Internet Marketing for Older Adults

While the benefits of SEO are obvious, the path to success seems shrouded in mystery – especially if you want to achieve top search results for multiple keywords.

We live in a “microwave society” in that we tend to have little patience and want to see immediate results with anything that we do. However, SEO requires long-term goals and does not respond well to a “hurry up” mentality. Trying to achieve results overnight is simply impossible. A shift in mindset is required in order to reap the full benefits of SEO. One must not think of SEO as a daily task to be completed, but a daily habit. Certainly, there are elements that can seem task related, but overall, SEO requires your constant attention and effort to be successful.

The Potential of SEO

Of course, the goal of any SEO campaign is to achieve organic search results in on the first page of a search engine. The problem is that only a very few can achieve that goal. There are plenty of examples of those, through their efforts, that have achieved that goal. But one must remember that you can only get out of it what you put into it.

Every business and every website is unique and has its own competitors, circumstances and challenges. Google is always changing its algorithm, so it can be difficult to try to stay ahead. The point is more that if you have full expectations to achieve front page rankings, you may be disappointed. Rather than setting result-oriented goals, it would be better to focus on more progress-oriented goals.

This subtle distinction may seem arbitrary, but when you focus more on the habits that will eventually lead to higher search placements, rather than immediate results, you are more likely to achieve those long-term goals.

The SEO Effort

The results of your search engine optimization will lay directly on your own educated efforts and strategy. Understand, it is difficult, if not impossible, to compete directly with large corporations as they have the manpower and resources dedicated directly for SEO. When there are so many various tasks and steps necessary – such as content creation, link building, keyword research, social media campaigns and lots more – it’s difficult for an individual or a small business to compete. But an individual or small business can still be effective if you manage expectations.

Reset SEO Expectations

SEO today has changed drastically from a few years ago when a few changes with keywords and metatags with a little link building could make significant changes in your rankings.

Today’s SEO professionals have a wide range of tools in their tool belt, such as analysis of strategy and content, user experience, keyword targeting, speed, branding, benchmark testing and a whole lot more. Today’s SEO professionals also have to have a deep understanding and knowledge of the subject and to be able to determine where their efforts may yield the greatest results and return on investment. It is a world of constant learning and education.

The problem, however, is that even after months of effort; it is difficult to impossible to measure the direct results of your efforts. As such, many companies are investing less in their SEO efforts for other avenues that are more easily measured.

Even more so, it is important to have the right expectations for your SEO campaigns. And while there is no single right expectation for every business or website, understanding that SEO is a process that requires long-term strategies is a step in the right direction.