Home
>
Web Development
>
Allocating Your Web Site?s Budget Properly

Allocating Your Web Site?s Budget Properly

I had a client say something to me the other day that I thought was rather interesting. He mentioned that he almost considers SEO as a marketing expense even though its really a web expense. It was then that I realized that many people still do not consider what they do with their website as part of their marketing plan but as, well, just something else.

I think this is most obvious when you consider how little many are willing to spend on their website once they get past the design stage. I've dealt with client after client that had no problem pouring thousands of dollars into their website design but cringe at a few thousand dollars going towards improving traffic and conversions through search engine optimization. Maybe this is why so much more money is spent on PPC (pay-per-click) advertising than on SEO, even though SEO has proven a better return on investment over the long term.

What should be considered a marketing expense in regards to your website?

Web Hosting

Technically, web hosting can be considered a utility expense. It's just another bill you pay each month to keep things moving forward, right? Maybe. But what happens when your web site goes down because you exceeded your allocated server load due to a big marketing push? Suddenly hundreds, if not thousands, of potential visitors are not able to download your site. How many potential dollars are lost? Web hosting is cheap, but good web hosting might cost a bit more. Ensuring that your site remains accessible despite sudden peaks in traffic can mean the difference of thousands of dollars a month.

Web Design

Just about anybody can build a good looking web site, but does the artistic team behind the web site know how to assemble the pieces in a way that generates maximum conversions? You don't know? Well, you should. Colors, images, navigation and text placement (among many other factors) all play a role in how you are able to convert your visitors into buyers. Great looking sites can still be poor performers from a usability and conversion perspective. You may getting plenty of sales, but you also may be missing out on many more with an improved, marketing focused, web site design.

Search Engine Optimization

Site optimization is still often relegated as a function of the IT department. While this view has been slowly changing as of late still too many businesses are not taking SEO and the overall marketing of their web site seriously.

What is the goal of getting your site optimized? Is it top rankings? Sadly, for many, this is still the case. In the strictest sense, SEO is just about achieving top rankings, but that mindset is also changing. Top rankings are (or should be) merely a means to an end. The endgame of getting your site optimized for search engine placement is to increase traffic and conversions. That sounds like a marketing plan to me.

Business owners looking toward SEO to improve traffic would do well to change their mindset to thinking of their website as a marketing expense. Not only will your expectations be more realistic but you'll find that this marketing investment, when purchased with careful consideration, can and should outperform virtually all other forms of marketing on- or offline.

Stoney deGeyter is president of pole position marketing, a professional search engine optimization and marketing firm based in Reno, NV, providing quality SEO services since 1998. Stoney has is also a moderator in the Search Engine Forums and Small Business Ideas Forum. You can read his SEM blog at pole position marketing. You can email him with any questions at pole position marketing

spotless home service Lake Forest ..

In The News:

A Columbia University breach exposed names, Social Security numbers and academic records of nearly 869,000 people, with notifications beginning in August.

Rental car drivers use AI-powered apps like Proofr to protect themselves from unfair damage fees as major companies deploy automated inspection tools.

Fox News' AI newsletter brings you the latest on technology advancements around artificial intelligence.

OnTrac data breach between April 13-15, 2025, exposed personal information of over 40,000 people including Social Security numbers and medical records.

A woman named Wika announces her engagement to an AI chatbot sparking worldwide debate about virtual relationships and technology.

The notorious people search site National Public Data relaunches despite a previous breach affecting 3 billion individuals, raising fresh privacy concerns.

Revolutionary TRAUMAGEL gel controls life-threatening bleeding from gunshot wounds and traumatic injuries, helping first responders prevent prehospital deaths.

Protect your home network by enabling proper encryption, creating strong passwords, checking connected devices and using VPN and antivirus software.

The Navy's solar-powered Skydweller drone flew nonstop for 73 hours in Mississippi, proving renewable energy can power long-endurance military missions.

Moving and downsizing expose seniors to identity theft and scams as data brokers collect real estate records and personal information to sell to criminals.

ShengShu's Vidar technology revolutionizes humanoid robot training by using AI-generated synthetic video, reducing required training data from hours to just 20 minutes.

Apple's older Mac computers face security risks without regular updates, but 10 essential tips including FileVault encryption and strong passwords can keep aging Macs protected.

Self-driving trucks from PlusAI could reshape freight transportation by 2027, addressing driver shortages and reducing logistics costs for businesses.

Solar farms are turning to sheep instead of mowers to cut grass under solar panels, lowering costs, reducing emissions and creating new income for farmers.

Fraudsters posing as local officials are making fake calls about missed jury duty, demanding payments in a rising scheme that exploits fear of arrest.

Honeywell Aerospace engineers developed a "surface alert system" that gives pilots two aural warnings when they are 15 and 30 seconds away from a collision on the runway.

Anonymous researcher has scraped public Spotify accounts of politicians and celebrities, highlighting major privacy risks in default platform settings.

AI chatbot toys marketed as screen-free playmates could undermine children's empathy and critical thinking skills, according to pediatric specialists.

TransUnion confirms a major data breach affecting 4.4 million U.S. consumers after hackers exploited third-party Salesforce apps to steal personal info.

Scammers use fake DocuSign emails claiming Apple Pay charges to steal personal information using fraudulent phone numbers and fake receipts.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Farmers Insurance confirms data breach affecting over 1.1 million customers nationwide, exposing customer info including addresses.

The iconic Mary Kay pink Cadillac goes electric with the Cadillac Optiq, available only to the company's top 1% of sales force performers.

Cybercriminals abuse trusted Intel driver to gain kernel access and shut down Windows Defender, enabling undetected malware deployment since July 2025.

Using email aliases for online shopping and subscriptions can protect your privacy by preventing companies from linking your activity across websites.

Allocating Your Web Site?s Budget Properly

Web Development