Affordable SEO: 10 Things to Stop and Start Doing

Are you concerned with the costs of your search engine optimization strategy? Affordable SEO is possible, but you need to adjust your methods to focus on higher ROI options and removing inefficiency from the process. Here are ten things you need to start and stop doing to bring down your SEO expenses.

5 Things to Start Doing With Your SEO Strategy

1. Document your SEO strategy. Do you know exactly what your business uses for its SEO efforts? A documented plan tracks every tactic in place so you have consistency throughout your organization. You also have an easier time identifying methods that work well and those that show little return.
2. Connect with influencers in your market sector. You don't have to spend a lot of money to network with people and businesses likely to share your content. Social media, such as Twitter, gives you a channel to build these relationships so you gain valuable backlinks.
3. Evaluate your competition's strategy. Don't waste money on SEO trial and error. Take a look at what your competition has in place and keep an eye on the tactics that stick around over the long term. Tools such as SEMrush and MajesticSEO provide insights into their link-building strategies, keyword rankings and other approaches.
4. Stay on top of SEO trends and Google changes. Google frequently adjusts its ranking algorithm to improve search result quality. When you know what Google is currently looking for out of its top position sites, you can include this information in your affordable SEO strategy. Follow leading SEO blogs such as Moz and Search Engine Land to discover whether new trends impact your business and current tactics.
5. Integrate SEO into your overall digital marketing strategy. SEO doesn't exist on an isolated island. It has an impact on many areas of your digital marketing strategy, so it's best to create a cohesive effort that takes these connections into account.

Download The SEO Solution: A Complete SEO Checklist for Beginners

5 Things to Stop Doing With Your SEO Strategy

1. Don't skimp on important SEO resources. You may be tempted to use the cheapest services and tools for your affordable SEO strategy. However, going with the bottom-dollar option can cost you in the long run. You may end up putting in more time than you anticipated into getting a basic tool to give you results or have an SEO contractor hurt your rankings instead of helping them.
2. Go beyond on-site factors. Search engines look at on-site and off-site ranking factors to determine where to position your website. Split your SEO budget between these two categories, rather than focusing entirely on on-site approaches.
   Stop spending money without building off of your previous efforts. If you don't have insights into the effectiveness of past tactics, you don't know whether you're getting a good ROI. Track key performance indicators that help you understand which strategies you should scale.
3. Avoid trying to take shortcuts with ranking. Many SEO services promise you page-one rankings for highly competitive terms and other "too good to be true" promises. Trust your gut and stick with tactics that appear more realistic. Some SEO contractors use black hat techniques to achieve nigh-impossible results that end up getting your site penalized once Google finds out.
4. Don't overlook unexpected opportunities. Don't treat your SEO strategy as a blueprint that you should never deviate from. Keep your eye out for potential out-of-the-box tactics that could position your organization for a good SEO boost.

Affordable SEO is within your reach when you use this advice to shape your strategy. Gaining valuable rankings doesn't have to drain your company's marketing and advertising budget.

For more SEO tips and tricks, download the Beginner’s Guide to SEO for a complete guide to getting your SEO strategy on the right track.