Why SEO is Important in Digital Marketing
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SEO is a necessary component of a good digital marketing strategy, but many companies do not understand and implement SEO. A July 2018 study found that only 44% of companies invest in SEO, perhaps because many companies turn to social media advertising rather than Google. If social media marketing is important, SEO should not be put on the back burner.
A study by Moz has shown that more than 70% of searches click on a website on the first page of SERPs (search engine results pages). This means that almost all search engine traffic goes to websites on the first page of results. SEO can help your website receive some of this traffic, resulting in increased brand awareness, leads and profits when those leads turn into customers.
What is SEO?
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the optimization of search engines. This means that SEO optimizes your website so that your business appears at the top of the search engine rankings for the keywords you want. If you run a bakery in New York City, you would want your bakery to appear first if someone searches for "NYC bakery". SEO can help you achieve this goal.
Misconceptions about SEO
Some companies avoid referencing, especially if they have already tried it and have not obtained results. There are many misconceptions about search engine optimization among those who do not fully understand it.
The most common misconceptions are the following:
- SEO is outdated and not worth your time/budget
- SEO is suspicious
- SEO doesn't work
These misconceptions are largely explained by the history of SEO. When SEO developed, many people used shady SEO tactics, now known as "black hat" SEO.
Before search engine optimization was controlled by sanctions such as Google's penalties, companies were free to use any trick they wanted to get their website ranked well in search engines. Keywords were stuffed into pages, content was either bad or non-existent, and many of the first results on search engine result pages were irrelevant, spam, or both.
SEO has improved since then, and if "white hat" SEO makes it harder for your website to get to the first page of Google, "dirty tricks" are no longer effective. From now on, search engines like Google display the most relevant and qualitative content first. To be successful in SEO, you need a qualified SEO company and a quality website.
Why SEO may not have worked before
If you have already tried SEO, you may be hesitant to invest again. But before giving up search engine optimization completely, consider two factors: time and quality. Time is important for SEO - it doesn't happen overnight. Good SEO practices can take at least six months to a year to get your website on the front page for your main keywords.
It can be hard to be patient while you pay for services and don't see results, but any company that claims to put you on the first page of Google in a week is either lying or cheating the system, which will eventually hurt your website.
You may also have invested in SEO with a company that was not transparent in its practices. If your previous optimization provider used questionable tactics or was unclear about what they were doing with your website and why, you may not have achieved your optimization goals. Good SEO takes time, but you will eventually see the results. Find a good SEO company that is transparent about its practices and has a proven track record.
Why you need SEO
SEO is important for a variety of reasons related to your company's online presence and digital marketing strategy. We've provided some reasons why SEO is critical to your digital marketing plan in 2019.
SEO brings relevant traffic and runways
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a way to generate traffic to your website. A good SEO will help your website rank on the first page(s) of Google search results for relevant keywords related to your business. This means that if your business is a construction company in South Jersey, SEO can place you in the first search results for "construction company in South Jersey", which will bring you web traffic interested in your business.
By bringing relevant traffic to your website, you can improve your brand recognition, attract potential customers and turn visitors to your site into paying customers. SEO helps you get targeted traffic based on keywords related to your products or services.
Local SEO increases visits and sales
Google reported that 50% of consumers who made a local search visited the store on the same day. If your business is located in a brick and mortar location, SEO can drive customers physically to your door.
Optimizing your web presence also means that it will be easier for potential customers to find your address, phone number, business hours and other information that can lead them to your website or store.
Good SEO can improve PPC
If you've ever used pay-per-click marketing, you know that the quality score influences your campaign. A higher PPC quality score can reduce the cost per click and help your ads perform better, making your advertising more profitable. Optimizing your website using SEO can improve the quality score of your PPC campaigns, helping these two digital marketing strategies work hand in hand.
SEO also works with other marketing strategies. The combination of SEO and search engine advertising improves the effectiveness of your ads and can improve traffic by up to 50% according to a Google study. SEO can also improve retargeting efforts and increase brand awareness.
Most consumers do research online before buying
Various studies have shown that consumers tend to research products and services online before making a purchase. A study by BazaarVoice showed that approximately 82% of consumers research online before making a purchase in person. It also found that 45% read online reviews before deciding to buy in-store, and 56% read online reviews before buying online.
SEO makes it easier for customers to find your business online during the search phase of the purchasing process. To win these customers, your business must be easily discoverable on search engines. A good SEO will bring relevant and interested customers to your site and increase the likelihood that they will become customers.
SEO creates trust and credibility
How often do you see page two or three of a Google results page? Probably not very often. If a customer is looking for a business and it doesn't appear in the first results for the corresponding keywords, this can trigger red flags. They might think that your business is not the best in your field, or that you are inexperienced or irrelevant.
A high ranking of your company in search engine results creates a sense of credibility for customers. Consumers are more likely to trust businesses whose websites rank well in search engines like Google.
Conclusion
If your company's digital marketing plan does not include SEO, you should consider changing your strategy today. For more information on SEO, you can visit our blog or contact us today to find out if SEO is right for your business.
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