My Competitors Have Been Working On Their SEO For Years; Is There Any Hope For My Business Starting Late?

Whether you are a brand-new start-up or you have been trading for many years now, if you are exploring the prospect of doing SEO, you are likely feeling overwhelmed by the amount of work involved. For example, if your competitors have been working on their SEO for years, is there any hope for you to compete when starting so late? Read on and we’ll give you the honest truth…

Is it too late for you to start working on your SEO?

While it certainly would have been much better if you started working on your SEO when you first started trading, the second-best time to begin is right now.

It’s no different than anything else in life:

• Getting into shape.
• Starting a new career.
• Making amends with estranged family members.

Just because a lot of time has passed and you’ve got your work cut out for you, it doesn’t mean that it will be a waste of time – especially with regards to your business and your SEO efforts.

There’s more than one way to skin a cat

Excuse the crude proverb, but it applies rather aptly to starting SEO late in a competitive marketplace. Just because your competitors are ranking well for certain keywords, it doesn’t mean that you don’t have a chance at growing your online presence and driving more traffic to your website.

Getting a foothold in SEO all begins with extensive competitor analysis and keyword research. What are your competitors currently focusing on? How well are they ranking for certain keywords?

By conducting thorough research into these areas, you’ll be able to identify certain weak points and develop an alternative strategy.

So, rather than focus on a competitive short-tail keyword such as: “Luxury hotel Dubai”, you could focus on something a little more specific and less competitive like: “Best boutique accommodation in Dubai Marina.”

Using the examples above, while far fewer people will search for the latter term on Google each month, it will be easier to rank for and any traffic that does convert into business will be incredibly valuable. Not only that, but you’ll be focusing your efforts in local SEO in Dubai and targeting specific suburbs and regions that you actively service (which can be highly rewarding).

If you do this for dozens of less competitive keywords (with a mixture of competitive keywords for good measure), you can indeed begin to make an impact.

Find your niche

Not so dissimilar to conducting thorough keyword research, it’s also worth niching down and focusing on a specific aspect of your business to promote in the short term. So, rather than try and compete with well-established and highly competitive businesses, you can look for a way to distinguish your business, highlight your USP, and build your SEO strategy around those distinctions.

Do it better…

It should go without saying, but if you are worried about competing with the long-established businesses who have been working on their SEO for many years, then your focus should be on quality over quantity.

There’s a good chance that your competitors have been investing in cheap SEO and average content creation and are simply dominating the rankings because there is nobody else to challenge them…until now.

You see, if you start working on your SEO but focus heavily on developing incredibly valuable content for your audience to engage with, then it won’t be too difficult to make your mark and start building a loyal audience of your own.

Conclusion: The time is now

It might feel like you are staring at a massive pile of dirty dishes, but the longer you leave it the harder it is going to be to get through them. So, roll up those sleeves, fill the sink up with hot soapy water, and start scrubbing away! Before long you’ll make a massive dent in the pile and you’ll be feeling better about life.

It is never too late to start working on your SEO. Sure, you may have your work cut out for you, but if you start chipping away at it now, it will pay off.

The important thing is to invest in the right digital marketing agency to help you. If you do your due diligence and find a reputable and highly competitive agency with a proven track record for helping their clients dominate online, then you’ll have a far greater chance at succeeding, no matter how long your competitors have been at it.