How Much Money Should I Spend on Marketing? Start with Building an SEO-Optimized Website
One of the most common questions small business owners face is, "How much money should I spend on marketing?" While there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, there’s a universal truth every business should embrace: the first step in your marketing journey should be building a strong, SEO-optimized website. In 2025, this foundational investment offers unparalleled benefits, setting the stage for sustainable growth and maximizing the return on your marketing budget.
Why Start with an SEO-Optimized Website?
Your website is your digital storefront. It’s often the first impression potential customers have of your business. If it’s slow, outdated, or hard to find online, you’re leaving money on the table. Here’s why prioritizing an SEO-optimized website is the smartest initial step:
Organic Visibility: An SEO-friendly website ensures your business appears in search results when potential customers look for products or services you offer.
Cost Efficiency: Unlike paid ads, SEO offers long-term benefits, driving consistent traffic without recurring costs.
Trust and Credibility: A professional, easy-to-navigate website builds trust, which is crucial for converting visitors into customers.
Foundation for Other Marketing Efforts: Your website serves as the hub for all your marketing campaigns, from social media to email marketing.
Determining Your Marketing Budget
Once you have an optimized website, you can determine how much to allocate for other marketing efforts. As a general rule of thumb, small businesses should spend 7-10% of their revenue on marketing. However, this can vary based on factors like industry, competition, and growth goals.
Allocating Your Marketing Budget
Here’s a suggested breakdown of how to allocate your marketing budget after investing in your website:
Website and SEO (30-40%): Beyond building your site, ongoing SEO efforts like content creation and link building are critical for maintaining visibility.
Paid Advertising (20-30%): Use platforms like Google Ads or social media ads to drive targeted traffic.
Social Media Marketing (10-20%): Engage your audience on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.
Email Marketing (10%): Build and nurture customer relationships through targeted email campaigns.
Miscellaneous (10%): Allocate funds for tools, software, or experimenting with new strategies.
Tips for Building an SEO-Optimized Website
To get the most out of your website investment, focus on the following elements:
Mobile Optimization: Ensure your site is mobile-friendly, as most users access websites via smartphones.
Fast Loading Times: A slow website can frustrate users and hurt your rankings.
Local SEO: Include location-based keywords and claim your Google Business Profile to attract nearby customers.
Quality Content: Publish blogs, FAQs, and service pages that address your customers’ needs and questions.
User Experience (UX): Make navigation intuitive, with clear calls-to-action (CTAs) guiding users to take the next step.
The Bottom Line
When deciding how much to spend on marketing, start by building a robust, SEO-optimized website. This investment creates a strong foundation for all future marketing efforts, ensuring your dollars work harder and deliver greater returns. By focusing on your website first, you’re setting your business up for long-term success in a competitive digital landscape.
