Did you know that Google (search engine) processes 8.5 billion searches per day? Besides being the most used search engine, Americans say that Google is their most trusted digital source. This presents businesses with a distinctive opportunity to build their credibility. You may wonder, but what does this have to do with business credibility? As I’ve mentioned, Google is the most trusted digital source for Americans. This means that if your website ranks at the top of Google search results, the American audience will consider it to be trustworthy because of Trust Transference. Trust transference is a concept that means that the trustworthiness of an entity can be transferred to any other entity through endorsement. Since Google is ranking your website at the top of its search results, don’t you think it is also a type of endorsement? It is!
But how can you be worthy of the world’s largest search engine’s endorsement? This is where SEO plays its part. You can rank at the very top of Google’s search results by optimizing your website for SEO. Now, let’s take a look at what SEO is and why it is important for your business.
What is SEO?
SEO (search engine optimization) means optimizing your business’s website to achieve top ranking on search engine result pages (SERPs). SEO is a totally organic way of improving your business’s online visibility and credibility. It is also a much cheaper way to do that when compared to paid ads. However, it is a time taking process that focuses more on long-term benefit rather than instant gratification. SEO requires patience and a bit of technical knowledge. As the famous Guinness commercial said, “Good things come to those who wait!”
Why is SEO Important for Your Business?
In this digital world, where most people find themselves working their way through a search engine to find answers, SEO provides a unique opportunity for businesses to capitalize on this. As discussed before, SEO helps businesses enhance their digital presence by optimizing their website (digital asset) for search engines. That is not all; apart from top rankings, which is no small feat, SEO also presents a lot of other benefits. Let’s have a look at a few.
1- Increased Credibility
As I said earlier, top rankings on a search engine are like endorsements from the search engine itself. This not only helps increase your business’s online visibility but also builds trust in your audience. Why do you think every business wants their website to rank in the top three positions of the search engines? It is because the top 3 positions generate more organic traffic. The top three positions account for 54.4% of all organic clicks on Google. Why do you think this is the case? It is because the top 3 positions are considered to be more trustworthy by the users than others. And as you already know, more clicks mean more engagement, and more engagement leads to higher conversions, driving sustainable growth for your business.
2- SEO is Cost Effective
SEO offers a more cost effective solution to businesses when compared to traditional marketing strategies such as paid ads or pay-per-click campaigns. SEO is also more cost effective than newer marketing strategies like influencer marketing. SEO offers an average ROI of 22:1, which means that businesses earn $22 for every $1 spent on SEO. On the other hand, the ROI for PPC is $2 on every $1 spent. This is a 200% lower return on investment than SEO.
3- Better User Experience
SEO focuses on enhancing user experiences to achieve its objectives. Better user experiences not only lead to a better search result position but also foster brand loyalty. This means that when a user comes to your website organically through the SERP and has a seamless user experience. That user is much more likely to not only return to your website but also promote it in the best way possible. Which is through word of mouth (the best marketing). Enhanced user experiences also lead to more conversions as the users can easily navigate through the buying process.
4- Competitive Advantage
When you are endorsed by the search engine and, the users coming through the SERP organically also have a seamless experience. This gives an unmatched competitive advantage over the competitors. How? Well, when you are already ranking at the top of the SERPs and are satisfying your user’s needs, why would the user go anywhere else? So, if you are a business owner, SEO is a must for you in this digital age.
5- Customer Insights
SEO also helps businesses gain valuable insights into their target audience. Many SEO tools, such as Google Analytics, provide insights into user preferences and interests. This allows businesses to optimize their website accordingly. That is not all, these insights also help predict future trends that businesses can take advantage of and be on top of them before anyone else.
Final Thoughts
Above mentioned are only a few of the advantages that SEO offers to businesses. There are many other advantages like Brand awareness, long-term success, and increased value of your digital asset (your website). However, SEO does require technical knowledge to be effective. So, if you are a business owner looking to incorporate SEO in your digital marketing strategy, look no further. Contact us today, and our experts will take care of all your digital needs.
