…in a perfect world, that is. And no, it’s not always a bad thing. In the land of you get what you pay for exists the quintessential exchange of output and input, giver and getter. While this may sound like I’m waxing philosophic (or economic? Idunno) I’m really speaking to the pragmatic at heart.

To back it up for a second, I should first stand up and admit, shoulders back and held high, I am an SEO blogging virgin. To be honest, this is actually the first time in a loooong time that I’ve written anything I haven’t been paid to write, albeit indirectly. It feels a little funny but I don’t hate it. I might just spell something wrong on purpose.

Soooo….When is it good to get what you pay for? When you’re paying for SEO consulting services. There is a wide range of services you can purchase out there and all of them, when done by competent people, are worth the money. I’m going to speak to two different ends of the spectrum in particular: (1) the kind of visibility-focused SEO that requires much participation from the client regarding tracking and leads and (2) the kind of higher-end SEO that pays dutiful attention to conversion and ROI.

Trust me when I say that both of what are arguable service extremes in the SEO world have a place. Both levels of service have their merits. The major difference for the client? *Duh.* The latter is much more expensive. Why? (Here’s where I start to make an actual point…) You’re paying for more time and a higher level of service. That said, there are times when you really should get what you pay for.

To illustrate my point a little more you have to know that I work for the former SEO firm example mentioned. I have nearly 50 clients. I review their sites once a month, sending ranking reports and recommendations and building links for each site. FIFTY. There are typically 30 days in a month. I spend more than 20 of those days in the office doing SEO. Let’s just say I only work 40 hours a week (funny how I felt compelled to add “only” there). So (20*8)/50 = 3.2. So, as my client, you get my full attention for about 3 1/2 hours a month. Sound harsh? What if you’re only paying $500/month. See my point?

And that’s when the reality sets in that there is only so much time in the day. Can I talk to each client every day or even every week? No; it’s simply not possible. And if one client “takes” a little more than what he or she is paying for, it invariably steals something from someone else….usually me (40 hours a week you say? Just 40?). This, of course, speaks in part to my inability to stop going above and beyond but, hey, enough about me.

This is an interesting debate due to the recent influx in blogging. With the low cost, virtually free, and low maintenance it seems like a no-brainer. Or is it? Take me for example. I have a ton of other projects on my plate and haven’t blogged in a while. You don’t have to post every day, but unless you can come up with enough interesting topics to justify posting on a fairly regular basis, blogging may not be the best alternative for you.

A blog post should be written because you are an expert or genuinely care about a certain topic not because you feel a need to throw a post out there. I scan 20-30 blogs a day and read only about 2-5. Why you ask? Well, most of the content is not groundbreaking or adding to my seo knowledge.

Blogging also involves writing skills. I got my B.A. in journalism and mass communications but do I enjoy writing? well yes and no. I don’t consider myself a talented writer and don’t always get my point across in the most clear, and proper ways but I do enjoy expressing my opinion and teaching others what I’ve learned.

And how biased are you? Yes, blogging is an expression of opinion and your company may stress certain things like touting a certain product or service which is good for selling and SEO for the page but keep it minimal. Don’t put you should buy xyx because, you should buy xyz because…Let the reader get informed and use it for branding at first. Remember, blogs are not the selling point, they are there to compliment your products or services so the majority of your SEO efforts should focus on your website.

With these in mind, it’s ultimately up to you if a blog is worth it.