Block 1 – classic
Short answer: not based on search volume, but on the likelihood that a search query will result in a customer.
Volume is the figure everyone looks at, yet it says the least. A keyword with 10,000 monthly searches where no one buys is worth less than a keyword with 80 searches from people wanting a quote.
What we look for in practice:
- Search intent. Does someone want to know something, compare something, or buy something? Only the latter group requests a quote in the short term. The first two build trust for later.
- Feasibility. Who is currently on page one, and with what level of authority? You will not win against parties that have worked on it for fifteen years in just one quarter.
- Your own starting position. Keywords for which you are already ranked 8th to 20th are almost always a quicker win than something entirely new.
- What lies behind it. Can you create a page about it that is truly better than what is currently there? If not, it is not a realistic goal.
Tools like Google Search Console, Ahrefs, and Semrush provide the data. The choice itself is an assessment of market and feasibility, and no tool can make that for you.
Short answer: a good agency ensures that the right people find you and that they get in touch once they arrive. That involves more than just managing rankings.
In practice, the work comes down to this:
- Determining what you should be found for. Keyword research, but focused on what generates inquiries rather than just the highest volumes.
- Getting the site’s technical aspects in order. Speed, structure, indexability. Without these, the rest will not work.
- Creating and improving content that answers the user’s search query — and that can also be cited by AI assistants.
- Building authority with links and mentions from sites that matter in your market.
- Improving conversion. More traffic without more inquiries is an expensive hobby.
- Measuring and adjusting, every quarter, based on inquiries and revenue rather than rankings alone.
What a good agency also does: saying no. If your current system is technically unsuitable for achieving results, starting with optimization is a waste of money. You will be told that first.
Short answer: internet marketing is everything you do online to be found by people looking for what you provide, and subsequently turning those visitors into customers.
It consists of a handful of components that reinforce each other:
- Visibility (SEO and GEO). Ensuring you appear in Google and in AI responses from ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overviews. That is where a growing share of searches begins today.
- Advertising (SEA). Paid top placement, especially useful while your organic positions are still growing.
- Your website itself. Speed, structure, and copy that answer the question the visitor arrived with.
- Conversion. From visitor to inquiry. This is the component that is most often skipped and generates revenue the fastest.
- Measurement. Knowing which channel generates which inquiries, so your budget can be directed toward what works.
What it is not: isolated tricks. An advertising campaign without a good landing page, or high rankings for a site where no one makes contact, costs money without delivering results.
Short answer: local SEO ensures you are found by people in your service area, including the map and the local pack at the top of Google.
It differs from regular SEO in three ways:
- Your Google Business Profile carries significant weight. Opening hours, category, photos, and especially reviews help determine whether you appear in the map pack. That profile often yields faster results than your website.
- Consistent data. Name, address, and phone number must be identical everywhere — on your site, in business directories, and on social media. Discrepancies create doubt.
- Pages per location or per service. A single page listing twelve city names does not work. A dedicated page per service area, with its own unique content, does.
The good news: local competition is usually limited. While ranking nationally can take twelve to eighteen months, you can often compete locally within a few months. This makes it the most sensible starting point for most businesses with a specific service area.
Short answer: SEO is everything you do to improve your visibility in Google without paying per click.
Google uses an algorithm to determine which pages provide the best answer to a user’s search query. Those pages appear at the top. SEO is the work involved in making your page that answer: the technical foundation of the site, the structure of your pages, the content itself, and the extent to which other sites link to you.
What it is not: a trick or a button. There is no setting you simply turn on. It is a series of small improvements that collectively make a difference, and which you must continue to maintain because your competitors are doing the same.
Since AI assistants have begun summarizing answers, a second dimension has emerged. Being mentioned in ChatGPT or in a Google AI overview requires the same foundation, but with more emphasis on factual, well-structured content that is easy to cite. This is called GEO, and in practice, it evolves alongside SEO.
Do not expect results within a few weeks. The first improvements are usually visible after six to eight weeks, while structural growth is built over three to six months.
Short answer: the KEI (Keyword Effectiveness Index) balances search volume against competition, helping you find keywords with high demand and low supply.
The reasoning behind it is useful: a keyword with high search volume but few quality pages is more attractive than a keyword everyone is already targeting. The KEI attempts to capture that ratio in a single number.
However, be cautious with the results. The formula looks at the number of competing pages, not how strong they are. Ten thousand weak pages are easier to beat than three pages from established players with a strong link profile. A favorable KEI can therefore point to a keyword that is unattainable in practice.
How we use it: as an initial filter to narrow down a long list, never as a final judgment. After that, we look at each keyword to see who is actually ranking, how strong their authority is, and whether the search intent matches what you sell. The latter carries more weight than any number.
Short answer: because the search for a supplier almost always begins online, and because your competitor is already there.
Anyone who needs something types a question into Google or, these days, asks ChatGPT. What appears there determines which three or four parties someone requests a quote from. If you are not among them, you are not being rejected — you are not even being considered.
Three things that make it worthwhile:
- It reaches people at the moment they are searching. Unlike an advertisement that interrupts someone, you appear exactly when the need arises.
- It is measurable. You can see which page generated which inquiry. The same cannot be said for an advertisement in a trade journal.
- It builds momentum. A page that ranks well today will usually continue to do so tomorrow. If you turn off your advertisements, the traffic stops that same day.
An honest side note: it only works if the foundation is right. Investing in marketing on a site that cannot keep up technically is a waste of money. We will tell you that beforehand, not afterwards.
Block 2 – minimal
Linkbuilding is the process of acquiring links from other websites to your own. Such a link acts as a digital recommendation – as if another party is saying: “This source is trustworthy.” Search engines like Google use this signal to determine how relevant and valuable your website is. However, it hasn’t been about getting as many links as possible for a long time. It is about quality, relevance, and authority.
Why is linkbuilding still important?
A good backlink – for example, from a professional blog, partner company, or industry association – shows search engines that you matter in your sector. This strengthens both your online visibility and your credibility. Furthermore, it often generates direct traffic from people who are actively looking for your services.
What actually works (and what no longer does)?
- ✅ Quality over quantity: Better to have one strong link from a relevant website than ten from unknown or irrelevant sources.
- ✅ Relevant context: A link must make sense to the reader and align with the content of your offering.
- ✅ Creating link-worthy content: Think of practical guides, industry insights, or, for example, your own research.
- ❌ Avoid shortcuts: Buying links, link directories full of spam, or large-scale link exchanges? Don’t do it. Google sees right through them effortlessly.
How do you approach linkbuilding smartly?
It starts with strong content: something people want to share. A clear explanation, a current white paper, or a well-founded article often earns links naturally. Subsequently, you can actively approach relevant websites. For instance, with a personal message or a guest blog proposal.
🎯 Get started smarter with seo.eqwise.nl
Of course, you can do your best manually, but why make it difficult for yourself? With seo.eqwise.nl, you gain access to a professional SEO platform that allows you to:
- 🔗 Map out your own link profile: which backlinks do you have, what is their value, and where are the risks?
- 🕵️ Analyze your competitors’ link profiles: discover why they rank better than you – and learn from it.
- 📈 Plan targeted actions: from identifying link opportunities to following up on your linkbuilding campaigns in clear reports.
With seo.eqwise.nl, you can see at a glance what is happening, where you are falling behind, and where your growth opportunities lie. And the best part? You don’t have to be an SEO specialist to work with it.
💡 Try it for free?
Curious about the state of your link profile? Request a free trial period via the contact form on our website. We are happy to help you get started.
Finally: is linkbuilding still worth it?
Absolutely. But it is no longer about “just collecting many links.” Linkbuilding is a strategic game of building trust, projecting authority, and offering value. Focus on content, relationships, and quality. With the right tools and approach, linkbuilding becomes a powerful part of your SEO strategy once again.
Majestic is a leading web-based SEO tool that is indispensable for analyzing website link profiles. It provides detailed information about a website’s inbound links, including Trust Flow and Citation Flow scores, the anchor texts used, and the domains that send the most links to the site. This makes Majestic essential for anyone involved in search engine optimization. By providing valuable insights, Majestic helps website owners and SEO professionals understand the quality and relevance of their inbound links. This is crucial, as inbound links play a significant role in determining search engine rankings.
Identifying link spam or “bad” links is another key benefit Majestic offers. Removing these harmful links can significantly improve a website’s link profile and thus contribute to higher search engine rankings. All of this demonstrates how valuable Majestic can be for enhancing a website’s SEO performance. For more information, see majestic.com.
However, we understand that the cost of a Majestic subscription can be perceived as high. That is why we offer an excellent alternative. If you find a Majestic subscription too expensive, we offer you the opportunity to take out a free trial subscription with us for an initial simple link analysis. This is possible because we have an API connection with Majestic, among others, for our SEO tool at seo.eqwise.nl. Our offer allows you to experience the benefits of link analysis at no cost and see how it can improve your SEO performance.
So, why not seize the opportunity to improve your website’s SEO with our free trial? It is an excellent way to get acquainted with the powerful capabilities of link analysis, supported by Majestic’s expertise, but made accessible to everyone. Start optimizing your link profile today at seo.eqwise.nl and discover how you can take your search engine rankings to the next level.
Block 3 – boxed
The internet marketing plan for a sole proprietorship that has just finished building its new website could look as follows:
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – Optimizing the website for search engines so that it ranks higher in search results. Budget indication: €600 – €2,000 per year, depending on the industry and the size of the website. Important research: The Importance of SEO in a Post-Pandemic World
- Search Engine Advertising (SEA) – Placing paid search ads to achieve faster results. Important research shows: 80% of companies worldwide use Google Ads. Google Ads generated a total revenue of $237.855 billion in 2023. The average ROI of Google Ads is 200%, which means that companies earn back approximately $2 for every dollar spent. The average click-through rate (CTR) for Google Shopping Ads is 0.86%. Companies see an average conversion rate of 4.4% when creating online Google ads. See Google Ads Statistics (Demand Sage)
- Social media marketing – Using social media platforms to strengthen brand perception and generate leads. Budget indication: €200 – €2,000 per month, depending on the number of platforms and the number of posts per week. Important research: The Complete Guide to Social Media Lead Generation
- Email marketing – Sending emails to strengthen the relationship with customers and to generate leads. Budget indication: €75 – €500 per month, depending on the number of emails and the complexity of the newsletters.
- Content marketing – Creating and sharing valuable content to strengthen brand perception and to generate leads. Budget indication: €200 – €2,000 per month, depending on the volume of content and the frequency of publications.
If you are planning to expand your regional business to a national level, there are several investments you should consider:
- Website optimization: Invest in optimizing your website to attract national traffic. This includes adding nationwide keywords and optimizing your pages for national search queries, improving website speed and mobile responsiveness, and creating content that appeals to a national audience.
- Team expansion: Your current team may not be sufficient to handle the expansion to a national level. Consider hiring new employees to support your operations, such as sales and marketing professionals, and perhaps a national network of sales representatives.
- Marketing budget: Invest in marketing activities to promote your brand to a national audience. This may include advertising on national platforms such as Google Ads and social media platforms, as well as running national marketing campaigns based on the needs and interests of your target audience.
- Logistics and distribution: If you sell physical products, expanding to a national level may require setting up new distribution channels and optimizing logistics to distribute products nationwide.
- Technology investments: Invest in technology to support and streamline your business operations. This may include upgrading your CRM system, investing in e-commerce platforms to facilitate online sales, and implementing tools to improve customer service.
- Financial resources: National expansion can require a significant financial commitment due to the necessary marketing efforts, logistics, technology, and more. Therefore, consider hiring financial advisors to help you plan and manage your financial resources.
In short, expanding your regional business to a national level requires significant investment and dedication. It is important to have a clear plan and deploy the right resources to achieve your goals.
Short answer: it depends on your goals and your starting point, which is why we begin with a scan instead of a price list.
Quoting a fixed amount without knowing your site would be a shot in the dark. Two companies with the same turnover can differ tenfold in what they require: one might have a healthy site that simply lacks direction, while the other might have years of overdue maintenance requiring months of cleanup first.
What determines the price:
- The state of your current site. Repair work precedes growth work.
- The competition in your market. Local and specific niches require less time than national and commercial ones.
- How much you do yourself. Providing your own content saves money; having content written for you adds to the cost.
After the free scan, you will receive a proposal with a fixed monthly price. No fine print, no long-term contracts. And if the scan shows that your system is technically unsuitable, we will tell you before you spend anything.
5-10% of your revenue
For specific recommendations regarding the allocation of your marketing budget, research must first be conducted into various factors, such as your business goals, target audience, competition within your industry, and available resources.
In general, it is recommended to spend 5-10% of your revenue on marketing activities. Within that 5-10%, there are various components of internet marketing you can contribute to, such as search engine optimization (SEO), search engine advertising (SEA), social media advertising, email marketing, and content marketing.
Various studies have been conducted on the optimal distribution of the marketing budget. Below are a few examples:
- HubSpot conducted a survey among 3,200 marketers worldwide. According to the study, companies spend an average of 10% of their revenue on marketing. Within that 10%, the largest portion is spent on digital marketing, particularly content marketing and social media. See hubspot.com/marketing-statistics
- Another study (which is unfortunately no longer online), conducted by the U.S. Small Business Administration, states that smaller companies spend an average of 7-8% of their revenue on marketing. Within that 7-8%, approximately 50% is spent on digital marketing, specifically website development and SEO.
- The Content Marketing Institute conducted a study on the allocation of the marketing budget for content marketing. According to the research, companies spend an average of 26% of their total marketing budget on content marketing. (Unfortunately, this study is no longer online.)
It is important to remember that these figures are only guidelines and that the optimal distribution of the marketing budget depends on your specific situation and goals. It is always a good idea to regularly evaluate your marketing strategy and adjust it based on your results and changing circumstances.
Short answer: for a startup, ten to twenty percent of revenue is common, and often more in the first year, as you have nothing yet to build upon.
Those percentages only mean something if you know where the money is going. For a startup, the distribution usually looks like this:
- First, the foundation. A fast, findable site and a complete Google Business Profile. Without that, everything you spend afterwards evaporates.
- Then paid traffic, temporarily. Ads bridge the months in which your organic positions still need to grow. It is rent, not ownership: if you stop, the traffic stops.
- Work on visibility at the same time. It takes months before it yields results, and that is exactly why you start immediately instead of waiting until the budget gets tight.
Two things go wrong more often than the percentage. The first is putting everything into ads and nothing into the foundation, causing you to keep renting year after year. The second is starting too broad: scoring locally and specifically can happen within a few months, while national and general visibility takes twelve to eighteen months. For a startup, that first route is almost always the wisest.