In this age of major technological advancements, every business now has a website they use to reach out to potential customers. From advertising tangible products and intangible services to giving personal information, websites can be used for a variety of reasons. The difference between the sites that succeed and those that are still struggling is the use of SEO.
source: cloudbooksapp.com
What is SEO?
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of boosting a website’s rating and increasing traffic by improving the site’s ranking on search engine results. This could be the fine line between making your website a major success and getting access to millions of potential clients.
For every website topic, there are specific and carefully selected keywords that need to be used in the website content. The keywords are fitted into the articles posted on your site to make it stand out when the keywords are put into the search engine. It will then be on the first page of the search results and ultimately bring you more traffic to your website.
Search engines are the primary determinant of the search results. They analyze large volumes of data to determine which web pages are most relevant to a user’s search and in which order to organize them. Apart from SEO, there are other aspects which could contribute to setting apart your website from your competitors’.
- The keywords you use in the content in relation to the target market
- The website’s functionality and design. Ensure that you have the right team for web design to get the best results
- The quality of content created in relation to the keywords. The articles should be relevant to the business or website’s objectives and informative
- Having an increased social media presence
Why you need to be using SEO
Search Engine Optimization remains one of the most popular and effective marketing strategies for businesses today; there are numerous benefits but here are the key facts:
Increased traffic
The top ranking sites on search engine results usually get the main traffic from the users. It is hence important to have your site appear on the first page of the search results. When you have better descriptions and tags, the chances of more clicks are higher.
Quantifiable results
Whether your site is commercial or a personal blog, SEO specialists are able to track every aspect of your website’s activity, including additional traffic over a period of time and even the rankings of your site. It is then simpler to tailor-make the tools for the success of the site. SEO targets clients who have searched similar products or services to yours and other demographic information that could be useful. With the right specialist, the process is streamlined all the way to making a sale on your website. In the long run, SEO aims to make you more money.
Websites like Amazon make use of this feature by targeting users with similar search results. Their traffic has more than doubled over the last year and has seen increased sales.
The cost factor
SEO strategy is much cheaper than most strategies like cold-calling. It aims at saving the company money and is hence ideal for small and medium enterprises looking to expand their online presence. Since the strategy targets similar search results to your products and services, it is the most effective strategy
Enhance site functionality
The aspects which are focused on by SEO help in making the site more navigable by the visitors and increases access for the search engines to get the web pages they require. The site links are more organized and the articles are easy to find.
Brand visibility
Increased traffic to your site not only means higher sales but also increased brand awareness. People start to buy the brand and also recognize it as a reliable provider of the products or services they require. The higher your search rankings, the more people start to associate the keywords with your brand.
In the long run, there is increased trust from the clients to buy the products. Retail stores have benefited the most in building their brands and have reaped maximum benefits in creating a relationship with their clients.
Finding the right firm for the job
Aside from the benefits of using SEO, an expert in the field is required to make the dream a reality. The best way to achieve this is to find the most highly skilled SEO specialist you can get. There are certain qualities and qualifications you should look for when hiring an SEO expert:
- Know what you want.As a commercial site, you should have a plan for your business. What do you want the SEO to achieve? Set goals to grow your business and work around those goals. Make the goals the foundation of your relationship with the SEO firm. A firm that understands what you want to achieve is likely to help you succeed.
- Make multiple options. It is okay to examine more than one firm and compare notes on their services and quotations. It will help you narrow down to an option within your price range. It also gives you an better impression of the company’s objectives and their commitment to the clients.
- Have a look at the firms’ portfolios. Nothing speaks louder than testimonials from clients. They should be able to provide case studies and references of sites they have worked with in the past. If your site is a commercial site and the firm has worked on other similar sites successfully, then they are able to give your site the attention it deserves.
- Dig into the firm’s profile and history.Apart from being certified and experienced, the firms’ outlook on business, the company principles and their success story will tell you if they are the right fit for the job.
- The cost.This can sometimes be a deal breaker but should not always be. There are firms within your price range; you just have to weigh your options to get the best value for your money. Look at the services being offered and determine whether it aims to help achieve your goals.
