Businesses and consumers alike are using the internet to perform daily tasks. Everything from sending correspondence to shopping for groceries is done online. This makes it more important than ever to focus on online marketing.
Search engine optimization, or SEO, is a method of improving your company’s search engine result page (SERP) ranking. When a customer performs a Google search, the results are listed in order based on Google’s algorithms. These algorithms determine where your link will fall, and whether consumers will notice your business among competitors. SEO methods vary based on the desired results. Some examples include:
- Using responsive web design
- Creating mobile-friendly browsing opportunities
- Including keywords and key phrases
- Writing relevant long-form content
- Engaging with consumers
- Making your site more accessible to Google’s crawler bots
- Making changes as algorithms are updated
At Outreach Digital Marketing, we specialize in SEO. Having been in the online marketing industry for so long, we know many of the benefits involved in search engine optimization. It’s important to us that our clients are informed not only of the top web design and SEO tactics but why they’re so useful. Here are 5 of the benefits your small business could reap if you choose to invest in SEO.
1 – Improved Digital Visibility in Online Marketing
For small businesses, web design and search engine optimization (SEO) go a long way to improve your digital visibility. When consumers search for a local service, they are likely to choose one of the top results in a Google search. In fact, research shows that 67% of all clicks on a search results page are used to access the top 5 links. Most internet users won’t even make it to the second page of results. Ideally, your business should populate the first page, or better yet, the top 5 rankings. This is achieved through SEO.
Having a strong digital presence improves chances of website traffic and sales. Whether you’re a start-up or an established company, brand recognition will increase with your Google rank. Working with an online marketing team will get you started on the path to successfully upgrading your search engine rank.
2 – A Higher Quality of Web Traffic
Search engine optimization promotes higher-quality traffic to your website. Paid advertising increases traffic to your website, but it’s not always the ideal traffic you want. SEO encourages organic inbound traffic because everybody clicking your link is looking for a company like yours.
While PPC and other forms of outbound online marketing work well in some ways, they fail in others. Search engine optimization is a customer-focused form of online marketing. It doesn’t interrupt consumers while they scroll social media but acts as a resource to use at their leisure. As a bonus, organic search results receive 71% of all clicks. More clicks than the paid links featured above them on SERPs.
3 – A Chance to Best the Competition at Their Own Game
For a small business, finding a way to rise above competitors is crucial. SEO is an excellent way to show customers why your company is better than the rest. The internet opened a world of possibilities for businesses and consumers. Unfortunately, it also increased the level of competition, as many industries are oversaturated.
When consumers are spoiled for choice, chances of them choosing a large well-known company over a small business increase. Using SEO, you have the opportunity to increase brand awareness and grow a reputation online, putting you on par with big box names.
4 – SEO is a Cost-Effective Element of Online Marketing
According to Search Engine Journal, businesses pay 61% less for lead generation when they use SEO over outbound marketing tactics. Search engine optimization isn’t entirely free. There is money to be spent on improving your rank. However, there are plenty of ways to increase SERP placement without spending a dime. Some ways to increase rank without cost are:
- Blogging and content creation
- Social media account management
- Referrals from past clients
- Customer engagement
When these methods are combined with paid online marketing, you get a well-balanced advertising campaign without any overspending.
5 – SEO Doesn’t Stop Working When You Do
Search engine optimization is ongoing, even when you’re offline. Every step you orchestrate to increase your SERP ranking continues to evolve even after you’ve signed off for the night. As an online marketing tool, it’s extremely useful because it doesn’t require constant supervision or management.
The most difficult part of any SEO campaign is finding areas of improvement and getting started. This is when calling a professional team like Outreach Digital Marketing helps.
Contact an SEO Expert Today
Hopefully, this blog has shed some light on the benefits of SEO and how it can improve your business.
For more information on the benefits of SEO, or to schedule a free consultation, contact Outreach Digital Marketing today.