calculating the lifetime traffic value (<a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/content-marketing-roi\/#lifetime-traffic-value\">see here <\/a>for the formula and details).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Show testimonials<\/strong> from clients or marketing leaders who have seen positive results of SEO to strengthen your arguments.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-roi\/\">How to Measure SEO ROI (Incl. 6 Challenges of Calculating It)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/content-marketing-roi\/\">Content Marketing ROI: How to Put a $ Value on Your Content<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"4. Too complicated\" data-section=\"too-complicated\">\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-176281-_1jcg4sn4x1uc\"><\/a>4. Too complicated<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>SEO is full of jargon, and it\u2019s all based on sophisticated algorithms that nobody in the industry has the manual for. It\u2019s no wonder many people think SEO is too complicated to work&nbsp;with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That said, SEO is not as complicated as it seems when we break it down to the basics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>Many clients are unfamiliar with how SEO works and its importance. I take an educational approach, explaining the fundamentals of SEO, how search engines rank websites, and the critical role of content, keywords, and backlinks. This education helps demystify SEO and builds trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Darryl Stevens,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">CEO, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitechwebdesignaustin.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Digitech Web Design<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>But some people take a different approach \u2014 they avoid explaining too much, and shift the focus on what matters to businesses the&nbsp;most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>Avoid overwhelming jargon, focusing instead on the high level. Highlight quick wins: apply the 80\/20 rule to prioritize impactful, easy-to-achieve SEO that shows immediate value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><div class=\"quote-photo\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Mark Hayes\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Mark-Hayes-small.jpg\"><\/div><div class=\"extra-box\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Mark Hayes,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">Head of Growth Marketing, <a href=\"https:\/\/tasksoftware.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">TASK<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"5. Too expensive\" data-section=\"too-expensive\">\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-176281-_p778ql99g4vb\"><\/a>5. Too expensive<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Our respondents pointed out that even though SEO generates extremely cheap traffic, with an overall cost significantly lower than ads, there\u2019s an upfront cost that may seem daunting to&nbsp;some.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Obviously, you can explain that \u201cit\u2019s not a cost but an investment\u201d and long-term SEO actually helps to save money but that may not be enough to break the psychological barrier. In this case, this advice may&nbsp;help:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>It also doesn\u2019t need to be a yes or no situation. You can gradually carve out budget from other channels to work on low-hanging fruit SEO opportunities without taking away from those tactics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><div class=\"quote-photo\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Lee Moskowitz\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Lee-Moskovitz.jpeg\"><\/div><div class=\"extra-box\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Lee Moskowitz,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">Director of Growth Marketing, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smartpass.app\/\" target=\"_blank\">SmartPass<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"6. We don't need it\" data-section=\"dont-need-it\">\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-176281-_2963051i450s\"><\/a>6. We don\u2019t need&nbsp;it<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>What if people tell you they don\u2019t need SEO? Well, they may be right. I\u2019ve seen many companies doing just fine without search engine optimization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But that doesn\u2019t mean they couldn\u2019t benefit from SEO \u2014 it could help them protect their market share or even help them do even better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>I emphasize that even if their business is currently doing well, SEO can help maintain and improve their market position. I explain that competitors are likely investing in SEO, and staying ahead requires continuous effort. I also point out that consumer behavior is increasingly driven by online searches, and capturing a larger share of organic traffic can protect and grow their market share.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Darryl Stevens,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">CEO, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.digitechwebdesignaustin.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Digitech Web Design<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>I respectfully clarify the difference between having someone \u201ccheck the box\u201d on SEO by installing a plugin versus investing in a comprehensive strategy. Auditing their current SEO efforts often reveals critical technical issues, thin content, and spammy link building tactics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><div class=\"quote-photo\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Marshal Davis\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Marshal-Davis.jpg\"><\/div><div class=\"extra-box\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Marshal Davis,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">President, <a href=\"https:\/\/ascendlymarketing.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Ascendly Marketing<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Your boss\/client may even think that their target audience doesn\u2019t use search. But the chances they are wrong are still quite&nbsp;high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>Some clients, especially in B2B industries, believe their buyers only find them through word-of-mouth and existing relationships. I counter this notion by presenting data on how a growing share of their audience, especially younger generations, turn to search engines first when seeking solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><div class=\"quote-photo\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Marshal Davis\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Marshal-Davis.jpg\"><\/div><div class=\"extra-box\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Marshal Davis,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">President, <a href=\"https:\/\/ascendlymarketing.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Ascendly Marketing<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ve heard a lot of objections to SEO in my time. This was one of the more unusual ones: \u201cI don\u2019t believe the main purpose of our website is to generate new business.\u201d I\u2019d not come across this one before. With every objection, it\u2019s important to understand the events or presumptions that have led to it. So, I always ask plenty of questions first to find out why they\u2019re thinking the way they&nbsp;are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Hannah Millist,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">CEO, <a href=\"https:\/\/twogether-digital.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\">Twogether Digital<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"7. We tried and it didn\u2019t work\" data-section=\"didnt-work\">\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-176281-_q0ox0doxhnps\"><\/a>7. We tried and it didn\u2019t work<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, your stakeholders, clients or even you may have had bad experiences with SEO, maybe even multiple times, and prefer to avoid&nbsp;it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>Many small businesses fall prey to rogues, who often undercut the market so that they appear to offer good value. (.\u2026) We are also surprised, from time to time, to see outdated methods being implemented by both big and small agencies. This generally just results in the business wasting money, since the work that is implemented does not yield any results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><div class=\"quote-photo\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Michael Sanford\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Michael-Sandford.jpg\"><\/div><div class=\"extra-box\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Michael Sanford,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">Account Director, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.seoworks.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\">SEO Works<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>In cases like this, it\u2019s crucial to identify the reason it didn\u2019t work in the past. As our next expert says, just because you had a bad haircut\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>I dig into their past efforts to pinpoint why it failed \u2014 maybe it was poor strategy, black-hat techniques, or lack of persistence. I propose a revamped, ethical strategy with a transparent roadmap, saying, \u201cJust because you had a bad haircut once doesn\u2019t mean you stop cutting your hair. You just need a better barber.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><div class=\"quote-photo\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Ilia Tretiakov\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Ilia-Tretiakov.jpeg\"><\/div><div class=\"extra-box\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Ilia Tretiakov,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">Owner and Lead Strategist, <a href=\"https:\/\/sogooddigital.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">So Good Digital<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>A tip for agencies from Michael Sandford from SEO Works: when you hear that SEO failed before, it\u2019s a good time to play your \u201creputation card\u201d and tell a bit about how you work to earn&nbsp;trust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>In such cases, we have to rely on our expertise and our reputation, built over many years, and start to build trust from there. As we educate clients by explaining things in their language, by being transparent about our processes, and by demonstrating progress in a consistent and accountable way, we often win such clients round.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><div class=\"quote-photo\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Michael Sanford\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Michael-Sandford.jpg\"><\/div><div class=\"extra-box\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Michael Sanford,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">Account Director, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.seoworks.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\">SEO Works<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-176281-_i2cufpq9rgyn\"><\/a>Final thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Investing in search has one final benefit, and it\u2019s a big one: it makes people trust you&nbsp;more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>We found persuading clients to invest in SEO often boils down to one fundamental value proposition - higher ranking websites convert better. It\u2019s a simple equation: users inherently trust and purchase from businesses that dominate the organic search landscape. (\u2026) When prospects are vetting potential vendors, subconsciously equating high rankings with subject matter mastery is human nature. A robust SEO footprint elevates the perception of expertise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><div class=\"quote-photo\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Jason Smit\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Jason-Smit.png\"><\/div><div class=\"extra-box\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Jason Smit,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">CEO, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.contentellect.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Contentellect<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>A common objection is that businesses rely on social media and don\u2019t see the need for SEO. I explain that ranking high on Google gives a business credibility and trust that social media cannot match. People tend to trust companies they find through Google search results more because it feels like Google has vetted them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><div class=\"quote-photo\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Jason Hennessey\" src=\"https:\/\/static.ahrefs.com\/static\/assets\/jason_hennessey-HXZGQMCE.jpg\"><\/div><div class=\"extra-box\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Jason Hennessey,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">Founder &amp; CEO, <a href=\"https:\/\/hennessey.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Hennessey Digital<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>On a final note, I\u2019d like to thank over one hundred SEO experts who answered our call to contribute to this article!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Got questions or comments? Let me know on <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/m_makosiewicz\">X<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/mateusz-makosiewicz-38154b67\/\">LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SEO is a well-known and widely used marketing tactic, but convincing your boss\u2014or a room full of skeptics\u2014can be&nbsp;tough. So, to make this easier for you, I reached out to over 100 SEO pros and asked what arguments they used<span class=\"ellipsis\">\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more\">Read more \u203a<\/div>\n<p><!-- end of .read-more --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":159,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[335],"tags":[],"coauthors":[412],"class_list":["post-176281","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general-seo","odd"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How Do You Explain the Value of SEO? I Asked 100 Experts<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn how the pros explain the value of SEO (and address common objections).\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/how-to-explain-the-value-of-seo\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How Do You Explain the Value of SEO? 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