8 Things SEO is Not

SEO is not a one-month job
SEO is not a checklist
SEO is not dead
SEO is not one time event
SEO is not an overnight process
SEO is not just about Google
SEO is not magic
SEO is not free
Conclusion

Here’s X things SEO is not and quick breakdown of each point:

SEO is not a one-month job

SEO is a slow process and it takes time.

It consists of several audits, technical SEO, on-site SEO, off-site SEO, pagespeed optimization and more.

It also takes a lot of measuring, rinsing, and repeating.

It also takes regular competition research, tool research and market research.

SEO is not a checklist

SEO is mostly common sense. Having a checklist (although it helps a lot) makes things more mechanical, less human.

Different websites need different approaches.

Different niches require different approaches.

Different competitions need more aggressive approaches.

SEO is not dead

This is a recurring trend, and it’s “cool” to say that SEO is dead. Well, it’s not. It’s very much alive, and, as someone said, it’s like Google Ads, but free. I would not say free, I would say effective.

If you do proper SEO and you do it well, you’ll see the results for months and months.

If you do Google Ads or Facebook ads or Instagram ads or Twitter ads, you run out of money, your website goes back down the deep internet hole where it crawled out of.

SEO is not one time event

The only thing that only happens once is the initial audit. Everything else repeats on a regular basis.

Some actions need to be repeated monthly, such as competition research or heatmap research.

Some actions need to be repeated weekly, such as posting long-form content or running special events.

Some actions need to be repeated daily, such as social media posting and brand awareness.

SEO is not an overnight process

If in doubt, see the first point:

SEO is a slow process and it takes time.

Sometimes SEO takes one month, sometimes it takes one year. Usually, the first results are visible within a 3-6 month interval.

SEO is not just about Google

If we’re talking about search engines, there’s also Bing. There are also the national/localized ones, such as Yandex or Baidu, or whatever search engine matters in your country.

There are also the social networks. Lots of users search for references, reviews, or support on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram. Having a strong presence on any of these networks is good for brand awareness.

SEO is not magic

Well, it is, though, isn’t it? We snap our fingers and your website goes on the first page of Google, right? After 3-6 months, right? And you understand that it can take up to one year? Sometimes one month, depending on the niche and your content strategy? It all depends on so many factors…

SEO is not free

A common misunderstanding.

SEO takes lots of skills in different areas, content strategy, development, JavaScript, CSS, user experience, heat mapping, A/B testing, discipline, good management skills (I’m sure there’s more). And good SEO is not free.

Yes, you can get cheap SEO, or you can get really fast results, but will they stick? Will you still be up there after the next Google Core update? Which by the way happens more often now?