Everyone loves the idea of "free traffic."
That's the big promise of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). You tweak your website, write some articles, sprinkle in some keywords, and suddenly Google sends you paying customers every day without charging you a dime per click.
Sounds easy, right?
Here's what they forget to tell you: SEO is painfully slow.
What is SEO?
SEO is the process of proving to Google that your website is the most relevant and helpful answer for whatever your potential customer is typing into the search bar.
The Good
Once you’re ranking at the top, the traffic is incredibly consistent and you don't have to pay for each person logging onto your site. The return on investment over the long term is massive.
The Bad
It takes months (sometimes years) to see real results. Furthermore, relying purely on SEO means you have only ONE source of leads. And as I've mentioned before, the number 1 is the worst possible number in business.
What happens if Google pushes out a new algorithm update and your site drops? Your leads vanish overnight.
The Verdict
You should absolutely do SEO. Make sure your site is fast, your content solves problems, and your structure makes sense.
But don't rely completely on it. Diversify. Combine it with paid ads so you have cash flow today, while building your SEO for tomorrow.