If you are still sitting on the fence about search engine optimization (SEO), it is time to reconsider your stance. The recent Google algorithms and ongoing developments in online marketing indicate that any website that is not optimized for search engines will remain in the periphery. If you are a website owner it is important to appreciate the role of ranking on social engine result pages (SERPs) to gain visibility within your niche.
Ranking factors keep evolving and the volatility of the internet market demands constant review of the SEO strategies you are deploying. This requires the technical skills of a qualified SEO strategist.
The SEO Statistics
According to Google, there are over 100 billion searches on the search engine alone. A study published by imFORZA shows that 93% of online experiences start with a search engine. The study continues to show that 75% of users ignore paid ads and instead go for organic results. If you are not ranking highly on SERPs you are losing out on all this traffic.
An e-marketer research also says that 75% of users never scroll past the first page of SERPs. If your site is not ranking on this page you are as good as non-existent. The numbers get even more interesting; search engine is the number one driver of traffic to content sites and it beats social media by over 300%. If you invest in SEO, lead generation your site will enjoy a 14.6% close rate compared to outbound marketing close rate of only 1.7%. With 96% of clicks on search going to the first 4 sites on SERPs it is time you talked to an SEO consultant to lay down a solid strategy to boost your ranking.
Leveraging the SEO Statistics
Now that you appreciate how SEO can help your website it is time to talk to an SEO expert. While there are many SEO resources available today it is important to appreciate the invaluable role an SEO consultant brings on board. These specialists have the expertise to utilize trending SEO to boost your site’s ranking on SERPs for your targeted keywords.
More importantly, they have the resources to deploy these tools effectively leading to better conversion rates and reducing bounce rates. Here are some of the services your SEO consultant will offer to improve the performance of your site:
1. SEO Planning
One of the biggest mistakes most website owners make is starting an SEO campaign with an in-house without any plan. You must have an objective (S) when you start the project; are you after ranking or do you want to increase traffic to your site? Are you looking for a better user experience? Would you like better load speeds? Do you have the right keywords or would you like some help with this? Once you have identified your needs talk to your SEO specialist and explain to them and as a team you will come up with a solid plan.
2. Organic SEO and Marketing
It is important to use SEO techniques that adhere to Google webmaster guidelines. Organic SEO starts with web audit to identify the weak links on your site. This process identifies problems such as broken links, duplicate content, missing links and details, keyword stuffing and technical glitches that could be affecting load speeds. Once the consultant has identified all these they will repair them for better indexing of your pages. The bulwark of the SEO project will involve close monitoring of the techniques that the SEO consultant is deploying to determine their effectiveness.
3. Web Design and Development
Most websites are created from a template and it is no wonder users feel like they are visiting the same places. To stand out from the cloud it is important to invest in professional web design which involves building your site from scratch. Your website will stand out and it will be built with SEO in mind. Responsive web design allows for more visibility on all internet devices and you can bet you will notice more traffic.
4. Content Marketing
Despite what you might have heard content remains king. SEO firms have the best copywriters and they will provide fresh content based on your brand’s objectives. They will also help distribute your content on directories and other authority blogs on your niche.
5. Keyword Research
What type of keywords are you competing for? This is one of the most important SEO tasks and with changing keyword trends it important to rethink what you are currently targeting for. Go for long tail keywords and consider the role of voice search when looking for keywords.
There are many other roles an SEO consultant will carry out including site maintenance, backlink building, reputation management, social media marketing, and e-commerce consulting among others.
