SEO/Digital Marketing
7 Reasons Why SEO Is Still Important For Your Business
In the domain of digital marketing, SEO continues to be the most underestimated and misunderstood term. It is unfairly characterized as some type of experiment rather than a marketing strategy. This causes people to undervalue its importance as an effective tool for small, medium, and even large businesses.
This is very unfortunate because many studies have demonstrated that SEO has better return on investment (ROI) compared to traditional marketing forms like prints adverts and Television. Search engine optimization isn’t magic, but it’s capable of providing businesses with web traffic, credibility, high ROI, and valuable understanding of consumer behavior.
Here are 7 reasons why SEO is still a significant marketing tool for every business:
1. SEO Offers Your Business Credibility
When a person is searching for terms in Google or any other search engine, he or she is automatically noting the site’s rankings. This is done unconsciously. From a consumer’s perspective, your business’ position provides a vote of confidence. If your business is ranked on the first page, and even towards the top of the search results, consumers assume that Google considers your business as relevant. In other words, high search rankings builds more credibility for your business.
2. SEO Has The Best ROI In Advertising
This search marketing strategy has a higher return on investment compared to all traditional types of offline advertising, and even some forms of internet marketing. Why? SEO is an inbound marketing solution. It enables your business to market to consumers when they’re searching for services and products provided by your company. You’re not taking up space in an article they’re reading, nor is your advertisement interrupting their game on TV. Your business simply shows up in their search engine results. With SEO, you’re not trying to convince your target audience that they need your services/products. You’re only persuading them that you’re the best business to buy from.
3. SEO Draws Business Traffic
Consider where you would like to set up your store in Fairbanks, Alaska, or in Times Square, New York City? You’d probably choose Times Square based on the amount of foot traffic the area generates. However, traffic alone won’t generate money. You still have to convince your customers to buy from you. Similarly, once customers visit your website, you have to persuade them to purchase from you.
Why SEO is better (and easier) for generating traffic? SEO is a lot more affordable compared to getting a store lease in Times Square or any other place. In addition, visitors arriving at your website are all mostly qualified leads (because they were searching for a company like yours). Before arriving at your site, they had an interest or need for your services/products.
4. SEO Increases Business Branding and Visibility
When consumers search for your services or products, you want to appear at the top of the search engine results as much as possible. Acquiring a high click-through rate is just one reason. There is more value for your business for having terms that are directly linked to your business. For example, many consumers do not search just once or click on a few websites. The majority of users will conduct searches using multiple keywords, often editing them to specify what they’re searching for. They will search and re-search with new terms and click on additional websites.
Why is this good for your business? If your website continuously shows up in search results using several different keywords, you are acquiring more mindshare with a potential customer. The chances of the consumer eventually clicking through to your site is going to be high. The fact that you appeared in most if not all their search results, creates more trust in the consumer’s eyes.
5. SEO Provides Insight Into Customers’ Behaviors
As mentioned earlier, SEO creates valuable traffic. But did you know Google Analytics tracks your traffic? A digital agency will use this valuable analytic tool generates insightful metrics and data that gives you a deeper understanding into your customers’ actions. Insights such as how visitors browse, how they search, and language used, the area where the consumer lives, etc. With information like this, you can make better decisions for your business.
6. Local SEO Increases Engagement, Traffic, and Conversions
Mobile traffic is increasing at an exponential rate. This has made local search marketing a fundamental aspect of small and medium sized businesses’s growth. Local SEO optimizes your business’s digital property for a specific area. This enables consumers to find your business easily and quickly; bringing them a step closer to conversion. Local SEO focuses on particular cities, towns, states, regions, etc. This establishes your company’s brand and messaging at a local level.
A digital agency will accomplish this by optimizing your company’s website, content, including backlinks, local citations, and local listings related to the location of your business. To increase engagement, the marketing agency should optimize your company’s social media profiles, Google My Business Listing, etc. A strong emphasis should be placed on user reviews from sites like Angie’s List, Yelp, and Google.
7. SEO is an Effective Long Term Strategy
By implementing SEO strategies, you should be able to note perceptible results within the first year. With each passing year, your SEO efforts will have more impact. This search marketing tool will require minor tweaks and adjustments as you progress according to the trends that persist in the market at that time. But even if your website doesn’t have a boatload of SEO strategies, you will notice favorable results. By implementing the recommended SEO strategies, you can provide a positive user experience and improve traffic on your website. The more budget, time, and effort that is allocated to SEO, your websites stands a lengthier and better chance at succeeding in the market.
Conclusion
By implementing strong and sound SEO practices in your business’s website and marketing strategies, your business will increase its brand awareness, visibility, customer base, and ROIs. SEO is an essential marketing technique in today’s digital marketplace.
Improve your business’s SEO efforts by getting in touch with an experienced digital agency today!