Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the practice of optimizing websites to increase their visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs). When potential customers use search engines to find businesses online, they’re looking for answers to questions like “What do I need?” or “Where should I go?” If your business doesn’t show up in the first page of search results, then you’re missing out on a lot of traffic.
SEO is organic.
There are no upfront costs associated with SEO. You don’t have to hire a team of people to build links or pay for ads. All you need is a website and some basic knowledge about how search engines work.
SEO is long-term marketing.
Your website won’t get any visitors if nobody knows it exists. But once you start ranking higher in search results, you’ll attract more traffic. And the more traffic you get, the more money you make!
SEO is measurable.
Google Analytics lets you track how many people visit your site each month, where they came from, what keywords they searched, and even how much time they spent on your site. These metrics help you understand whether your SEO efforts are working.
SEO is scalable.
Once you learn how to optimize your own site, you can apply those same techniques to sites owned by clients, friends, family members, and anyone else who wants to rank higher in search results.
SEO is flexible.
You can use SEO to promote anything from local services to national brands. Whether you want to target specific keywords or just improve your general rankings, SEO is a great way to market your business.
SEO is effective.
According to a study conducted by Moz, 93% of small businesses saw an improvement in their conversion rates after implementing SEO tactics. That means that only 7% of small businesses didn’t see a change in their conversion rate.
SEO is ethical.
Unlike paid advertising, SEO isn’t manipulative or deceptive. Instead, it helps users find exactly what they’re looking to find.
SEO is profitable.
According to HubSpot, the average cost per lead generated by SEO was $31.33 compared to $35.83 for PPC. So not only does SEO generate more leads than PPC, it also generates them at a lower cost.
SEO is rewarding.
As you climb the ranks of search results, you‘ll notice that your site starts getting more attention. People will start sharing your content, commenting on your blog posts, and referring you to others. In short, you’ll start building a community around your brand.
SEO is fun.
No matter what kind of business you run, SEO is still fun. After all, you’re helping people find what they’re searching for. Plus, you get to play with words and phrases that you wouldn’t normally use in everyday conversation.
SEO is educational.
Learning how to optimize your website requires a little bit of research and experimentation. By doing this, you’ll gain valuable information about how search engines work and how you can use that information to your advantage.
SEO is creative.
You don’t always have to follow the rules. Sometimes, it’s okay to break them. For example, you could create a video instead of writing a blog post or you could write a unique title tag for a particular page.
SEO is social.
Don’t forget to share your success stories with your network. Social proof is extremely powerful. If someone else is succeeding using SEO, then it makes sense that you would try it too.