I have been implementing SEO (search engine optimization) features on the websites I have done without paying anyone and getting first page placement on search results for years. You do NOT have the spend any money for SEO  if your website designer knows that they are doing.  Last month I got my report from Google and I had 2000 hits from Google and just 10 according to the Bing report.

I've been hearing that SEO is dead for almost ten years.  Has it changed? Sure.  Does it still  work? YES.  As Stockbridge pointed out, over the long haul, SEO is an investment that more than pays for itself.  With most of my clients SEO is either the number one or number two revenue/lead generator (with paid ads being number one or two).  Email marketing or direct sales is generally  their number three  or four revenue/lead generator with social media coming in fifth.  Obviously, results vary with your niche and website.  One other reason to do SEO, as Kenneth pointed out, is that good performance in SEO generally means your website structure/navigation is setup correctly which greatly enhances the user experience which leads to increased conversions on all traffic.

I both agree and disagree. You should consider search engines and yearly changes in how crawlers read sites. However,  search engines are responding to how people look for content.  The technology has changed so much that if you create content that people are looking for the search engines will love it. For example, the latest tech is google snippets and it is designed to find the best answer to questions and serve the answer. The answer may come from your website but the user may never go to your website. The same idea is happening in google shopping if a customer hits the buy now they can buy your product and never visit your website. And you want that. Google Analytics and Facebook Pixel track data related to your website in the form of events.  Events are interactions with your content no matter where it lives. The biggest impact according to a ten-year Harvard study is reviews sites and google reviews people make purchase decisions based on rating and proximity. So much so that one star represents between five and ten percent of revenue. You want to spend your money where it has the most impact.  A strong comprehensive content strategy that includes SEO is much better bet than SEO alone. 

I agree SEO is not quick fix answer, but works wonders in the long term. You need work day in and day-out with backlinks and stories once the on-site SEO with right keywords and meta descriptions are in place. Marketing is not an expense, but it is an investment for every business success. It is the life insurance of a business.

I agree with everything that you just said. I’ve worked in digital marketing for over 15 years. And there’s so many misconceptions and so much bad information that goes around it’s nice to see somebody who really writes what’s correct and what business owners need to know. I am going to come straight out and just say I would love to speak with you. I work for the conversion Cloud also known as the partner program. We are looking for like minded companies and individuals like yourself to become partners with our company. If you are interested please let me know I would love to let you know more it is not a sales call it is just an opportunity for us to discuss more about your business and if what my company has to offer would be beneficial to you and your clients and it’s a great way for you to make more money and there’s no cost to you.

SEO is a great subject to discuss endlessly because of the vital importance it plays in the success of any website online. It will also provide a better user experience for your guests through better form and function. 

SEO needs to be applied consistently and continually. It's a forever kind of thing and not a do it and check it off the list kind of task. Be sure to stress this to business owners and break their false thinking about what it is. 

SEO is so much a part of a website's DNA that it should be managed/applied by the person in charge of the website edits. They do not have to be a professional but they do need to embrace SEO and apply the core values and basic principles, if not attempting to master it. 

Cheers!

Bottom line: If you want to be "findable" at all, you need to give serious consideration to SEO on your website. If the words they're seeking aren't on your site, they can't find you via web search. Is there more you can and should do to enhance both positioning and traffic? Oh, absolutely but all of the copy, page headings and h2's h3's etc. Should be created with considerations for how people might phrase a search if what they're seeking might be your site. We always factor on copywriting and various other tags that we're writing this for humans and bots.

The only thing I disagree with is that SEO is expensive. An ongoing SEO program as part of a complete digital marketing package "costs" nothing. There's an initial investment, of course, but after a few months, the costs are covered by the increased revenue through converted leads or sales. After 12-18 months, if digital marketing is costing more than 20-25% of the site's revenue (and even that is a bit high) then you're doing it wrong.

And I agree with Melissa, above, too... the mis and dis-information in this industry is bad. I do my best to right those wrongs, but... it's a long road.

If you follow best practices and cultivate backlinks, post a lot of content, and reindex regularly, SEO can be your best friend.