There’s no denying that search engine optimization (SEO) plays a key role in online marketing these days.
Companies everywhere are constantly looking for new ways to improve their strategies and grow their businesses online.
But before you can understand how to improve your company’s SEO value, you first need to know why it’s important.
From a technical standpoint, SEO is important because a well-optimized website helps the search engines select your site as the most relevant result for a search query.
In other words, you want the search engines to show your website as the top result when your buyers search for the products and services you sell.
Technical reasons aside, there are many other real world business benefits as to why your business needs SEO.
So without any further ado, here are seven reasons why SEO is critical to the success of your business:
1. It drives more traffic to your website: First and foremost, search engine optimization makes it easier for people to find your company online. High page ranks in Google lead to more inbound traffic for your website, increasing your popularity and enabling more potential customers to learn about what you have to offer. Best of all, these people will find your site organically on their own, without any additional costs or outreach on your part.
2. It extends the reach of your brand: SEO also allows you to connect with people who would otherwise be unlikely to discover your business. This goes beyond search engine rankings alone. Well-optimized content is also more likely to be linked to and shared by other sites and publications, allowing people to find you not only on Google, but other relevant websites as well.
3. It targets the right kinds of customers: Another benefit of search engine optimization is that it enables you create content and messaging that is geared directly toward your target audiences. This way, not only will the quality of your traffic increase, but the quality of those visitors will rise as well. As a result, more people will find your website and be more likely to spend money with you, which is really the whole point, isn’t it?
4. It helps drive lead generation: For B2B companies, generating new sales opportunities is a constant challenge. Smart business owners can use the traffic acquired from SEO to direct more people toward compelling calls to action. For example, a well-optimized landing page can be created for an interesting case study. When visitors find the page online, they may then be asked to provide their names and contact information to download the report. The result? A new lead for your sales team from an engaged visitor.
5. It builds trust and credibility: Search engines like Google also put a premium on quality content, in which the best information is also the best optimized. By creating truly valuable content for your target audiences to find online, not only will more people find you, but they’ll also view you as a trusted source of information. And as everyone knows, people are much more likely to buy from brands they trust.
6. It enforces social sharing: Search engines today have also begun to place more emphasis on social sharing as a key indicator of quality content. In other words, webpages that are shared via social media are now more likely to rank well in search. By making social media marketing a priority, not only can you increase your website’s SEO value, but you’ll also make it easier for people to share your content with their friends, colleagues and other groups of potential customers.
7. It gives you a leg up on the competition: Finally, even if you’re not already practicing SEO, chances are your competitors are. By not making search engine optimization a priority, you’re basically giving your competition a free opportunity to get their messages out to potential customers that could be yours. SEO enables you to ensure that your website is ranked higher than your competitors for relevant search terms, which will also increase your standing in the eyes of potential customers.
These are just a few of the advantages that a great SEO strategy can offer your business.
Now that you know why search engine optimization is so important, you’re one step closer to putting a strategy in place that is sure to increase your company’s presence online — and attract more customers in the process.
Now go dominate Google.