Search engine optimization is a huge and constantly changing area within marketing. The algorithms are always changing and the strategies that worked yesterday may not work the next. That said, SEO is a must-know tool for anyone with a business online, so here is a crash course in search engine optimization.
What is SEO?
Search engine optimization is essentially improving your website and web content to make it more readable to both the readers/customers and the search engines themselves like Google, Yahoo and Bing. SEO applies to all parts of your web content, not just your home page but also blogs, social media, and other pages on the website.
SEO is always changing, but keeping up with the updates can really make a difference as it brings in new traffic and leads. 61% of business-to-business marketers said that SEO and organize traffic generate more leads than any other marketing activity.
Why Does SEO Matter?
So why does SEO matter? SEO matters because 68% of online experiences start with a search engine. Most traffic comes from organic search rather than paid, so it really does bring in a lot of traffic to your site.
To put it in perspective, without a search engine a customer would need to know your exact URL to find your site. The internet is huge, which is why we use search engines. Search engines are smart, but not as smart as we may like them to be, which is why optimizing your content for search engines is so important.
Local SEO
If you own a local business, then local SEO is very important. Local SEO is essentially boosting your result in region specific searches. Say if you own a coffee shop, you would want your business to come up when someone in the area searches “coffee shops near me”. 76% of people who search for a local business on their phone visit that business or a related business within 24 hours.
Some ways to boost local SEO include’ building a Google Business Profile, making sure contact details are correct and optimizing for online directories. Contact us today for help getting your business listed in these services.
How To Achieve SEO Success
Here are a few ways to achieve SEO success. First, do your keyword research. Come up with a list of keywords relevant to your business and what your customers are searching.
Competitive analysis is also important. Look into what keywords your competitors are using and how they are optimizing to see what you may be missing.
Website optimization is another big one. Conversion rates fall by about 4.5% for every extra second that a website takes to load. By ensuring that your website loads quickly and has the right information and content, you can boost your SEO rankings.
This is even more important on mobile. In today’s fast paced world everyone is using their phones to look things up rather than a desktop. If your site does not load fast enough, those prospective customers are gone. The slower a website loads on mobile, the faster you lose traffic.
With SEO always changing there are always new terms to know. Here is a great resource to expand your SEO vocabulary.
One of the biggest ways to ensure SEO success is to measure, report and improve. SEO is always changing. By measuring and reporting you will be able to find the areas where you were lacking and improve them.
Another way to ensure SEO success is by working with an SEO company or agency. This is often one of the best ways to stay up to date with SEO trends and updates. It allows you more time to work on your business and for better and faster results by working with experts who are up to date. We offer services like; website development, directory listings, local SEO, mobile SEO, social media optimization and adaptive SEO.
Contact us today for help getting your business listed in these online directory services.
Find out how we can help you with all of your SEO needs and find more information on our SEO services here.
Adapted from “Everything Businesses Need to Know About SEO” by Cheryl Baldwin
Digital Marketing and the Changing Role of the Customer
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