SEO, or “Search Engine Optimization,” is a technique that can be used in digital marketing to improve a website’s ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs). In other words, it helps your website earn a higher spot on the list of results that users see when they search for something online using a search engine like Google. And since people are more likely to click on links that appear higher up on the SERP, this can ultimately lead to more website traffic and potential customers for your business. Additionally, SEO can also help to create a better user experience on your website by making it more visible and easy to find for users who are looking for it.
Short Overview of SEO
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization which, in simpler terms, is making sure your website is easily visible online. The more people that see your website, the more traffic you’ll get, and the greater chance you have of providing your product or service to more people. Let’s explore why SEO is so important.
There are only 10 spots on a Google search page. So when you type in a Google search, how often do you venture off the first page into the second, third, or twentieth page of the search results? Chances are, you rarely have to because the first options on that very first Google page contain the information you requested in your search query.
Being on the first search results page is important if you want to be seen as a credible business alongside your competitors. If you’re not in one of those top spots, you’re at risk of losing customers to businesses that are.
The importance of SEO cannot be understated – especially for businesses. SEO gives you the power to be the answer to potential customers’ questions. In addition to visibility and traffic increase, SEO contributes to your authoritative voice in your field. Authority then leads to brand trust, which ultimately leads to brand loyalty. So not only will optimizing your website bring you more customers, but it will also turn those customers into lifelong fans of your business.
SEO is beneficial for businesses because it not only helps attract new customers, but it also allows you to build trust and deepen relationships with existing customers.
How SEO Works
SEO is all about quantity and quality. The better your website is on both the back and front ends, the more traffic you will get, and the higher search engines will rank your website. Building SEO works by combining SEO elements using a data-driven approach. These factors include:
- Keyword analysis
- Backlink building
- Content creation
Let’s take a look at how each of these strengthens your SEO for your digital marketing.
Keyword Analysis
Words are powerful, and certain words have the power to control your rankings online. Keywords can be single words or phrases that people frequently use to find what they are looking for. By researching and strategically placing high-quality keywords in your content, you can improve your online visibility and attract more readers.
SEO keywords are essential for businesses because they allow you to be visible to prospective customers who might be searching for a product or service that you offer. If you use the right keywords in your content, you will be more likely to show up in search results because you are providing the answers that customers are looking for. The most effective SEO keywords are those that are carefully researched and analyzed. By using these keywords, you can make sure that your business is visible to those who are most likely to be interested in what you have to offer.
Backlink Building
Backlinks are essentially like having a network of supportive websites that all vouch for the credibility of your own website. The more backlinks you have coming from high-quality, reputable websites, the more credible your website appears. This is because you are citing sources that are relevant to your area of expertise, which increases the trustworthiness of the information on your website. For example, including current events and trends from their original source can help show that you are up-to-date with what’s going on in your industry.
Backlink building is a great way to improve your website’s SEO, but it’s important to do it strategically so that your content doesn’t get lost amongst other sources. For example, plagiarism is a serious issue and you don’t want to present someone else’s content as your own. Metric Marketing can perform backlink cleanup if that’s necessary for your site. Backlink building can definitely improve your SEO if it’s done carefully and ethically.
Content Creation
Your SEO won’t be effective without strong content. Your content is how you communicate directly with your target audience, which is made up of both current and potential customers. The keywords you use help you to establish trust, credibility, and engagement with your readers. By having well-written content, you’ll be able to maintain a good balance between the human elements of your customer-oriented business and the data-driven analytics that are necessary to optimize your digital presence.
Content is anything that your audience views or hears, including:
- Blogs
- Webpage text
- Infographics
- Videos
- Social media posts
- Podcasts
- Newsletters
Your content drives SEO by directly engaging with current and potential customers, thus driving traffic. Your content tells your audience who you are and what you offer.
What SEO Can Do for Your Business
Build Trust With Your Customers
Did you know that SEO and user experience (UX) go hand-in-hand? If you want to build trust with your audience organically, then SEO is how you’re going to do it. UX is how your customers interact with your website – if they have a positive experience with your business, then you’re more likely to get web clicks, which means more traffic and thus, a higher ranking on a search engine results page (SERP). When this happens organically over time, you’ll eventually crack that top 10 spot on the SERP!
User experience is basically how easy it is for customers to navigate your website. If your website is well-designed, with a good foundation, then the user experience will be better. UX is a mix of web design, tone, and branding. If these things come together well, then the user experience will be good.
Good SEO and UX lay the foundations for your business to grow trust organically. ‘Organic searches’ refer to the results that appear on a SERP in response to a user’s query. In other words, you didn’t pay to be featured prominently on the SERP. Building trust organically strengthens your SEO, and over time you will continue to optimize your digital marketing strategy and expand your business.
If you want to be a trusted source that users can depend on, deliver what they are looking for. SEO will suffer if you do not meet user standards. By giving users what they want—whether it be information, answers to questions, products, or services—you begin to establish trust. The more trust you gain, the better the SEO and UX of your digital marketing will be.
Visibility Attracts Clientele
The importance of SEO is that it can help potential customers to find your website through organic means. This means that your website appears in search results because of the keywords that your customers have used. When customers see that you are a relevant result for their needs, they are more likely to engage with you. However, none of this can happen unless they are aware of you in the first place. This is where SEO comes in, as it allows you to be visible to potential leads. In other words, it starts the process of engagement.
SEO is a tool for increasing visibility, which – depending on your goals – can impact the buying cycle. Thorough SEO research is key to understanding what people are looking for. This is where Local SEO becomes crucial in knowing your audience and their needs. So, what exactly is Local SEO in business?
Local SEO is the practice of optimizing a website to rank higher in search engine results for certain geographic location-based keywords. By making sure your website is optimized for local search, you can increase your chances of being found by people who are searching for products or services in your area.
Local SEO is the process of optimizing your online visibility to attract more customers from your geographical area. If potential customers search for a question followed by “near me” or within your geographical proximity, you want your business to be the first one that comes up. Increasing Local SEO will help you be seen more easily online, leading to growth in your customer base.
Importance of SEO: Knowing the Difference Between Paid and Organic Searches
A significant portion of digital marketing is devoted to SEM or search engine marketing. SEM is a type of paid search marketing, and although some users may be able to tell which SERP results are paid ads and which are organic, the goal is always to drive organic traffic. Increasing your ROI, or return on investment is possible with pay-per-click marketing campaigns that are strategically designed and researched.
Although tools like paid search campaigns can help improve organic traffic, as a consumer, you’re probably more interested in results that don’t have an “ad” next to them in your Google search. Your customers likely feel the same way.
Paid search campaigns are a great way to market your business to your target audience if they’re done correctly. The organic search uses more SEO tactics, like keyword searches, which means that your content has the potential to be seen by a wider range of viewers who are looking for what you have to offer.
Sharing Is Caring: How Organic Searches Lead to Click Share
Click share is an important metric to understand if you want to see the benefits of SEO for your business. Click share is essentially an estimate of all the clicks your business receives from organic search results. The better your SEO, the more click share you’re likely to get because organic results usually get a larger share of clicks. Improving your click share can help you expand your business reach and get more clicks from potential customers.
Click share data is based on the number of clicks that your ad receives divided by the number of times your ad is shown, or impressions. In order to increase your click-through rate and, in turn, your click share, you need to increase your visibility. And the best way to do that is with SEO! By increasing your business’s digital presence with quality, relevant, and original content, you will improve your visibility and click-through rate.
The Role of SEO in Digital Marketing
Metric Marketing’s digital marketing experts understand that SEO can be a bit overwhelming. It’s obvious that SEO is important, but where do you start? And, after you start, how do you know that what you’re doing is even making a positive impact on your business? The good news is that we are here to help.
We are leading experts in the field of digital marketing for a reason. We take a data-driven approach to the role of SEO in digital marketing, focusing our time and effort on creating content and websites that we know will produce results. Data is always honest, and we know how to utilize researched data to best benefit your individual needs.
Along with a data-driven approach, our SEO team uses a White Hat SEO approach to optimization. White Hat SEO is the alternative to unethical Black Hat SEO tactics. While Black Hat SEO shows quick results, search engines have new techniques for finding which companies are using sketchy techniques like keyword stuffing and cloaking.
Search engine intelligence is constantly being updated, so trying to trick them to benefit yourself will only lead to harm and penalization. Our SEO team lives by the mantra of growth over time. We trust that our patience with creating ethical means of building SEO pays off in the long run. The purpose of SEO is to build credibility with search engines. Let us help you cultivate a positive relationship with engines like Google, YouTube, and others by taking the time to analyze the facts and data.
Should I Be Using SEO?
The short answer is yes! SEO is an intentional, data-driven approach to increasing the quality of your business’s digital marketing and the visibility your business receives. The benefits of SEO can only help your business, making it worth the time spent researching. SEO takes a lot of deliberate analysis. It is a complex, ever-changing practice.
As new technology emerges and evolves, so too does SEO. SEO drives traffic, promotes your brand, engages with customers, and directly relates to user experience. SEO is an integral component of your business’s successful digital marketing.
Contact Us Today for Your SEO Digital Marketing Needs
Having a strong SEO team in your corner is essential to the success of your digital marketing. If you have any questions about why SEO is important for business or about SEO in general, reach out to us today!
