Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing a website to rank higher in search engine results. Most people think of keyword research when they think of SEO, but there is so much more to it. A single web page isn’t just a web page–it’s an opportunity for your target audience to find your business and engage with your brand, generating leads and sales when optimized for SEO. But is SEO worth it? Do optimization strategies make a big enough “splash” to invest the time and money required to see results? Keep reading to discover the many SEO benefits for businesses.
Understanding the Importance of Ranking on Google
Google accounts for nearly 84% of search engine usage, and statistics show that 75% of searchers never go past the first page of results. So, it goes without saying that improving your search engine rankings is essential for your business's success–something that is not possible without SEO.
Top 5 Benefits of SEO for Businesses
Whether you’re an ecommerce company wanting to increase website traffic or a brick-and-mortar business wondering about the benefits of local SEO, here are five ways SEO strategies can help your company thrive.
1. SEO Increases Website Visibility for Search Engines
The visibility of your business is essential to its success. SEO ensures that your website is congruent with search engine guidelines. When your website is compatible with search engines, it's more easily found and ranked. Google and other search engines are constantly “crawling” websites to learn what they are about and how to rank them in search engine results. By consistently adding new SEO-optimized content to your site, you provide more opportunities for Google to learn about and rank your content.
2. SEO Increases Website Visibility for Your Target Audience
Search engines must be able to crawl your site in order for it to rank on the results page. When your website ranks on the first page of Google, your target audience is more likely to find you when searching for terms and questions associated with your products or services. The #1 organic search result is 10x more likely to be clicked than the #10 spot. And up to 92% of clicks are on the first page of Google compared to 6% on the second page.
3. SEO Helps Your Site Appear In More Search Results
While it’s great if high-traffic pages like “Home” rank in Google, every page on your website is an opportunity to appear in more search results. When you implement on-page SEO strategies and optimize things like the URL slug, meta data, header tags, content and alt texts on every page within your sitemap, you provide more opportunities for your audience to find and engage with your brand. Even your business’ privacy policy page can and should be optimized for SEO.
4. SEO Strategies Get More People in the Door
If you’re a brick-and-mortar business, SEO is essential to your company and will ultimately get more people in the door. The benefits of local SEO are achieved by optimizing your Google Business Profile, monitoring reviews, and improving your keyword strategy by using longtail, local keyword terms to target people in your area. All of this leads to more people inside your business, resulting in more sales.
5. SEO Cranks Up Your Credibility
Humans are constantly making decisions based on appearance. People will choose to walk down a well-lit street over a dark one. To dine at a busy restaurant over a slow one. There are many examples, and the science behind it is telling. People view websites at the top of results as more credible and trustworthy. Optimizing your website to increase your rankings naturally establishes it as a credible website.
Challenges of Learning and Implementing SEO for Businesses
I’ve just given you five answers to the question, “Is SEO worth it?” But when it comes to learning and implementing strategies, time and money tend to become a roadblock for businesses.
1. Time
SEO isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it growth strategy. You need to put in the time consistently to see results. SEO is a complex and ever-changing field, making it challenging to keep up with the latest trends and tactics. Experiencing the benefits of search engine optimization requires significant time and effort that most business owners don't have. As a result, many businesses struggle to learn and implement effective SEO strategies.
If you want to experience the benefits of SEO but don’t have the time to do it yourself, freelance SEO services can certainly help. specializing in technical and on-page SEO, I work with businesses of all sizes to improve search engine rankings, which drives more website traffic and conversions.
2. Money
Whether you do it yourself or hire a professional, implementing SEO costs money. You need tools and software to help you identify your site’s health, find competitive keywords, and track results, costing upwards of $500 per month. Plus, you have to pay yourself or an employee to learn and implement strategies.
Hiring a freelance SEO consultant makes the most sense financially for many businesses. As an SEO freelancer, I have the tools and time to dedicate to your business’s success and offer customized SEO packages to fit your needs and budget.
So, Is SEO Worth It? Yes!
But you don’t have to try to learn it and improve your SEO alone! These days building a website is just the beginning. The website must be optimized to reach its full potential, and I can help. Contact me today for a custom proposal highlighting how I can improve your SEO to generate more awareness, engagement, and sales for your business.