Does SEO Help Your Business?

SEO—search engine optimization—is a form of digital marketing that harnesses the power of search engines to benefit your business.

In a world increasingly driven by algorithms, clicks, and search results, keeping your website at the top of organic search results is one of the best ways to attract customers, build trust, and grow your business.

For modern businesses, SEO is an essential tool. If you want to compete, you can't afford to drop to the second page.

Here are just a few reasons why investing in good SEO is worth it—and then some.

SEO Increases Website Traffic.

Organic search results are often the number one driver of web traffic. Most of the world's population visits Google at least once a day to obtain information.

High organic visibility on Google and other search engines generates trust. It's a critical component of the buyer funnel. Appearing at the top of your target search results is a sure way to generate traffic, clicks, and ultimately conversion and engagement.

Proper SEO Improves Customer Experiences.

Investing in SEO doesn't just drive traffic. It also streamlines and improves user experiences.

Search engines developers design their products to help users find exactly what they're looking for. They don't just measure relevance; Google differentiates between good and bad user experiences to drive future search results.

Consequently, investing in your user experience is a key component (and benefit of) good SEO.

When a customer performs a Google search, they know what they want. Employing disingenuous SEO tactics that trick or mislead users will only hurt your business.

Ultimately, quality SEO focuses on the user. Investing in and leveraging a positive user experience works in your brand's favor.

SEO Helps You Understand Customers.

Similarly, SEO relies on understanding how users interact with search engines, your industry, and your website.

Whether you're analyzing macro market shifts or consumer intent within highly refined market sectors, SEO is your friend.

The data and formats used in SEO give a unique insight into customer intent and behavior.

For example, search query data (what people search), SERP analysis (studying your competitors' search rankings), and analytics data (understanding who's visiting your website, what they're looking at, how long they're spending, etc.) can all provide valuable information about consumers.

SEO Increases Your Business's Credibility.

People trust Google. Organically appearing at the top of search results lends real credibility to your brand that you can then leverage in a host of different ways.

Like anything else, however, building that credibility takes time. The key is to start with a strong foundation: a clean, easy-to-navigate website, precise information, and a great user experience.

After that, your site builds Google' cred' over time through metrics such as natural links, positive user behavior, machine learning signals, and optimized on-page elements and content.

Following Google's E-A-T criteria goes a long way towards establishing credibility over time.

E-A-T stands for expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. Google outlines their standards for these three qualities in their Google Search Quality Guidelines.

Local SEO Drives Connections.

Your business doesn't have to be a multi-national corporation to benefit from SEO. The rise of local searches, especially from mobile devices, means that local SEO is fundamental to the success of small and medium-sized businesses.

Local SEO optimizes your search rankings within a specific geographic area. Think of the number of times you type 'near me' at the end of your searches.

If you're a local business, this type of geographically focused SEO is essential to establishing and growing your brand.

SEO Creates Opportunities.

When it comes to search results, it pays to be first. Every click is a potential customer, supplier, or collaborator.

You never know what opportunities your website will create for you. It is vital to make it easy to find, understand, and access your services.

SEO Positively Impacts the Buying Cycle.

Increasingly, SEO is influenced by real-time research that can help optimize strategies not only over the long term but over a shorter time frame as well.

For example, businesses can use SEO principles to inform customers of deals, promotions, and unique services.

Increasing your business's visibility via SEO inevitably increases connections and, in turn, sales.

By helping your customers find the information they're searching for, you can also help them find the products and services they need. Your products and services. Ultimately, it's a win-win scenario.

SEO Is a Long-Term Strategy.

Good SEO takes time—Google and other search engines index pages over weeks, months, and years.

If you genuinely intend to make the most of your search engine optimization, you need to make sure you're willing to stay committed for the long haul.

However, the flip side of that reality is that the longer you invest in good SEO, the greater your returns become.

With the right amount of commitment, you can eventually receive vast numbers of clicks for a relatively low cost.

SEO Best Practices Change Constantly.

The mechanics of search engines like Google are constantly refining themselves. How a search works—and precisely what search engine optimization means—is continuously evolving.

It's great to implement SEO on your brand's website. But SEO isn't a one-and-done deal.

Google makes thousands of changes to its algorithms each year. Your website needs to stay up to date with SEO's ever-evolving best practices to stay at the top of the search results.

Bottom Line? Front-Page Status Fuels Growth.

In a data-driven age, investing in SEO is probably the single most potent and efficient thing you can do with your marketing budget.

Organic SEO is a relatively low-cost way to build brand awareness, drive web traffic, and ultimately gain conversions and sales.

Plenty of companies promise to optimize your website for search engine results. However, the efforts of SEO amateurs can often prove crude, ineffective, and downright out-of-date.

In a constantly changing industry, it's essential to choose an expert who knows how to do SEO right. Only then can your website climb to the top of your desired search results.