This is according to Patricio Robles, who stated on the Econsultancy blog that it can be difficult to generate "instant rewards" from SEO.

 

He explained that firms will need to commit to the process for at least six months in order for it to begin having an effect, as it is unlikely that they will see results that "drive meaningful returns" any sooner than this.

 

Using SEO as a standalone marketing strategy should also not be encouraged, he said, as while it is possible for businesses to be spending more than half of their advertising budgets on the technique, they should also be incorporating methods such as paid search, display advertising and email into their campaigns,

 

"For the average person just starting out, SEO should be looked at as a potentially valuable part of a more comprehensive marketing strategy," he concluded.

 

Using analytics tools may also benefit companies that are hoping to utilise the web to boost their customer numbers, as research by Marketing Sherpa found that an average of 90 per cent employ these tools to measure trends online.