When you search a phrase, word, product, etc. on the internet you are given a list of websites that are relevant to your search. But what determines which sites are displayed? Even further, what does a website need to appear first on the list? This is where SEO comes in.
SEO: The Basics
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a procedure that optimizes a website so that it shows at or near the top of the search results. SEO uses keywords that pertain to your website to generate visitors (people who click on your website’s link from a search result page). For example, a young couple has decided to buy their first home. So, to begin their search, they go to Google and search for “Homes for sale in New York City” and then click the search button. Their search results will be comprised of real estate websites, broker websites, etc. However, if a website has the exact keywords “Homes for sale in New York City” then their website will be listed at the top of the web results. This is SEO in action.
SEO: Why do you need it?
SEO is a tool that is changing the way online businesses procure customers. Here are just a few reasons why SEO is beneficial to you and your business:
1: Customer leads that are generated by SEO tactics will ultimately close at an average of 15%. With normal, non-SEO inbound marketing, that average drops to 3%! Yikes!
2: In recent surveys, 91% of businesses that use SEO see a significant rate of improvement in customer leads and website traffic. So, the odds are in your favor!
3: SEO keywords that are used in website blogs are likely to bring in more visitors and potential customers. Go ahead and blog away!
SEO: Creating, Implementing, and Reviewing
You may be wondering, “How exactly do I create website content that follows the SEO strategy?” The first thing you need to do is figure out what your customers are searching for. If you aren’t quite sure, or you only came up with a short list of keywords, try using a keyword planner/generator.
These can be found anywhere on the internet with some being free to download and others being pay to download.
Once you have utilized a keyword planner or generator, use the words in your website’s content as often as you can. You can create blogs and/or update your existing content to contain these SEO keywords. Blogging has become a huge trend and is especially useful when implementing SEO keywords. Don’t be shy to tap into your inner author!
After you have utilized your SEO keywords in your website contents, you need to keep an eye on them. Make it a habit to check on your website’s SEO “health.” Using programs like Google Analytics, you can track how often visitors are brought to your site because of your SEO keywords. If you see some content items aren’t performing well due to lack of SEO keywords, then spruce them up with more keywords. Keep making improvements to your website content so that you will generate the largest amount of potential customers.
SEO: Conclusion
SEO is a fantastic strategy that is helping thousands of businesses increase their website traffic. With more traffic, you have more leads, more customers, and more profits. Our advice? If you used a website/app developer to design your website, ask them about implementing SEO. If you designed your website yourself, download those keyword generators and check-up programs to get started. With SEO you have nothing to lose, but everything to gain. Get in on the SEO scene today!
