SEO alone is not enough for an effective online marketing plan. The best online marketing plans are backed by the human marketing experience.
Search engine optimization cannot create goals.
SEO data is used to create marketing goals. However the best goals are created from data analyzed from a marketing professional. Which pages should you optimize next? What should the target conversion rate be? How can we increase lead conversions? These are all questions answered by an actual human, not just SEO data.
SEO gains are not guaranteed.
Search results pages change constantly. Not even a seasoned marketing professional can guarantee rankings for very competitive keywords without a significant client investment. However, a marketing professional can offer tips and tricks of how to maintain solid rankings even in a competitive market!
SEO cannot offer projections of future success.
As stated above, the internet is constantly changing. The most constant thing about SEO is change. SEO data can help SEO professionals create marketing plans. However, competition changes, algorithms change, and search habits change. SEO cannot predict or analyze these changes. SEO professionals, however, can predict, navigate, and sometimes avoid adverse affects of constant SEO changes.
SEO is not a content writer.
While SEO data can provide clues about what to write next, an actual human copywriter is needed to write for actual human users of websites.
SEO cannot decide on priorities.
Goals, rankings, projections, copy, user experience, and so much more work together in a complete online marketing plan. What should you work on first? What is most important? What will make the most impact in your industry? Do you need social media? A seasoned SEO professional will be able to analyze your initial website diagnostic and prioritize the items that should be done first, and fill in the blanks for a long term marketing plan for continued success.
