Is SEO really that important? Yes! You can have the best website in the world but nobody will ever see it if you are not Search Engine Optimized.
SEO is a big buzz word around the digital marketing world right now. Is it really that big of a deal, though? In a word, yes. SEO is absolutely vital to thriving in the modern business world. Here are ten reasons you need to take a tactical look at your inbound marketing strategy.
1. It’s a competitive field
With over one billion different websites on the internet, competition has never been tighter. Don’t expect that number to decrease in the future, either. Creating a website becomes easier each year, and every one of these new websites is fighting for elbow room at the dinner table.
It just so happens the dinner table is set to benefit those who practice SEO the most. In addition to the shear number of webpages you are competing against, reports show that nearly 75% of internet searchers don’t make it past the first page of a search engine.
Getting your business to the top of your ideal customer’s searching is key to holding off competition and standing out.
2. Proper SEO sets businesses apart
Yes, it is a very competitive field out there. However, many businesses still don’t take a tactical approach to SEO. Also, the businesses who are may not necessarily be doing it correctly.
SEO is a specialized practice, not something you can learn overnight and apply without faults. If you hire a professional, you are setting yourself up to surpass the competition. Using SEO helps you survive in your industry. If you use it properly, though, it helps you succeed.
3. Content Marketing Strategies unleash your website’s potential
According to Marketing Sherpa, an comprehensive digital marketing plan leads to a 2,000% increase in blog traffic and a 40% increase in revenue. SEO won’t carry all of the weight in a solid plan, but it is an essential component to success.
“An organized content marketing strategy is one of the best ways to create brand awareness” says David Kirkpatrick, a leading reporter cited in the study.
4. Sponsored ads don’t compare
Designing your website so people come to you is the way to go. That’s especially true considering most internet users completely ignore sponsored ads. Instead, they are much more likely to click on the first, second or third “organic” webpage. According to one study, somewhere between 70-80% of internet users ignore paid ads.
5. SEO is cost-effective
SEO is great for all businesses for a few economic reasons. For starters, SEO offers a great return from an investment point of view. In fact, roughly 75% of marketers rate SEO as excellent in terms of Return-on-Investment.
The reason it is such a good return is because it generates higher quality leads. Instead of using old-fashioned and expensive outbound methods, like cold calling, SEO focuses on bringing customers in that want to find your business. Overall, inbound leads cost 61% less than outbound leads.
6. Search Engines are where most buyer journeys begin
The most common internet activities are checking emails and using a search engine. If you aren’t optimizing your business for one of the most popular internet activities, you are losing potential customers and revenue.
7. It complements social media very well
Search engine optimization, when accompanied with a social media plan, has proven to increase click through rates (CTR) by 94%. This is because a high-ranking website will also rank high in the search result with exposure from their social media platforms.
These two practices play off each other and increase the others’ effectiveness.
8. Diversify your clientele
One of the main reasons businesses create a website is too reach a larger customer base. By consciously focusing efforts toward SEO, you increase the likelihood that your business will be discovered by a new customer.
Not only are you increasing the amount of exposure your website is getting, you are also enhancing the quality of those leads. As we mentioned earlier, people who find your website are more likely to become customers than people who see a sponsored ad.
9. SEO is constantly evolving
Like any other marketing tool, SEO changes to meet the demands of the market. This creates an opportunity for you to get ahead of other businesses.
In any given industry, tastes and preferences of consumers is subject to change daily. As demand shifts, companies must adapt to the new preferences. The best way to stay ahead of the curve is maintain an equally dynamic marketing plan that can shift with the demand.
10. An SEO professional can make your life a lot easier
Your business website needs to be SEO’d, not just once, but continually. By constantly updating and optimizing your website, you stay on top of of the ever-changing landscape your industry resides in.
If you want to appear above your competition you have to do everything they are doing – BETTER. Our team of specialized professionals at Web Design by Knight will help you stay ahead of the curve.
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