Billboard, radio, television, direct mail, and email marketing can increase business for most companies. But the internet is the most powerful tool in history to grow your business. Search engines help people on the internet find what they’re looking for; Google, Bing, and Yahoo! are the top search engines. Google is the search engine used by more than 90% of internet users.
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the internet tool that delivers the best results. SEO is serious business.
Why did the SEO cross the road?
It wanted to get hit with traffic.
Seriously, if you want more internet traffic, you need more than a website and a Facebook page. You need to understand the significance of SEO for your business. Knowledge is power but putting that knowledge to work is what increases your profits.
Why Do You Need SEO For your Business?
Almost all shoppers for products and services use the internet. You know you need search engine optimization, but what exactly is it and how can it work for you?
Search engine optimization is the way you increase internet search traffic to your website or a specific web page. You increase SEO by using one of 2 strategies: organic and paid. SEO seeks to target unpaid traffic (organic) more than paid traffic (usually PPC, “pay-per-click”).
SEO Statistics
SEO’s goal is to escalate your presence on search engine result pages (SERPs). This increases the number of visitors that see and then click-through to your website. Of all the marketing strategies you use, SEO delivers the best ROI (return on investment)*.
SEO can:
- Generate $12+ revenue per $1 spent
- Increase your blog’s business value 492%
- Lower customer acquisition costs 87.41%
- Raise click-through rates (CTRs) 34.2%
Traffic from organic SEO is 1,000+% higher than social media traffic.
Organic vs. Paid SEO
If you’re a plumber, you use industry-best practices in your work. Ethical or organic SEO applications are SEO industry-best practices. You can’t buy organic searches; they are the strategy to drive internet traffic to your website using keywords (but not “keyword stuffing”), for example.
This isn’t to say utilizing paid advertising or pay-per-click to increase SEO is a less-than-desirable way to increase your website’s traffic. Organic SEO is simply another important and useful tool to increase your online business. About half the internet searches that lead to websites are organic and half are PPC.
What’s the Difference? Organic vs. Paid SEO
Organic SEO | Paid Search |
|---|---|
Boosts search rankings | Boosts search rankings |
Is free | Requires payment to boost rankings |
Usually places you mid-page | Usually places you at the top of the page |
Top-of-the-page placement is difficult | Top-of-the-page placement stops when you stop paying per click |
Has long-term advantages | Has short-term advantages |
Requires investment in regular maintenance (time) | Requires upfront investment and ongoing maintenance (money and time) |
How To Get Googled
A first-page presence on Google is critical to your website’s traffic flow. Google has algorithms (computer processes) that identify high-quality, relevant answers when we search. Your website uses keywords that match the queries, and that’s how the search “dry cleaners Tomball TX” can identify your dry-cleaning business on the internet.
Another algorithm Google seeks is information accuracy. Google identifies how many other websites are linked-in to your website content (usually blogs). A good example would be if you linked to .edu websites. This would mean the information came from a reputable, educational internet site and therefore, your website is likely a trustworthy source of information.
Other factors Google uses include:
- Engagement – When searching, do people click on your website and stay there (click-through) or do they “bounce back” and seek another website?
- Speed – Do your website landing pages appear quickly on computers and cellphones? Loading speed increases your conversion rate (when your website visitors become customers).
- Unique information – Duplicating other commonly used information is considered “low value.”
Professional Digital Management Targets Google
- Boost Facebook posts.
- Check for mobile-friendly visibility.
- Confirm website verification with Google Search Console.
- Ensure your domain is https and URLs are correct/official.
- Identify sites for you to “guest” post or information-share.
- Improve website structure.
- Blog
- Contact/information forms
- Content
- CTAs (calls to action)
- Footer
- Header
- Photos, videos, and graphic art
- Logo
- Menu
- Increase load speed.
- Promote your brand.
- Submit sitemap.
- Sweep website for Google penalties.
- Target keywords.
The Relationship Between Content and SEO
Relationships can be complicated. Your website needs SEO and content but you can’t optimize one without consistently enhancing the other.
SEO is the technical way content is used to increase the number of visitors to your website. SEO utilizes the backlinks and keywords included in your content.
Content is how we present internet website information using words, images, and graphics. Content can be:
- Educational
- Entertaining
- Inspirational
- Interactive
- Persuasive
- …and more
We create content for:
- Art/infographics
- Blogs
- Case studies
- Images/photos
- News releases
- Podcasts
- Videos
- Whitepapers
Keyword Basics
The most popular keyword Googled is “YouTube,” followed by “Amazon, “Facebook,” “Wordle,” and… “Google.”**
Keywords are used in website content to drive search engine optimization. A good example would be promoting your rental apartment. Would more people search for “apartment” or “multi-family housing?” The best keyword would be “apartment.”
Digital content professionals research keywords before choosing them. Researching keywords is important because it tells you the words most people use when searching for an internet product or service.
To create a keyword list:
- Think about your goal and SEO objective.
- What is the desired outcome?
- Who do you want to reach?
- Make a list of the words you think people would use.
- Research the keywords.
- Popular keyword research sites include:
- Popular keyword research sites include:
- Google the keywords to see if your competitors get hits.
- Research your keywords’ “search intent.” This is to make sure your keywords will be targeted when people search. An example would be the search, “apartments for rent in Magnolia TX.” The keywords are “apartments,” “rent,” and Magnolia TX.” One search engine results page (SERP) tool is SERP Checker.
- Use the keywords in your content creation.
SEO and Social Media Marketing
If you think Facebook is your grandparents’ favorite social media platform, you’re right. Facebook is the leading social media website. “Market leader Facebook was the first social network to surpass one billion registered accounts,” says statistica.com. Facebook logged in 3.7 billion users in the fourth quarter of 2022.
Social media presence, like Twitter, Instagram, and even Facebook won’t impact your Google ranking. But the benefits of an active and current social media account feed into SEO. (Yet another complicated relationship.)
Social media and SEO are another example of how everything works together in digital marketing:
- If social media features branded search terms (your company’s name), your social media profiles and posts can generate Google hits.
- So many people use social media that your target audience is bound to be there somewhere.
- Social media profiles build trust. Shoppers tend to believe the more you put yourself “out there,” the more trustworthy you are.
- Using backlinks on social media will improve internet SEO.
Digital Marketing Management in Northwest Houston
Why did the SEOs get kicked out of HEB?
They kept cutting in line to get a better position.
During an economic downturn that impacts your business, your marketing strategy might be to maintain the status quo. But a difficult economy can be a great time to improve your position.
If you have questions about the significance of SEO for your Harris or Montgomery County business, we can help. Modern Marketing & Media wants to maximize your business opportunities, and we have ideas. Contact Modern Marketing & Media.
