Industries That Reap the Highest Returns from SEO

A comprehensive digital marketing strategy might include the following elements: web design, social media tactics, custom link building, paid and organic search, local maps optimization, online review monitoring, and SEO penalty recovery. However, focus on each element will likely vary depending on the business.

Some digital marketing strategies might lean heavier into paid Facebook ads and pay-per-click (PPC) ads or focus on garnering more organic social media followers. Still, other digital marketing strategies might lean into fine-tuning a business website’s search engine optimization (SEO).

The proportions of any strategy will depend entirely on the industry and niche. So, which industries benefit the most from SEO? In this article, we’re going to break down the businesses that would see the biggest boost in revenue by zeroing in their focus on increasing organic search through SEO.

Three Industries That Can Expect the Highest ROIs on SEO Investments

1. Industries That Struggle with Old School Marketing Mediums

Prime-time TV ads, magazine and newspaper ads, or even paid placements can be pricey and ineffective. These forms of old-school marketing mediums are probably best suited for corporations with deep pockets and financial influence – not local-centric businesses with budgets.

Print and screen advertisements are often subjected to the values of the medium owners and their viewership’s sentiment in addition to oversight from federal regulatory agencies like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and its associated organizations. While all advertisement is regulated by the FTC and, in certain areas, local and state law, focusing on SEO gives businesses more autonomy in crafting their brand message at an affordable price.

By digging into SEO tactics, companies are also able to circumvent Google’s paid ad restrictions. For example, Google prohibits the promotion of speculative and/or experimental treatments. Medical practices offering potentially life-saving treatments, such as stem cell therapy, cellular or gene therapy, or platelet-rich plasma infusions, cannot promote these services through paid placements. Instead, these practices could reach those in need using finely-tuned SEO tactics to attract organic search with the right keywords.

2. Specialized eCommerce Businesses

No storefront? No problem. Niche online retailers can gain a competitive edge over catch-all online behemoths, such as eBay and Amazon, by using simple yet effective SEO tricks. This is where specialty online stores would really benefit from optimizing SEO elements, such as link building and keyword-rich, long-form content. Keyword research especially is a fundamental part of any traditional national SEO campaign, as including the right search terms allows businesses to generate leads and draw in consumers with intent to buy at the moment of search.

Here’s a case study proving the remarkable ROI potential of smart SEO strategy for eCommerce businesses:

In 2019, Skregear, an online retailer specializing in all-terrain hunting gear, approached us at SeoTuners with the desire to improve their keyword rankings and organic search traffic to substantially boost online revenues. It took us just four months to double their monthly traffic to nearly 5,000 visitors.

Skregear revenues jumped by 680 percent, equating to about an extra $40,000 per month. The cost to our client? $2,000 per month. Compare that to the average cost of a 30-second commercial on a national network at $115,000, and we think you’d agree that SEO offers more bang for your buck.

3. Local Storefront Businesses

Local brick-and-mortar shops have a huge advantage over global, impersonal businesses: the “map pack”.

The “map pack” is that bundle of location-based results for “near me” queries at the top of search engine result pages (SERPs). Map-bound results are prioritized for local searches, providing mom-and-pop shops and storefront businesses the opportunity to outshine global competitors.

Here are several types of local businesses who could benefit from optimizing their local SEO, including their online local business listings:

• Boutiques and specialty shops. Niche shops like thrift stores, indie bookstores, and mom-and-pop general stores can reap high returns through SEO. Many people want the tactile experience a physical store offers that an online retailer simply can’t, especially when shopping for clothing and other apparel. Other consumers, such as “shop local” advocates, want to support their community by purchasing from local makers.
• Local service companies. Plumbers, electricians, interior designers, mechanics, house cleaners, computer repair technicians, landscapers, and lawn care providers – the list could go on and on. Locals turn to their devices in their hour of need to find the highest-rated, reliable providers in their area. It won’t matter that you’re the best if you’re not optimizing for local SEO.
• Bars and restaurants. Restaurants and bars are missing a huge opportunity to drive business through their doors when they aren’t optimizing their online local listing. Google, for example, will pull information directly from your Google My Business listing. If you’re listing isn’t up to date with the most accurate information, including your physical address and phone number with local area code, your restaurant isn’t going to show up for this query, period.
• Hotels. Tourists want to find a hub they can temporarily call home. Updating your local listing and optimizing your landing page and content for relevant keywords will help your hotel, bed, and breakfast, seaside inn, or youth hostel attract all the weary travelers.

4. Software as a Service (SaaS) Companies

Many SaaS companies depend on paid advertising, such as PPC ads, as their primary source of traffic. Instead, they really ought to be investing in a content-driven strategy that promotes organic traffic to their site. Creating valuable, shareable, keyword-rich content can help earn SaaS companies crucial backlinks and higher organic SERP rankings that will greatly reduce the cost-per-acquisition.

A content-focused SEO strategy will involve some heavy lifting to determine your audience persona and how they experience their search journey. Knowing these, you can cater your content to specific consumer intent, ensuring you’re there at every point of the discovery process.

Industries That Don’t Have High ROI on SEO Investments

Should all industries invest heavily in SEO? Not so much. There are two categories of businesses that should probably focus on other areas of their digital marketing strategies:

• Companies with low-profit margins. Businesses such as grocery stores, airlines, low-end retailers, and car dealers aren’t likely to reap the same benefits as high-margin ones. SEO often requires a long-term, ongoing investment to see significant upticks in search traffic, making the cost outstrip the benefits for many low-margin companies.
• Companies in highly competitive, saturated industries. National companies with bottomless marketing budgets can afford to throw money at whatever they choose. Local businesses in crowded marketplaces, on the other hand, probably lack the resources to yell over the noise. A great example of such a business is insurance. Unless you offer a highly specialized form of insurance, such as body part insurance for models, your company isn’t likely to see high returns from SEO.

Should You Seek the Services of an SEO Specialist?

These are just some rough categories to consider when feeling out your online digital marketing needs. One thing we do know for certain is that you want to avoid companies that offer a one-size-fits-all package; instead, opt for companies that offer SEO tactics in the right proportions for your business.

If you’re looking to supercharge your internet marketing strategies, call our Los Angeles and Ventura office for a free consultation at (877) 736-1112 or reach out online.

We help small to medium-sized businesses increase their online exposure through a range of affordable services, including user-friendly web design and organic search optimization.

We’re not just a bunch of self-proclaimed SEO experts. We have a proven track record – see for yourselves.