If you’re a small business owner, you’ve probably been told that you “need SEO.” That’s good advice, but some people might not find it helpful, because it doesn’t really answer the question of why you need SEO.
That can leave you feeling a little confused and skeptical, unsure whether to pursue the strategy or just ignore it as a waste of time and energy.
Sound familiar?
In the last few years, the term “SEO” has become so widespread in the world of digital marketing that sometimes it’s taken for granted that everyone is already using it.
But for many of us, we haven’t felt the need until recently. This is especially true of business owners who are converting more and more of their operations to online sales.
If you’re in this position, and someone has recommended SEO research for your website, you want to investigate and see if it’s a good idea.
Of course, you want to understand the reasons for SEO, and what benefits it will bring to your business. That’s going to make a huge difference in your ability to select a good service, and to get the optimum results.
So if you’re just starting out in the world of SEO, let’s take a look at what this is all about.
First Thing’s First: What Is SEO?
SEO stands for “Search Engine Optimization.”
When a website uses Search Engine Optimization, this basically means that customers will find you more easily.
The web designer and web bloggers will design your site with SEO in such a way that Google and other search engines will take notice of you. This will bring more online visitors.
Consider this: there were 130 trillion webpages in existence as of 2016 (and that number is certainly higher now).
Amazingly, for all those 130 trillion specific pages, it’s surprisingly easy for searchers to find what they’re looking for, if they already know where to look.
But if they don’t already know where to look, that makes it an incredible challenge. That’s probably why there are at least 5.5 billion Google searches conducted every single day.
People need help in finding solutions to their problems.
This is where great SEO comes into play.
SEO makes it easy for people to find what they’re looking for when they don’t already know it exists.
When used properly, this can be an incredibly powerful tool, especially for small business owners.
By correctly implementing SEO into your site, you can bring the customers to you.
So how exactly does it work?
Using the Right Keywords
When customers search for a product, service, or store, they enter a set of words into a search engine.
According to Google, the vast majority of searches are not new. 85% of searches have been searched for previously.
Because Google and other search engines track this data, they are able to see what phrases, words, and sentences are used most. The history of a keyword is important because it shows the large, slow trends that people follow (and are likely to continue following, at least for the near future).
When Google receives a search request from a user, it returns results based on what pages it has already archived. These pages are whatever most closely match with the keywords that the customer has entered into Google.
Sites that have the best matches and the highest traffic will rise to the top of Google’s suggestions, while sites that are not optimized will be lost in the shuffle.
Most Google searchers act on these results. Two of every three queries on Google lead to the user visiting at least one of the suggested sites.
Users also prefer real results, not ads, which get only about 3.4% of total clicks.
That’s the main reason why you need SEO. If you want to get your business higher up Google’s rankings, without resorting to paid ads, then SEO is the way to do it.
But is all of this really necessary? Can’t you just build a good site and let people find it on their own?
“If You Build It, They Will Come…”
If you’ve watched the classic baseball film Field of Dreams, you’re probably familiar with the famous quote from the movie, where Kevin Costner is walking around the corn stalks, listening to the prophetic voice.
If you build it, they will come.
Even if you haven’t seen Field of Dreams, that line has become well-known enough that it transcends its origin, and it has become shorthand for an idea in the business world: namely, if you build something good, people will find you.
Build a solid product and make it available. Customers will notice, and you’ll be just fine, right?
That’s the saying, anyway. But is it true?
Get Them in the Door First
Sadly, the reality of the situation is that even if you have a great product, brand, and a well-written blog with tons of great insight, you won’t necessarily attract an audience.
93% of online experiences begin with a search engine—whether it’s Google, Yahoo, or any of the others. The search engine is the starting point.
The lesson here is that your potential customers follow the search results, at least at first. After that, they’ll sift through the results until they find something they like.
But being on top pays huge dividends. 75% of searchers don’t look past the first page of Google results.
As with so many things, popularity is not always an indicator of quality.
If you’re selling a top-notch product, and you have an excellent sales funnel set up, you won’t necessarily make as much as you could be if you’re not getting eyes on the website to begin with.
That’s the real reason why you need SEO. It isn’t about quality. It’s because you need to get people in the door in the first place.
Quality Still Counts
Of course, if you want your business to thrive, you want your product, service, website, and blog all to be exceptional.
In terms of retaining customers for the long haul, the quality of the product you provide is going to make a big difference.
That’s one thing SEO won’t solve.
But SEO will get people to find you. Consider it a way of making that initial introduction with potential customers.
The reason why you need SEO is to get people to take notice in the first place.
After that, you can earn their loyalty by providing them with quality solutions and products.
The Biggest Reasons Why You Need SEO
Let’s get down to specifics: these are the biggest reasons why you need SEO.
Why You Need SEO Reason #1: Increased Traffic
This is easily the one that is at the top of everyone’s mind.
Over half of all website traffic comes from organic searches (such as a Google search that doesn’t rely on ads or social media).
SEO makes sure that traffic flows in your direction.
More visitors mean more business. The more people who come to your site, the more sales you’ll make.
So how does one implement the right kind of SEO for this purpose?
By creating a blog that contains these optimized keywords, you wind up bringing the traffic to you.
When you work with a website content company, you get a team that looks at your business needs as a whole, and sets you up with the right assortment of keywords. They create blog content, and ultimately this brings the attention of both Google and searchers.
A good content company will consider current Google trends, consumer trends, and the needs of your business in formulating a good content strategy.
Why You Need SEO Reason #2: Higher Conversion Rates
One of the most amazing things about SEO is that it attracts the right kind of customers.
Consider this: if your small business sells clothing for children, and you take out an ad in the paper or conduct a mass mailing, what happens?
Most of those ads wind up in the trash.
A lot of the people who see them won’t have children, or the kids won’t be the right age.
Or it could also be simply a matter of timing: the customer may simply not be looking for the product on that particular day.
By using SEO, you get the attention of online customers who are actively seeking you.
Proper SEO can yield a 14.6% conversion rate, far outpacing the 2% from traditional marketing methods.
Why You Need SEO Reason #3: Building Your Relationships
SEO gets the attention of many customers who are looking for answers to a question.
An example might be “what is the best all-natural carpet cleaner?”
If your business sells all-natural carpet cleaner, and you have a blog that both answers their question and provides them with a solution, you are giving them an immediate benefit.
You are going to start that customer relationship on a positive note.
A quality website content company will look for ways to bring the right customer to you, and to provide them with material that engages them, so that they stick around for the long haul.
What We Do at SteadyContent
There are many other reasons why you need SEO, and here at SteadyContent, we aim to answer all of them with our standout service.
At SteadyContent, we specialize in creating blog posts that blend the best writing with the best SEO.
This will not only bring more visitors to your site, but it will boost the conversion rates so that these visitors become customers.
Our team structure ensures that we have specialists working every step of the way, from the initial SEO research to writing articles.
And to make it even simpler, our Content Writer plug-in ensures that WordPress blog owners experience a smooth and easy publishing process (and if you don’t use WordPress, that’s okay! We write for many that don’t.)
We’re currently offering a trial package so that first-time clients can experience our service for a discount.
So get in touch with us today!
