You must have heard about Search Engine Optimization (SEO). If you haven’t, a quick search on Google will provide you with tons of information on the subject. This is because SEO and its relevance to businesses have been the subject of controversy for years. On the one hand, some believe that SEO is dead, and serves no use for businesses. On the other hand, some affirm the efficacy of SEO. As a new business owner, you may be confused about these contradicting views. It is then essential for you to gather information on the importance (or otherwise) of SEO for new businesses. Here they are:
1. Organic search remains the primary source of website traffic
How well a website does is mostly dependent on organic search. 75% of all searches carried out on the internet is on Google, even though there are other alternatives like Yahoo and Bing. What this means is that as a new business, you should work to follow Google algorithms and increase your visibility. Google ranks websites on the number of organic searches garnered within a specific period. SEO tactics are mostly hinged on organic search skills. Thus, this makes SEO skills the surest bet for any smart business intending to fare well on Google’s ranking.
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2. SEO is the fastest way to improve brand visibility
This follows naturally from the previous point. Every business is established to compete favorably and yield some profit to the owner. Whether that happens, and the rate at which it happens, is predicated mostly on how strong the online presence of the business is. This again makes SEO vital because it helps you improve your brand visibility.
You must understand that for your target audience to find you (quickly) on Google, you have to rank high on Search Engine Result Pages (SERP). According to a survey carried out by emarketer in 2015, 75 percent of Google users do not scroll past the first page. Users usually search for products and services using targeted keywords. If your business falls within the targeted keyword, but your content is not found within the first page, you will continuously lose potential visitors. SEO teaches you ways to increase traffic, which is the first step to increasing return on investment organically. There are several SEO tactics, such as keyword optimization, link building, and web audit that can help you master how to improve online visibility. This, in turn, will increase conversion rate and, eventually, turnover.
3. It is cost-effective
SEO saves you a lot of money, especially when compared with other forms of online marketing. There are different types of online marketing, including Pay Per Action (PPA) advertising. However, they do not give the same return on investment as SEO. As a new business, your aim should be to use the best means possible to achieve your goals, while optimizing cost and revenue. Also, you may not have the financial might to compete with big brands. SEO gives you a fighting chance and provides a means to get your business the attention it requires to thrive.
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4. SEO is a great way to increase credibility
As already discussed, SEO is an excellent way to improve user experience and website visibility. This, in turn, can help build credibility for the website. When your content consistently shows up on the first page of the engine search, it shows that both the audience and the users trust you. This is a massive vote of confidence. This is not to say that SEO is the only requirement for building trust and credibility. In fact, no matter how good your SEO tactics are, if you do not offer excellent goods or services, you cannot build trust. Furthermore, as a new business, you will need to consistently apply the skills and tactics you learn before the results show up. However, all things being equal, when you invest in SEO, you will be well on your way to building the rapport you need with your audience for them to purchase your goods and services.
5. Your competition (most likely) is investing in SEO
One good business strategy to implement is continuously being aware of what your competition is doing. This will help keep you relevant in the game. Concerning investing in SEO, the chances are high that your competition is already investing in it. This is because there is hardly any business in this decade that would not want a share of the millions of people making use of the internet each day. There is, after all, a reason why this is dubbed the decade of the internet. If you are not investing in SEO, there is someone who is, and you will continuously lose customers to them.
Whatever your view on SEO before now, it is worth a try investing in it. If these suggestions here do not convince you of how wise a decision that is, the return on investments you will experience surely will.
Author Bio:
Cheryl Hearts is a writer and journalist from Boston, Massachusetts.
Her passion for writing started at an early age and evolved during the high school years.
She enjoyed creating her own stories, so she decided to make writing her career.
After earning a degree in Journalism, Cheryl started running her own blog CherylHearts.com where she’s covering topics of great interest to society.