In 2020, 2 trillion searches were made using Google. 95% of those people click on a result on the first page. 70-80% of those people ignore paid ads and focus solely on organic search results.
SEO consists of multiple strategies, actions, and best practices, all of which have the end goal of improving your website’s position in search engines
There are two kinds of SEO: on-page and off-page. On-page SEO consists of anything you can control on your website to improve your rankings. This refers to things like site speed, keyword presence, header text, and so on. On the other hand, off-page SEO consists of anything done on other websites that may influence your rankings. Generally, this only refers to links
“This sounds like something that big companies should be doing. Why should a small business owner like me invest in SEO?”
Build your brand
Being seen as a high ranking page on Google makes people take notice of your brand. Consistently being ranked highly on google makes people trust you.
Trust is one of the most important factors in making a purchase decision. And it’s no different when it comes to organic search results.
You’re going to click on what you know and trust. And that all comes down to branding.
For example, the following search for “small business SEO”:
The content is virtually the same.
Meaning clicks are going to come down to one thing:
Brand recognition.
Earns more Traffic
With so many searches every day, and so few people clicking on ads, being seen in ranked highly on a Google search will most definitely give you a boost in traffic. And traffic of the right kind; People who find you through organic search know that you have what they searched for.
Don’t pay for ad space
A major plus for SEO is that you don’t have to buy ad space on Google. Which is great because only 20-30% of people click on an ad, versus the 70-80% that click on an organic result.
Helps your target audience find your site
The nature of a search engine means that if you appear in a search result, that person already has an interest in what you have to offer. The best part is that the search engine does all the heavy lifting for you. You don’t need to specify demographics, if someone is interested in what you have to offer, they will find you.
Improves user experience
SEO and UX (User Experience) go hand in hand. Search engines, like Google, are designed for their end-user; anyone who does a search. Because of that, having a good user experience helps you ranks better on Google and helps potential customers enjoy your brand. A good experience can also turn a potential customer into an ambassador.
SEO is not a garnish on a website. It is the foundation upon which it is built. Yes, you can sprinkle some SEO on the top afterwards, but it is best to build your site upon the principles of SEO. That means that businesses should do it sooner rather than later.
