Have you ever wondered why most people search online for a product or service before they buy it? In fact, 84% of consumers said that they use the internet to find local businesses. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is an important part of any marketing strategy today and even more so in the future as Google continues to evolve its algorithm.
It can be overwhelming trying to figure out what SEO is all about, but I will break it down into four main points:
- Why every business needs SEO
- How SEO works
- How your website can benefit from using SEO techniques
- How you can improve your site’s SEO
Why Every Business Needs SEO
Companies spend billions of dollars every year on marketing and advertising in hopes of attracting new customers.
If you’re like most small businesses, you probably don’t have a huge budget for this type of advertising. This is where SEO comes into play!
SEO helps you reach your target market by boosting the number of people who visit your website, which means more potential customers for your business.
This sudden increase in website traffic is not only good for sales, but it also helps strengthen your search engine rankings over time, making the site easier to find when someone searches Google or another search engine.
How Search Engine Optimization Works
How does Search Engine Optimization work? According to Statistica, there are three main ways that Google determines what websites should be at the top of their search results:
- Authority
- Relevance
- Popularity
Each one is essential to have an effective Search Engine Optimization strategy and if used properly, your website can benefit greatly.
Authority
Your website’s authority is determined by how many other authoritative sites are linking to it. In other words, if you have an article on your site that gets picked up and posted on another more popular site, then Google sees this as a form of endorsement from the authoritative site.
It will also boost your authority if you receive a backlink from an authoritative site that has lots of links coming into it. When someone does a search for something and one of the top results have links coming in from high authority sites, it helps show Google that this website is important enough to be at the top of the results (relevance).
If a lot of people are talking about you online through social media or their own websites (popularity), then this gives Google even more reason to rank you higher than someone who doesn’t have any mentions or links pointing to them.
Relevance
How can you ensure your site is relevant? Content that is updated frequently. Keywords in the URL and domain name. Use of keywords throughout the content.
This includes using synonyms, long-tail keywords, negative keywords, and keyword variations. Long-tail keywords are phrases/keywords that have more than one word.
For example, instead of using just “shoes” as a keyword when describing shoes on a website, use “men’s leather dress shoes”, which will catch not only people who search for shoes or men’s leather dress shoes but also those who search for men’s leather dress or even men’s leather dress shoe.
Relevance also comes into play with links coming into your site from other sites (authority). If an authoritative site links to you, it shows Google that your content is relevant to what they offer (or whatever their users are searching for) so it makes sense to rank you higher in results if someone does a search about something you’ve written about.
Popularity
If your content is relevant and has the authority to back it up, then you can use different strategies to increase how popular your site is. One thing that helps is getting a lot of comments on your website.
If someone finds something interesting or useful on your site and they want to share their thoughts on it, Google sees this as an endorsement of sorts and will give you more credibility in the eyes of potential customers.
Another way that popularity helps with Search Engine Optimization is through social media links like Facebook and Twitter. Some people use these sites not only to connect with others but also to get recommendations for local businesses or products they’re looking for (such as shoes).
If a lot of people are talking about you online through social media or their own websites, then this gives Google even more reason to rank you higher than someone who doesn’t have any mentions or links pointing to them.
This brings us full circle from where we started: Authority, relevance, and popularity. These three things are the foundation of a successful SEO strategy. Use the tips above to get more authority, relevance, and popularity for your site.
How Your Website Can Benefit from Search Engine Optimization
Improved Brand Awareness and Recognition
Increased search rankings are the first benefit that comes with a Search Engine Optimization campaign, but there are others as well. For example, if your website shows up higher in the search results list than your competitors’, you’ll be more likely to attract new customers.
Improved Conversion Rates
When people find you through Google and have a good experience on your site (such as finding exactly what they’re looking for), they’re more likely to convert into paying customers.
Lower Advertising Costs
Depending on how much money you’re spending on online ads, Search Engine Optimization can help you get better ROI for less money since it gives you a way to reach potential customers without paying for extra clicks or impressions.
Reduced Bounce Rate
One of the most common mistakes businesses make is assuming that just because their visitors found them using Google, they were actually looking for something specific and will want to buy the products or services being advertised on the site.
Long-term Improvements in Traffic
As you start seeing more traffic to your site through Google, you’ll be able to benefit from the long-term effects of SEO. You will get more opportunities to rank higher in search results as your site gains authority and popularity.
How can I Improve my Website’s Search Engine Optimization?
Write Useful Content
If people find your content useful, they’re more likely to read it and share it with others. This increases your relevance and gives you the authority needed for a higher ranking on Google.
Include Keywords
Be sure that each page on your website is optimized for specific keywords relevant to each topic or product area.
Use Social Media
Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter are great places for links pointing back to your website since people commonly use them to recommend products or services they like from local businesses.
Link Out
One thing that helps boost SEO is getting links from other authoritative sites that let their users know about what you have available online.
Looking for Help with Your Website’s Search Engine Optimization?
As we can see, Search Engine Optimization is an important part of any website. It allows your business to be found by people who are looking for your products or services and increases your online sales.
If you want to know more about our SEO services, feel free to contact us anytime!