Google fields trillions of searches per year and that number rises annually. What does that tell us about the internet? It tells us that increasingly, consumers are relying on search engines to direct their web browsing experiences.
Therein lies the importance of SEO or “search engine optimization”.
Since you’re reading this post, chances are you’ve heard of SEO. You’ve probably also heard that it can help increase your success online.
But what exactly is SEO’s definition? What are the exact benefits it brings to people that focus on it?
In this post, our team breaks down SEO basics and shares its overall importance so your business will know if leaning on optimization is right for you. Keep reading to have all of your biggest questions answered!
Search Engine Optimization — Defined
Before you can understand the importance of SEO, you have to have a beat on what SEO is. SEO is the practice of creating web content around keywords/phrases that are popularly searched online.
For example, if you had a website for your Los Angeles based ice cream company, your site might mention that you sell “chocolate, vanilla, strawberry ice cream, and more”. Through keyword research though, you may find that mint ice cream is the most searched flavor in your city.
With that information, you could tailor your content better to mint’s online demand which would then make search engines take better notice of your content, increasing your online visibility.
Understanding the Importance of SEO
You may already have an idea of how SEO could help your business based on the defining example we just shared. To make things crystal clear though, our team will break down for you specific benefits SEO investments bring.
Here’s what you can expect:
Enhanced Online Visibility
If you target words and phrases people are looking for in your web content, search engines will see your site as being relevant. That perceived relevance will result in your site’s content popping up higher in search engine results which means more visibility for your brand.
Imagine if every time somebody searched “mint ice cream Los Angeles” your brand was the first thing to pop up on Google. Talk about building awareness!
Heightened Trust
People trust Google. If Google ranks your website high in its results, searchers perceive that ranking as Google endorsing your brand which makes it so consumers take their trust for Google and pass it onto you.
In a market that’s flooded with offerings, trust is important. Through SEO, you can gain huge swaths of confidence by getting into Google’s good graces.
Increased Web Traffic
Being ranked higher on Google means more people are going to click on your website. As a matter of fact, 28% of people that search a keyword will click onto the first Google result as opposed to the other 9 options that are showing up on the results page.
That means that if 5,000 people per month search “mint ice cream Los Angles” and you’re the first result, you can expect a whopping 1,400 people to engage with your website monthly. Imagine the kind of traffic you’d get if your site ranked for 2 or even 3 keywords?
Saving on Marketing
Companies put money into pay per click ads they purchase through search engines and social media. While these ads are undoubtedly effective, they can cost a lot.
The beauty of SEO is that when you start ranking for keywords, your high ranking results yield similar results as if you were paying for ad space. The difference is that ranking organically on Google is free. As a matter of fact, searchers trust organic, SEO-driven results more than paid ads which makes SEO marketing more powerful.
Insights Fueling Decisions
If you know that your consumers love mint ice cream through SEO research, that can inform more than the content you put on your website. Consider for a moment if your ice cream parlor didn’t have mint ice cream. Knowing it’s a hot commodity could inform which flavor to invest in adding to your menu next.
SEO provides businesses with a trove of insights that can inform a variety of decisions that increase their market efficacy.
How Can You Get Started With SEO?
You know what SEO is. You know the importance of SEO. So then, how can you get started claiming its benefits?
Many people choose to go the self-education route with SEO by reading helpful posts, investing in some of the best SEO software for small business tools on the market, and seeing what happens. Others forgo DIY and hire an agency to manage SEO on their behalf.
Whatever you choose to do when it comes to optimization, our advice is to take decisive action today. Every moment your web content is not SEO optimized, you’re losing money.
Small SEO Steps Today Can Yield Great Results
If the importance of SEO has you inspired to take action, know that you don’t have to revamp your whole web presence in a day. Start with ensuring that the new content you produce is predicated on some sort of SEO research. Then, take a retroactive approach to manage your SEO so old content can rank better.
Rome wasn’t built in a day and your web presence won’t be either. With time and a little bit of effort though, you’ll start to enjoy incredible results online.
For more guidance on SEO, SEO benefits, and more, check out additional content on our blog!