What is SEO?
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. Let’s assume that when you need something, whether a product or a service, you hit up a search engine to find it. You are among the people who feed about 3 billion queries on Google daily. Some if not most people, only pick the options that show up on the first page of Google search.
SEO is a technique that increases the traffic that comes into your business website. For instance, a business whose webpage is one of the top results is bound to get more visitors which can reflect positively in lead generation or making online sales. There are many ways to play the SEO game to make it work in your favor. It includes using keywords about your product or service to promote it.
For example, if you are running a bakery business, then optimizing your webpage for keywords such as “wedding cake” or “Birthday cake” with your city/province name and using backlinks could work wonders in building your online brand presence resulting more leads and increasing in online sales.
How does SEO better your business?
It Helps Build Your Brand. Having your SEO technique figured out means you get more traffic to your social media and website. The more people visit it, the more they know and understand your brand. In simpler terms, it is the same effect you would experience if you had a billboard on a highway that the many people drove by and see your business.
People are more likely to trust brands they can see on the first page of search engines than those they find on page 2 or 3 of a search engine. In fact, 50% of all clicks on searches go to the first three results of the search engine result page (SERP).
It is also easy to trust brands that have an online presence as many people use Google, Bing, and Yahoo to find products and services they need.
It Increases Inbound Marketing
Getting the business flowing is key to growth over time and a well-crafted SEO marketing strategy can give your business the best inbound marketing results you have ever wanted.
Traditional marketing methods such as cold calling, print media, or billboards can be expensive especially if you are starting out. Having good local SEO company to support you, also opens up your business to the whole new level, unlike traditional markets that limit the audience.
This means narrowing out the masses to get to your target audience while using the least resources. Targeted traffic ensures that the conversion rate from traffic to sales is higher.
It Gives You A Competitive Advantage
Businesses are learning new ways to increase their sales daily and Search Engine Optimization is one of the ways you can use to get an advantage. If you have a strong online presence with the right marketing tools and techniques in place, it is very easy to get sales soaring.
For example, let’s assume there are two of you with bakeries that sell the same kind of cakes at similar prices. One of you has a Facebook and Instagram page that updates the day’s pick and a website that allows customers to quickly check product availability and make online orders.
The other relies on walk-ins and regular customers for sales. The only advertising, they do is during bake sales or when they hand out flyers.
The person with an internet presence is more likely to get more sales as they are more accessible to the mass audience. If someone forgot a birthday or wanted to make a surprise, they will probably look on the internet for the closest bakery. The ones who put in the effort to have an online presence are more likely to be spotted by those people who did search with the keyword “closest bakery” or “bakery near me” etc..
Provided the SEO keeps getting updates, the customer traffic will keep increasing, this simply means you will always have an online growing customer base that keep building trust with your business.
Your Website Acts Like a Money Generating Machine
As businesses keep evolving, there is always something new you can do to increase your following and traffic. Good SEO practices will present opportunities to make better and more engaging content for your business.
For example, when the internet was first starting out, the one thing that people liked to see were posters and pictures. As time went by and demographics changed, articles became popular, then written posts on social media and then videos did.
By using the updated tools and techniques makes your website user friendly. People appreciate websites that are easy to navigate and have a great user experience. As the trends change, SEO helps you keep up with them and keep your demographic.
The Results Lasts For A Long Time
Compared to traditional ways of marketing like buying some ad space in the newspaper, the benefits of professional SEO services last much longer than the traditional methods. Your products are not limited to the people who buy the newspaper that day or the number of people who pass by and see your billboard.
A website or a functional social media page remains on the internet to eternity. With regular updates, all people have to do is search it up and it will appear. There is no expiry date for good
Your Business Gets More Referrals
Getting your business on the first page of a search engine does not just open you up to potential customers, it opens it up for complementary businesses as well.
A good post will be shared all over the internet and referrals will be created for your business. Attracting complementary businesses to yours also means you can combine forces for growth. For example, once your bakery becomes synonymous with a good online presence, cupcake paper manufacturers can put in offers and you can get the cheapest.
SEO has evolved into one of the best ways to market your business at an affordable cost. It is a great brand awareness and marketing strategy that works well for both big and small companies. Take time to learn and understand SEO to ensure you utilize it to its full potential.
