Did you know that a whopping 12 billion searches were carried out every single month last year? Or that a massive 44 percent of online shoppers use search engines to research companies before purchasing?
These statistics speak for themselves; if you want to increase the visibility of your brand online, attract more customers to your pages, boost sales, and improve your bottom line, you need high search engine rankings.
Why SEO is Important for Business
SEO continues to be one of the most difficult things for businesses to understand when it comes to online marketing. Some of the most common questions include:- What exactly is Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)?
- How can SEO benefit my business and why is SEO important for business?
- Why should I invest in SEO and not direct mail or radio advertising?
- What is the approximate return on investment (ROI) on SEO?
- Is it really the most effective way to get customers to my website?
- What exactly are the benefits of search engine optimization?
- What is the importance of SEO for small businesses?
- What do I need to do to rank #1 in Google?
This post will help answer these questions and more. We're going to tell you the FIVE alarming reasons why every business, even small businesses, should be investing in SEO today.
SEO Benefit 1: It Increases Your Brand Visibility
It doesn't matter if you have the best products or services in the world. If noone knows about your business, then it may as well not exist. That's where SEO comes in. According to Statista, 1.17 billion people use Google search. That's a lot of potential customers, right? If you're struggling to get visitors to your website, it could be due to your search rankings. 75-80% of people never scroll to Page 2 of Google's search results. Meaning, if you're not on Page 1, people are unlikely to find you.Investing in SEO can provide you with a good return on your investment if you're serious about boosting your sales and attracting new customers.
Investing in SEO positions you higher in the search engines for your keywords. The result? More potential customers will see your website on Google's SERP, and you'll experience more leads and click-throughs.
SEO Benefit 2: It's the cheapest way to attract people to your website
While traditional advertising channels like TV and radio advertising can be effective, these methods are some of the most expensive media channels to get customers thinking about your brand. Additional, unlike SEO, these traditional advertising methods don't promote your services EXACTLY when your potential customer is looking for you.- According to Dave Wallace, SEO is a cost-effective way to advertise your business when compared with traditional advertising methods like TV and radio spots. What's more, search users are ready to make a purchase - which is a win-win for online businesses.
Once you've improved your search rankings, you'll soon notice that MORE people will be visiting your pages and clicking on your store listings.
SEO Benefit 3: You're there when you customers are looking
According to Forbes, 80 to 90 percent of consumers check online reviews before they make a purchase - a number that is likely to increase. Think about the last time you made an online purchase - would you trust a company that didn't appear when you searched for them? Or would you go with a company with greater web presence?- An example: According to EConsultancy, 24-hour news channel Sky News implemented a new campaign for individuals who were searching for specific news stories. Keywords are automatically generated that were relevant for a news story and the campaign proved to be a huge success. In fact, the Sky News campaign generated 400 percent more inventory in-page impressions than other ad campaigns.
The bottom line? If you're not there when your customers are looking, they're not going to find you, which means both losing the customer and missing out on crucial brand awareness.
SEO Benefit 4: You're Listed Above Your Competitors
If you don't have a visible presence online, consumers could be choosing your competitors over yours. This is one of the most important reasons to invest in SEO because it will ensure that customers see your products and services before those of your competition. If you compare a business on Google page 1 versus a business on Google Page 2 - who would you trust more? The bottom line? Increased rankings means consumers perceive you as a more trusted company and thus more likely to purchase from you.
SEO Benefit 5: 1100% Increase in Close Rates
SEO has a downright ridiculous close rate compared to other advertising methods.
SEO leads have a 14.6% close rate, while traditional outbound leads, such as direct mail or print advertising have a 1.7% close rate. This means that if a customer finds you through a search engine naturally, they are nearly 1100% more likely to become your customers.
The Benefits of SEO Are Clear...
The best SEO campaigns lead to greater search engine visibility. Greater visibility leads to customers being able to find you online faster. The end result? More visitors to your website.- If you're thinking about investing in SEO, check out our professional SEO services here or chat to us for a recommendation.
The bottom line? SEO is a HIGHLY effective way for online businesses to get more website traffic, build brand trust and while simultaneously gaining more customers.
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