Every day, digital technology is continuing to evolve, so it is getting more important for businesses (large or small) to have a great online presence. Many local businesses try to do this via their own social media channels, however given the fact that many people use search engines such as Google, Bing and Yahoo to find out specific information, it is important for you to have a SEO strategy in order to make these searchers more aware of your brand and what you are selling. Its goal is to enhance visibility, traffic and rankings within results of search engines. Failing to incorporate SEO into a business marketing strategy, you may as well just give in to your competitors. We have come up with a few reasons as to why you need SEO in 2019.
Proper SEO delivers a high ROI
One of the main reasons for having a business website is to stand out from your competition and widen your customer base. Otherwise, why would you feel the need to invest hundreds or perhaps thousands of pounds a month on marketing? Especially in this day and age where almost everything is found online. Investing in proper SEO will lead to better conversion rates for your business.
How does it work? Well, a good SEO strategy helps bring targeted traffic to your website. SEO-optimised websites are more likely to be found higher up in Google SERP’s, meaning more website visitors. More website visitors mean a greater chance of increasing your customer base. A greater customer base will bring in more money. It’s that simple!
The advantage of SEO is that website traffic is free, however there tends to be an upfront cost in the form of time. SEO can take months to take effect, so it is important to invest your time in proper SEO in order to achieve a higher return on your initial investment.
Achieve Greater Visibility Online
The internet is nearly always the first stop in the consumer’s buying process, and SEO is one of the best strategies to use when trying to achieve a greater online presence – especially in a competitive niche market. Quick question – how many times do you scroll past the first page of Google when searching for a particular item/service? Not many I bet! So, when your website appears on the first page of search engines, potential customers are more likely to see and trust your brand when they search for a specific term. Small businesses that are starting out must invest in SEO in an attempt to gain high rankings for the key search terms related to their business.
User-friendly Websites
The old definition of SEO focussed only on optimising webpages for search engines, however in 2019 it is as much about improving the user experience as it is about getting high rankings. SEO will help local business owner create a fast, smooth and simple to use website. Well-structured and user-friendly websites will encourage visitors to stay on your page longer, increasing page views and ultimately reducing bounce rate. High quality on-page SEO work will keep your customers and search engines happy.
If you are a business that either sells online or has a website that helps your business acquire leads, then a well thought out SEO strategy will help increase your online leads. Despite the time it takes and general costs for links etc, any local business should include a progressive SEO strategy within their overall marketing plan.