SEO Is Like Exercise

So let’s get this out in the open right off the bat. I don’t exercise near as much as I know I should. I do have 4 teenagers and a dog that keep me active, and my wife and I go for walks in the park after dinner most days, but I’m no exercise guru.

You’re probably wondering how search engine optimization (SEO) and exercise are similar. This month we’re going to break SEO down into simple terms by comparing it to exercise, because as you’ll see, they’re surprisingly similar.

No pain, no gain

This is not a great sales point for our SEO plans, but it’s true. When you start an exercise routine the first few weeks are brutal. Your muscles ache, you’re tired and you might want to throw in the towel.

Whenever we onboard a new SEO client at Oostas we tell them the first few weeks are when we need their involvement the most. We call them to confirm business details, we help them pick their primary keywords and we need minimal involvement in setting up their online directories like Google My Business.

Forming a habit is critical

Google says it takes an average of 66 days for a new habit to become automatic. So if you’re starting a new exercise plan, make sure you press on into that 3rd month so your new habit will become a natural part of life.

It’s the same with SEO. We know small business owners have a ton on their plate, so that’s why we do as much of the management of your website’s optimization as possible, and only reach out every 2 weeks if we need your involvement.

It’s very trackable

Technology makes tracking results of exercise incredibly easy, and you probably watch your daily step count on your phone or watch. Reality is there are tons of resources to help you track your body’s health and the same thing is true for SEO.

We often say SEO is one of the most trackable things you can do to market your business. Whether you love looking at stats or not, the monthly reports you’ll get with an Oostas SEO plan are bound to impress. Charts, graphs and personalized explanations from our team make tracking your improvement a breeze.

Results aren’t immediate

When my one son started lifting weights I remember when he came to me a few days later and was frustrated that he didn’t have bigger muscles yet. We all know exercise doesn’t produce immediate results, and neither does SEO. Both are long-term investments into the health of your body or your business.

We typically tell new SEO clients to not expect many results for the first 3 months. Why not? When you start exercising, your body begins by making adjustments internally, and it’s the same way with SEO. We begin most SEO plans by what’s called “on-page optimization” which is the technical work that happens behind the scenes.

When results come, they’ll blow your mind

Fewer things in life feel as good as knowing you’ve got a clean bill of health. When you’ve established a habit of exercise and taking care of your body you feel like you can take on the world.

When you start seeing your website go from being a result on the 9th page of Google to the 6th, then 3rd then 1st page it’s invigorating. Your phone is ringing more. More orders are coming in and you’re experiencing the results you only hoped possible.

You can’t set it and forget It

We all know you can’t exercise for a week and expect a healthy body for life. Sounds absurd. Exercise takes dedication and you need to invest time and sweat into the health of your body.

SEO is the same. While portions of website optimization can be more of a “once and done” service, done right, continual optimization is necessary. For example, the act of setting up your Google My Business (GMB) account is a once and done job right? Yes and no. Getting it set up can be done in a few hours, but Google tracks if you update your business hours over the holidays, if you respond to reviews or not and how often you make a post. (Yup, treat your GMB account like social media and post there regularly too.)

If this blog post has inspired you to exercise more, I’m glad. If I was able to de-mystify SEO a bit and maybe inspire you to reach out to our team here at Oostas to learn more about our affordable SEO plans, then I’m even more glad.


Contact us today to discover how affordable SEO really is.