It is true that well-executed SEO is a long-term investment. But it is an investment that is definitely worth it, with a high "return on investment" (ROI). It does not necessarily have to be expensive. Of course, it depends on the individual case, but even small measures can have a significant effect on the visitor numbers and conversions of a website. Especially when comparing SEO to other forms of marketing, it performs well. While other measures are often short-term and quickly dissipate, good rankings on Google & Co. are often maintained for a much longer time, bringing new customers to your site without much additional effort.