With talks of an impending recession going around, global markets are on edge. As inflation is starting to have its effect on our daily lives here in the United States with rising prices for goods and services, people are starting to have less and less disposable income. Here we look into if SEO still works in a recession and explain how investing in an SEO service can help to recession-proof your business.

Navigating through fearful times and an unpredictable market can be scary, especially for those who own a small business, but investing in yourself is important for the future of you and your business. Starting an SEO campaign can be a good strategic business decision that can get you ahead of your competition through tough economic times.

Typically, we see companies reduce their spending budgets during a recession in order to save money and retain their workers. Though this is a reasonable reaction, sometimes an increased investment can actually greatly benefit the business. SEO is one of those investments.

By starting an SEO strategy early, you will have the greatest chance of succeeding over your competitors (and for some inspiration, here are some recent client case studies illustrating their success with SEO).

What is SEO?

SEO stands for ‘Search Engine Optimization’, and it is the process by which a website is developed and improved specifically to increase the domain’s search traffic and online visibility on a search engine. It is a marketing strategy intended to increase organic traffic naturally rather than through paid means (Google ads, social ads, etc).

The more visibility that your website has on search engines, the more likely it is that you will be seen by potential customers interested in your business.

There are 3 types of SEO:

International

For those looking to target a broader global market. International SEO is intended to help large businesses target customers across multiple countries and languages (see our recent e-commerce case study of a global brand based in Australia) .

National SEO

National SEO is typically for businesses looking to target a broader geographic region that includes multiple states and cities. A good example would be an e-commerce business that sells products nationwide.

Local SEO

For those looking to target a smaller area within their general vicinity. Local SEO is intended for businesses looking to reach customers near the business's location and/or the areas a business services.

Based on many different factors, Google is able to decide which pages are considered to be the most relevant to your specified search, showing you the websites that have the most authority in the space. Google’s ranking algorithm changes all the time, and it is essential to stay up-to-date in order to outrank your competition. SEO specialists are aware of these changes and are constantly at work to ensure your website is in accordance with these guidelines.

Active SEO activities:

On-Page SEO

On-page SEO activities include actions that optimize specific elements on the actual website/web pages. These actions include changing meta-titles and meta-descriptions, adding alt tags to images, adding content, improving existing content, and cleaning up HTML code.

Off-Page SEO

Off-page SEO activities include actions that help improve your site but are not tied directly to editing or updating any pages on your site. These actions include backlink strategies, citation building, outreach programs, and even social media promotion.

Technical SEO

Technical SEO activities include actions that improve the technical requirements of a website that modern search engines look for in order to crawl and index them properly. These actions include setting up Google Analytics and Google Search Console to track your site’s performance, or ensuring that your XML sitemap is accurate and up-to-date.

All 3 of these ongoing and active SEO elements help to improve the overall user experience and are important for the success of a website. If one part is missing or lacking, the performance of your website will be sub-par and you will not be able to rank very well. In order for your website to perform well, you must have a strong on-page, off-page, and technical SEO strategy that is ongoing in order to rank organically in the top positions.

The Importance of Active SEO

Having an active SEO strategy is necessary if you want to keep up with your competitors and recession-proof your business.

According to recent data, only 30% of small businesses use SEO services meaning that 70% of small businesses do not have an active SEO strategy. This means that competition is low right now and that it’s likely that your competitors are not utilizing this resource. The earlier you start your SEO strategy, the more time you will have to outrank your competition. Right now, there is a great opportunity to get ahead of your competitors.

What about SEO during a Recession?

So does SEO still work in a recession? Will it recession-proof your business? From a business perspective, this service allows you to gain valuable information about your target audience and competitors in your space. This information allows businesses to have insight into relevant and actionable data. That is why it is essential that you partner with a good agency that is knowledgeable and transparent with what they do. Starting early with an active SEO strategy will undoubtedly give you an edge over the competition.

The value of SEO:

Affordable cost
Great return on investment (ROI)
Gives valuable data
Provides natural and relevant leads
Builds trust and credibility online.

Get Ahead of Your Competitors

If you are not doing SEO, be sure where your top-performing competitors are.

Even though people will not be going out and spending money as they used to during a recession, they will still be at home on the internet searching for goods and services they are interested in. Markets work in cycles, and you can be certain that there will come a time when the recession is over and people will be ready to spend their hard-earned cash.

Investing in an active SEO strategy will help your business become more visible online to potential customers that are interested in your goods or services.

It must be noted that partnering with an SEO agency is a relationship. Just because you invest in an SEO strategy does not mean that your customer traffic and sales numbers are going to increase automatically. This must be a symbiotic relationship where both parties are working towards a common goal. You and the agency you have chosen to work with must decide what that goal is. You cannot expect to rely solely on SEO to carry your business.

If you’re looking for a way to recession-proof your business, SEO may be a great option for you. Deciding to scale back on your digital marketing strategy can be detrimental in the long term. SEO is a long-term strategy that is always changing and ongoing. Constant changes to Google’s algorithms ensure that healthy competition is maintained and that everyone has an equal chance to rank.

Ready to get started?

Ready to start growing your business and recession proof your business? Book your free SEO strategy call with our Founder, Daniel Harman, and discover how working together can help your business grow.

BOOK STRATEGY CALL

Does SEO still work in recession?