It is often taken for granted that SEO is a mandatory part of any business in 2015. In fact, it is so popular that there isn’t a business across the board that doesn’t try and optimise search engines to their advantage. Regardless of their size, they are all at it. But, why is SEO so important to your business? Why should you give it so much thought and importance within your marketing strategy? Here are a few reasons that should clear up any confusion you have when it comes to search engine optimisation.
Growth of searches
Google is big business; I think we can all agree with that statement. But, do you know how big? Well, to put it into perspective Google’s search engine handles billions of searches each day. As a result, businesses need to exploit this huge industry to their advantage. More and more customers use search engines as a first step to finding information and products, and SEO gives your company access to that growth.
SEO targets customers
You might think that all marketing targets customers, but that is not necessarily the case. Huge billboards and business cards interrupt the customers’ day and stop them from going about their business. They are not looking for something, but they happen to have it pushed in their laps’. SEO is a lot more active. Customers are actively looking for products or information that your business possesses. Crucially, searches allow you to offer customers what they want when they want it.
SEO is marketing
Quality SEO merges existing marketing ploys into a holistic and well-rounded strategy. Successful web marketing is not about one thing or another. It is about a mixture of all those elements combining for the best effect. So, if you use traditional methods of marketing, your website should complement these campaigns by optimising keywords. As a result, you target your customer base and target niche.
It generates higher returns
SEO is seemingly organic where customers are concerned. If they are not involved in the industry, they may not be familiar with the inner workings of search engines and how their results can be manipulated. To customers, the ‘organic’ results are far more important than paid search advertising methods. More than ninety percent of searches on Google ignore the ads, as you might already be aware of. That means that ninety percent of searchers click on the search listings.
Less competition for local businesses
As a local business, it is hard to compete with the big boys, but not anymore. Search engines, especially Google, include local results into their main listings. So, you no longer have to compete with the power and might of huge conglomerates. With a certain amount of profitable keywords, it has never been easier to get to the top of Google’s listings. That means more traffic and more sales.
So, now you know that when people start to bang on about SEO, they are totally justified to wax lyrical over its importance to your business.
