In 2022, the adoption of eCommerce and the demand for online engagement will continue to accelerate. Brands are seeking unique and streamlined online experiences for consumers so that they can interact with them on their terms.
Perhaps you are wondering what the real value of SEO is? What makes it so valuable? Taking a look at the potential benefits of implementing this marketing strategy and how it could be an effective tool for your business is one of our concerns today.
What is SEO?
It is the process of improving the visibility of your site in search engine results for specific search queries through search engine optimization. By making changes to your website, SEO improves the quality and quantity of traffic to your site. Instead of stuffing web pages with relevant keywords, focus on other key aspects of web design, such as page speed, mobile compatibility, interactivity, and content.
Successful optimization is just as much about meeting the needs of customers as it is adhering to search engine guidelines and best practices. The heart of good SEO is anticipating the needs of the customer, knowing what type of content they want, and answering their questions correctly. Using it to gain a better understanding of your customers and their habits, serves as a customer research method and a sales channel for your business.
Being able to combine technical and strategic aspects is key. The ability to both serve your customers’ needs and make it search engine friendly at the same time.
SEO benefits for small businesses
Search engine optimization can be done by anyone and it’s easier than you think. Consider investing in a few tools and taking the time to understand the basics of SEO instead of paying for traditional print ads. Consider these reasons why organic search is a powerful marketing tool for your business.
More customers
Organic search generates 53.3% of all web traffic, and 60% of marketers declare that the best leads come from SEO-engaged site visitors. Why is this? The searcher is looking for a solution, and you are fulfilling a need by being one of the top results.
Customers want to see your business on the first page of Google. By gaining the top spot on the page, your click-through rate can nearly double that of the second spot. In addition, you may be able to surpass the number one spot by claiming a Featured Snippet (top-of-page element). This means a second way for customers to access your website.
With specific search terms, you’ll pull in the right customers if you rank for those terms. Additionally, by getting your site on the front page, you showcase your status as a trustworthy resource and make your brand visible.
Builds trust among customers
You can reach the front page of a search result, and claim the number one spot, only if you build authority. Even with the best answer or resource available, you’ll have a hard time getting users to your site once they click on it.
Therefore, the technical components of SEO, such as webpage speed, backlinks, and other elements that build authority, are so crucial to your business’s online success. Maintaining your site’s health is a regular priority when you play with search engine rules.
This will not only help you rank higher and therefore get more exposure, but it will also help you improve your content. Customers will be able to trust you more if your website is easy to use. This can be done by having fast and secure pages, and by having an automated customer service portal.
User experience
Among the elements of SEO that continue to become increasingly necessary is optimizing your web experience. Besides the page speed, Google will also use Core Web Vitals, which begins prioritizing user experience in 2021, to determine if your site provides a valuable interaction. Search results, images, and other valuable information can be gathered on the search page itself by leveraging this idea through Featured Snippets and other in-search elements.
It simply means that businesses need to focus on customers’ needs. How do they wish to be served? How can we assist them? Can you give them any additional information, resources, or services?
Your website will rank higher, keep your customers on your site longer, and convert better if you place the needs of your customers first. As this occurs more frequently, the more authority your site will have and the more traffic you’ll get. And so on.
Brand awareness
When you improve your rankings, you should consider improving your brand awareness in addition to converting users into customers. The more touchpoints you generate on the front page and as you climb to the top, the better. The mere act of being there will cause your brand to become associated with those solutions—even if they do not click on your site.
The point is especially crucial if you’re vying for the same search terms as other businesses. It is important that you are at the top of people’s minds when they are searching for your product or service. It’s more than likely that your competitors will receive those organic sales if they own those searches.
Start by targeting longer variations of a search term if you’re just getting started with SEO. Instead of ranking for “online accounting services” you would target “best online accounting services for small businesses in the northwest.”
These do not generate as much traffic as the former. The longer, more competitive terms are harder to rank for, however. It is more likely that you will move up for the shorter search term if you rank for more of the longer variations. At the same time, you are building awareness among your target market.
You stay updated
SEO changes constantly, just like everything else in the business. Throughout the year, search engines update, different factors become more important, and other websites strive to rank higher. In other words, you must always remain up-to-date with the latest best practices, solutions, and changes in SEO.
You will be kept informed about online processes, so this is actually a benefit to your business. Due to its direct connection to digital technology, SEO can help you keep track of online trends and proactively respond to any major changes. By researching and updating your website, you learn more about your customer base, your competition, and the overall digital experience.
Let’s face it, you can’t stay up to date with everything and you shouldn’t try. Maintain close contact with the ground, pay attention to major changes, and keep your eye on your specific industry vertical. You can accomplish that much on your own.
Budget-friendly
SEO can be relatively inexpensive to implement, which may be one of its best aspects. Although you may need to hire a professional or hire someone with SEO expertise, you can begin by learning and implementing much of it yourself. Except for hiring someone, buying a few subscriptions, or spending your own time, you don’t have to pay anything for the implementation.
You can also gain long-term benefits from investing in SEO. There are always going to change, but the core processes and strategies of SEO should still stand the test of time. It can provide a continuous return on investment to your business if done right.
Easily trackable
The return on investment of traditional marketing can often be vague, which generally frustrates business owners. Traffic patterns determine how many people see billboards. Advertisers use ratings to gauge how well they are doing. SEO can also be tied into paid marketing strategies because it is completely quantifiable.
Suddenly it won’t be as simple as paid ads, and you will need to connect some dots on your site’s backend to see how your organic traffic is affecting sales. However, with a little Google Analytics expertise, you can easily set up various trackable conversion metrics based on on-site advertisements, page views, order completions, and click-to-calls, for example.
Using Google Search Console, you can improve your SEO efforts by finding out how people find you, what you’re ranking for, and where you can improve. There are even deep dives into the health of your site here, another important element of user engagement.
Helps in other marketing efforts
A team’s research and insights help fuel an itch for more research on possible search terms or another phrase for an advertisement. Through testing other marketing channels, you can determine if something in your SEO strategy is truly working or not.
Using Google Analytics, you can see which trends are emerging in your industry, which keywords are most likely to be clicked, and even what a feature should be named. By understanding what matters to your customers, you work to optimize your site. This then influences everything else you do.
How to get started with SEO
Finding the right starting point for an SEO strategy can be challenging. There is a lot of information out there addressing trends, implementations, and best practices, making it difficult to dive in.
There is no magic formula for successful SEO. To find improvements, SEO professionals regularly test and iterate on their ingredients or methods. As with anything in business, you try your best, evaluate the results, and try it all over again.
