What SEO Insiders Know

Looking to boost your SEO? We asked a bunch of insiders: What do you know about your industry that most outsiders don't?

- FRANCES DODDS

By now, everyone knows search engine optimization (SEO) is important. If your content isn't optimized, then your website isn't being found-which can make or break your business.

But many of us are also keenly aware of what we don't know. SEO is a complicated industry full of ever-shifting tactics, and even the experts sometimes disagree on what's best. So we wanted to ask: What do SEO insiders know that we don't? We gathered their tips, then bounced them off New York Times bestselling author and SEO expert Neil Patel. Here's what we learned.

1/ Results will vary.

Companies often buy yearlong SEO consulting services and expect a return on investment that's similar to an advertising campaign, says Pavel Buev, an SEO specialist at SoftSwiss. "But I can say with confidence that no one can guarantee exact success in website promotion," he says. "Each Google update can completely change the situation for a site."