Published on April 18th, 2023
Building a successful business is a process. You either start from scratch or purchase an existing enterprise. From there, you need to build out the foundations and processes that make your company run efficiently.
Depending on your industry, there are likely hundreds of little steps along the way before you’re ready to go after customers. Once you’re ready to see the clientele roll in, how do you get the word out about what you offer?
Typically, your goal is to get your name prominently displayed online in front of your ideal clientele.
There are multiple ways to accomplish this in the realm of digital marketing. But when it comes to being a top search result for people looking to buy, investing in SEO is vital.
Unfortunately, SEO tends to be a marathon instead of a sprint and therefore doesn’t give that immediate boost of paid advertising.
So while it might not be as satisfying in terms of spend-result turnaround, there are convincing reasons to make it a priority. Here are five reasons you should invest in SEO to get your business on the path to success.
1. Increase Visibility And Traffic
Investing in SEO can help your business rank higher in search engine results pages. Long story short, that plays a big part in higher visibility and driving more traffic to your website.
By optimizing your website and content for relevant keywords and phrases, you can attract potential customers who are actively searching for products or services like yours.
Due to short attention spans, people don’t want to work to find your company. Getting valuable keywords to rank higher can pull your site out of the page 12 wasteland where few will go.
2. Encourage Useful Research
Generally speaking, SEO works best when you use a targeted approach. Just selecting target keywords willy-nilly and expecting earth-shattering results would be a surefire exercise in disappointment. That’s why any SEO strategy should definitely include keyword analysis and other research.
SEO can help businesses better understand their target audience and how they search for information online.
By analyzing keyword data and user behavior, businesses can gain valuable insights into the needs and preferences of their customers. This data can be valuable in multiple ways and can inform other aspects of their marketing strategy.
Another good example of useful research is to see how your website is performing. A deep dive can not only find areas for improvement related to SEO.
You can also make changes that impact how easily your customers navigate your site and potentially increase conversion. If viewers typically only look at two pages on your site for a total of three seconds, they’re not engaged.
Making the necessary changes to increase the viewing time per page can help in improving your conversion rate.
3. Build Credibility And Trust
When your website ranks higher in search results, it gives your business more credibility and authority in your industry.
People tend to trust businesses that appear at the top of search results, and having a well-optimized website can help establish that trust.
Another reason to have a well-designed website is that most people scan rather than read web pages. If your site is outdated or looks messy, that quick scan will likely turn off a customer and send them elsewhere.
An updated site with regular activity also creates the impression that your business is stable. A lot of people won’t even take a chance on a restaurant without online activity just in case it’s closed.
When you’re asking people to enter their information or pay online for your product or service, perceived legitimacy is important.
4. Cost-Effective Marketing
Compared to other forms of digital marketing, SEO can be a more cost-effective option. To be fair, there will likely be necessary initial investment required to optimize your website and create content.
However, the ongoing cost of SEO is typically lower than other marketing channels like pay-per-click advertising or social media advertising.
Probably the most valuable aspect is that the results of SEO are long-lasting. This means you can continue to see benefits from your investment over time even after you’ve reduced your content output.
With paid advertising campaigns, you typically pay big bucks for a short burst of benefits. After you turn off the tap, metaphorically speaking, the results tend to come to a screeching halt.
5. Squeeze Out The Competition
When businesses are using SEO strategies, they’re jockying with each other for higher search rankings. If several of your competitors start aggressive SEO campaigns and you do nothing, you might see your rankings take a hit.
In that instance, it’s not an issue of being hurt by your own actions. Rather, your rivals are overtaking you and knocking your numbers down. Enacting an aggressive SEO strategy can help you be the one to come out on top in search rankings.
SEO can also help you target specific keywords and phrases that your competitors may not be focusing on. This way, you can set yourself apart from others in your industry rather than directly competing with them.
Tailor SEO To You
It’s worth noting that SEO is not a one-size-fits-all solution; the best approach will depend on the specific needs and goals of each business.
Working with an experienced SEO consultant or agency can help businesses develop a customized strategy that aligns with their goals and budget.
SEO is a powerful tool that can provide a range of benefits to businesses of all sizes. By investing in SEO, businesses can increase their visibility, build credibility, and gain a competitive advantage over their competitors.
