1. SEO Reveals Key Data
Whether you’re a startup or an established business, you need data about your audience. That’s why SEO needs to top your to-do list. The more research you put into SEO, the more data you will obtain about what your potential customers are searching for.SEO helps gather data over time, which can benefit your business long after it’s been launched.Pro Tip: Use the free trial versions of the best SEO tools to see which words your target audience uses when they search. This will help you understand what you need to rank higher without breaking the budget.2. SEO Helps You Get More Traffic and Conversions
Any business’ goal is to generate revenue and SEO is a great way to gain more traffic to your website, yielding more conversions and making that revenue happen.It’s a good idea to spend a little more on planning a strong SEO strategy and staying current with Google’s best practices. It’s an investment that pays off in the long run.One of the best ways to drive organic traffic to your website is to determine particular keywords that don’t have high searches and aren’t very competitive like long tail keywords (3-4 keyword phrases which are very, very specific to your business) and use them in your SEO strategy.3. SEO Doesn’t Have to be Expensive
If you’re a bootstrapping entrepreneur, you’ll be happy to hear that some of the best SEO tools including Google Analytics and Google Search Console are free to use.Google Analytics allows you to see what users are doing on your website or platform. With Google Search Console, you can see exactly what was searched and how visitors got to your website. This tool also helps identify broken links or 404 error messages, which can really hurt your SEO.No matter which platform you’re using such as Shopify, WordPress, or SquareSpace, these Google tools will integrate seamlessly. Although we always recommend using WordPress.While there are some things you can certain DIY, SEO isn’t necessarily something you should scrimp on. If you have money to spend then investing in professional help will often yield a high return on investment so it’ll be money well spent.4. Make Better Business Decisions with SEO
All that customer data you obtained from your SEO strategy can help you make better business decisions and actions. For example, this useful SEO data can be applied to your overall business strategy such as creating specific click funnel geared toward your particular audience.For instance, if your SEO data has found that your target audience is 30-year-old females who live in big cities, you can use that data to create content that’s specifically geared toward that particular market. When your content is relevant and valuable, you’ll convert more visitors into customers.5. SEO Builds Trust and Value With Your Audience
SEO is one of the ideal ways to start building a relationship with your potential customers. Customers trust websites that rank high on Google’s first page. Once your website is ranking on the first page, it’s a lot easier to build respect and credibility for your business. This kind of relationship is essential for converting visitors into customers.Bringing it All Home
No matter what industry you’re in you absolutely need to build a digital presence to succeed. SEO provides the best opportunity for making your potential customers aware of your business, building brand equity, and scaling.SEO doesn’t have to break the bank, but it does require constant upkeep. Google is always making changes to its algorithms, which can affect your business. So, it’s still important to stay on top of the latest SEO marketing trends.If you’d like more information about a digital marketing strategy that makes SEO a top priority don’t hesitate to reach out to Merged Media, we offer a FREE consultation and love helping our clients generate revenue and a high ROI.Essential Steps to Improve Your SEO Rankings
Once you accept that you need an SEO strategy, these are the steps that move rankings for a small business.
Keyword optimization
Identify the words and phrases your customers actually type, then work them into page content, title tags and meta descriptions. This is about choosing the right terms, not stuffing as many as possible.
Google Analytics and Search Console
Analytics shows which pages people use and how they arrived; Search Console shows the queries you already appear for and where you sit. Together they tell you which pages to improve first.
Local SEO
For any business serving a city or region, the Google Business Profile, consistent citations and reviews decide whether you appear in the map pack. See our local SEO services for the full picture.
On-page and technical basics
One clear H1 per page, descriptive titles, fast load times, mobile-friendly layouts, HTTPS and a clean internal linking structure so search engines and readers can find your most important pages.
Content and links
Publish pages that answer the questions your customers ask, link them to the relevant service page, and earn links from local and industry sites that already have authority. Our guide to the types of SEO services explains how these fit together.
