If you are a business owner in the contemporary society, it is highly likely that you have established some form of online presence. The best way to do this is through a business website to help you market your goods and services. A website helps tap into the large internet market. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) says there are over 3 billion internet users and the number is growing. A small business owner can’t afford to ignore this.
Well, there are millions of business websites, but according to Google, only 52% make money from their online presence. Where is the problem? The answer lies in search engine optimization (SEO). Most business owners believe a flashy website is all they need to succeed online and this is where they get it wrong.
To succeed online, your website must attract relevant traffic and rank highly on search engine result pages (SERPs). For this to happen, your website must be optimized for search engines. You must compete for relevance in your niche especially for these keywords you are targeting. This is where an SEO strategist comes in handy. These experts understand Google algorithms and help you to maintain your website in the best shape for better ranking and higher conversion rates.
If you are wondering if it is prudent to hire an SEO expertfor your small business website, consider some of these benefits:
- SEO is Still Alive
You might have heard that SEO is dead in the light of ongoing Google algorithm updates. Most naysayers say it is impossible to improve your ranking and argue that Google will eventually find you if you have unique keywords. Well, tell this to the top ranking sites and they will not agree. Companies such as CNN and New York Times invest heavily in SEO because they understand the value of high ranking. It is no surprise that they rank highly on SERPs. It might seem like much to invest in SEO, but consider the large market your business will become visible to? Coupled with improved user experience, an SEO strategy is the only way to make it online.
- Optimal Reach
If you are having a problem attracting people to your website, it is highly likely you have not invested in professional SEO. Search engine optimization should not be confused with site maintenance. These are strategies that are geared towards optimizing your website for search engines. In essence, you are preparing your website for it to become more visible on search engine result pages. Such visibility helps you grow your reach and you will enjoy higher traffic on your pages.
- Better Conversion
The toughest task for any webmaster is converting users to buyers. You might have a good website, but if it is not converting, you are not leveraging the internet numbers. SEO is all about attracting the targeted audience in order to optimize conversion rates. For instance, through social media networks,your SEO firm can increase brand mentions leading to more relevant traffic on your site. This means the people coming to your website are more likely to convert. Your SEO strategy helps put your brand before people’s eyes and this increases your conversion rates.
- Customer Analytics
A solid SEO strategy is built on available data. During the SEO process, your professional should be able to provide customer data for you to determine what you need to do. There are myriad tools to help you make business decisions. You will learn about your customers’ demographics, preferences, shopping behavior and so much more. This information helps you to build a better marketing strategy.
- Brand Awareness
If you are building your business today, it is important to consider its visibility on search engines. Most shoppers go for the top ranking brands because they believe these can be trusted. The fact that most shoppers start a buying process through a search engine makes it important to consider SEO tactics to improve brand awareness. If people see your brand on social media and online search, they will trust you and this also leads to higher conversion rates.
SEO for small business is important in the contemporary business environment. It gives your business an edge over the competition. You also improve the user experience, which helps improve your ranking on SERPs.
