More and more companies around the world today are hiring SEO specialists. Some hire them to be part of the organic team while some use freelance services from SEO experts. But what is SEO? Why is there such a clamor for it in today’s business landscape?
What is SEO?
A digital marketing technique, search engine optimization (SEO) uses search engines, like Google and Bing, to target a specific market. It does this through efficient use of keywords that help a website go up in ranking. Even though SEO is highly associated with search engines, the use of this online tool is also about people or consumers. SEO specialists understand that they need to be found by a relevant audience or prospective clients. After all, search engines produce thousands of results per query. What SEO does is help a website appear on top of the search results. Thus, it is important to note that optimization requires a thorough analysis of what people search online, the keywords they use, and the type of content they are looking for.
Why is SEO important?
Every day, people rely on the Internet to look for answers. They just type a keyword and search engines would give them an overwhelming list of results scoured from billions of content and evaluated according to what they think best suits your inquiry. With optimized content, your website could land in the top 5 rankings made by the search engine. If you are asking what’s in it for you, read on.
1. SEO allows you to reach a wider audience.
Compared with traditional marketing tools like posting billboards, press releases, and advertisements, SEO promises a global audience reach. Being in the top 5 rankings of a search engine means there are more people likely to see and visit your website. In line with this, there will also be more people likely to share your website with their friends. SEO also allows you to be present within a local area as it enables the use of location or geographical keywords for the searches. In other terms, SEO helps you get more visibility with your target market. Of course, there are several ways to accomplish this. First, you need to measure your target, establish SEO benchmarks, and develop an action plan. Your website will not appear on Google’s top 5, or even 10 for that matter, magically. There is work to be done, and it all lies in your capability to publish optimized content.
2. SEO generates leads and sales.
With a wider audience reach, it is not surprising that SEO could lead your business to acquire more leads. Since you will become more visible to your prospective customers, there is a high probability that they will consider purchasing from you. This is where the quality of content comes in. It is not enough that a website is properly optimized. It could reach the top 5 Google results, yes, but does it engage those who visit the site? Do you offer interesting content to hook their attention and encourage them to consider your offer? If you have all of these, sales conversion from these clicks is expected to go up.
3. SEO is cost-efficient.
Traditional marketing is expensive. This is one of the reasons why businesses are rapidly switching to technological and digital strategies for promotion and publicity. SEO, on the other hand, is more cost-efficient compared to traditional marketing as well as other forms of online marketing. To illustrate, pay-per-click (PPC) ads require you to pay a huge amount to the advertising platforms every month for your advertisement to be displayed. However, if you have optimized content, you could get website traffic for a lifetime. Likewise, you are assured that clicks will be automatically directed to your website and not be overlooked just like the tendency in using PPC.
4. SEO enhances brand image.
When people find your website in the top search engine results pages (SERP), they would automatically associate your business as one that is credible and reliable. If you, for example, search for “motivational speakers in the Philippines” on Google, you would automatically look towards the first few results as you’re thinking that they are the most popular sources of information. In a way, your optimized content puts you ahead of the game and gives your business a sense of trust.
5. SEO wins over the competition.
Consider two businesses that sell customized shirts in the Philippines. Both adopted online marketing strategies, but Business B did not use optimized content for its website. When I, a potential customer, search for “customized shirts in the Philippines” on Google, I will most likely find Business A’s business because it used SEO which allows it to be on the top SERP on Google. Because there are many businesses selling customized shirts in the Philippines, Business B might be on the 5th or 6th SERP page and not receive site visits. If you have SEO, you will be ahead of the competition.
Of course, SEO does not end with being able to come up with relevant keywords and having your page appear on the top SERP ranking. The field of SEO is dynamic and vibrant.You must be able to stay updated to the latest trends and techniques. It also requires you to come up with great content that will lead clicks to sales. By doing so, you are able to optimize SEO.
This is Joey Gurango, your Business Technology Coach!