Priceless

Priceless.

That's the value of having a top ranked website at Google. And let's not forget Yahoo! and MSN.

So the question dancing around in my head today is:

"What's a top ranked website likely to produce in revenue?"

"What's a realistic return-on-investment?"

A top ranked website has many benefits. Sure, there's traffic. More traffic. But there is also a "credibility" issue. People searching trust top ranked websites. I know, I know, there's no reason to, but the fact is they do. Frankly, that fact makes my skin crawl.

And make no mistake, they ARE the first sites people click on (the first five site listed probably take 80% of the clicks). The majority of people click on organic links (left side of page) vs. sponsored listings, around 80-20%.

How much does it cost to get top ranked?

Probably, somewhere between $3000 and $10,000 - depending on the competition.

How long will it take?

Chances are six to eight months - in any competitive category. That assumes a VERY well optimized website.

Will it pay for itself or better? Only you can answer that based on your margins?

I'm comfortable saying a wedding vendor that is top ranked should book 50 to 100 more jobs per year as a result of a top ten position. That assumes your website can convert a bride/visitor into an inquiry and you can turn an appointment into a sale.

Take your average sale: _________________ x 50 (the low end of my estimate).

Those are some pretty nice numbers if you're a wedding photographer, wedding caterer, limousine service, a wedding consultant, or a wedding minister.

AND IF YOU ARE NOT TOP RANKED...

Take the same calculation and that's what you're losing to your competition (or a portion of those sales).

There are a few assumptions here:

Assumption #1) There are people searching for you and lots of them. There are two ways to find out if people are searching for your keywords/phrases and approximately how many: Google Adwords.

Assumption #2) Your website can convert a visiting bride/groom into an inquiry. Most can't. Most don't.

Assumption #3) Again, you, or your sale staff, can turn appointments into sales.