We live in a digital age, where technology is depended on by the majority of consumers. When searching for a local business or restaurant that is close by, usually your first instinct is to google it. This is a similar thought for most people who own a smart phone or computer these days. A whopping 90% of consumers have used the internet to find a local businesses within the last year, with 33% looking every day.
People are adapting to the advances in search technology, meaning your business need to as well. If you want a crystal-clear example of purchase intent: “near me” mobile searches that contain a variant of “can I buy” or “to buy” have grown over 500% over the last two years. These include things like “where can I buy stamps near me,” “places to buy shoes near me,” or “where to buy used clothing near me.”
“Near me” is no longer just about finding a specific place. It’s now about finding a specific thing, in a specific area, during a specific period of time. This chart gives a visual depiction of the expanse of “near me” searches in the last two years:
These advances propose similar questions to search engine optimization: SEO will improve a website’s overall searchability and visibility, but what other real value does it offer your business? Why is SEO so important?
Organic Searches are Essential
It’s no secret in the digital world that if you’re not on Page 1 of the search engine, you’re likely not killing the organic search game.
Organic searches are most often the primary source of website traffic, as well as a critical factor within the buyer funnel, which usually ends in a sale. However, many consumers do not search through loads of pages on Google before finding a website or service that suits them. Investing in the process of a higher ranking on Google is an essential step for any business owner.
While Google is the most visited website in the world, they also own YouTube which is the second largest search engine. Google is a large entity that owns over 90% of the search market, leaving competitors in the dust.
Making sure your website is visible on Google is essential to driving organic traffic and ultimately attracting business and closing sales. Quality SEO and a high-quality website can take your brand there.
Customer Trust Grows With SEO
The goal of your SEO team is to establish a strong foundation, have a beautiful website that is easy to navigate, and make sure your page is easily discoverable in searches. The truth is that the higher your business appears in a search engine; the more likely users will believe your business is trustworthy. Building trust and an online authority is not easy and surely doesn’t happen overnight.
Many factors go into establishing a strong authority on Google. Having strong authority is accrued over time and is an element of:
• Quality Backlinks
• Positive User Behavior
• Optimized On-Page Elements and Content
• Machine-Learning Signals
Establishing authority for your brand takes patience, effort, and commitment, but is worth it. Customers trust a brand that has a strong online presence and is recommended by other web pages.
Google has something called the Trust Factor, which is a combination of many factors that calculate how trustful a site is. The more trustful a site is, the more likely its articles will be ranked higher on Google. A website is considered to be less trustful if it has harmful and/or has low-quality content.
The Buying Cycle is Affected
SEO affects the buying cycle of a customer online or in-store. Customers have the resources and knowledge to conduct research before choosing a product or service.
Using SEO tactics to get your deals, products, and services out there can be a game-changer. It is important to show the consumer the importance and dependability of what you have to offer them. In order to show the consumer what you need, your product or service requires visibility.
You must be visible in the places where people go to search for a connection to be made. Local SEO enhances visibility for potential customers and helps them find the businesses that have the answers. If your website or business is not visible to the consumer, odds are they will not be contacting you or buying your product.
Bypass the Competition
SEO can help your business or website soar above the competition. Especially if your competition is not implementing SEO at all.
For example, take two businesses that are in the same industry which sell similar products, at nearly identical prices. One of them has an optimized website while the other has a non-optimized website. Considering everything is else is equal, which company do you think will attract more customers to their website from local searches? Which company will likely grow faster and become more successful?
Search engines and SEO are very powerful. If your competitors are doing SEO marketing, simply you must ask yourself why you haven’t invested in such a strategy yet as well. Odds are a consumer will go with a company that they can easily find and has reputable reviews and backlinks.
SEO is Relatively Cheap
SEO does cost money. However, all the best things usually do, right?
In the grand scheme of things, SEO is relatively cheap, and the payoff will most likely be considerable in terms of a brand’s benefit and bottom line.
It is not a marketing cost; SEO is a true business investment. Good SEO implementation will hold its ground for years to come. And, like most things will only get better with the more attention and investment it receives.
If you have questions or concerns about any of Google’s algorithm updates or are interested in improving your website’s search traffic, get in touch with us today. SeoTuners can offer an affordable solution for your business to increase exposure and SERP rankings with organic SEO strategies like keywords. We’re confident we have a solution for all your marketing needs.