In todays world, SEO should be part of every small business digital marketing strategy.
The benefits of SEO to your business are endless, and if you aren’t taking it seriously, you will lose out to your competitors.
What Is SEO?
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation. It is the process of optimising your website to improve the quantity and quality of free organic traffic to your website from search engines. With the goal to improve your websites position in search results.
To simplify, its the process of optimising your website/web page so search engines show it towards top of page 1 when someone searches for what you want to be found for.
How Can You Make SEO work to benefit your business?
The best place to hide a dead body is the second page of Google search.
For example, you want to find a web designer to build you a website, and you want to work with someone near you in Belfast…
You might type ‘website designer Belfast’ or ‘website design Belfast’ into Google. So this is how in simple terms SEO will benefit your business..
Step 1 – My goal would be for ZCM Digital to be near the top on page 1 for the keyphrase ‘website designer Belfast’.
Step 2 – I want you to click link to my site. If ZCM Digital is on page 1 for web designer Belfast, then you are more likely to click on my site. How do I increase the chances of this? with a good meta description and title.
Step 3 – I want to keep you on my site and peak your interest. If you click on my site and you like what you see i.e. its relevant. You then know I am the person to create your website, so you will stay on my website and browse to contact me.
Step 4 – Convert to a client. You liked what you seen on my website and have sent me an email to create a website for your business.
By spending time optimising my site for SEO you found me on Google, you clicked my link, you liked what you seen and what I have to offer. Then you contacted me to create a beautiful website for your business. Therefore, I have benefited from a new client and you have benefited from a great web designer based in Belfast.
the benefits of SEO for your business
If your site ranks high it provides the opportunity for anyone at anytime to find you as the solution to their problem.
Lets look at 6 top benefits of SEO for your business, along with some top tips to help with your SEO…..
1. SEO ensures A User Friendly Website
User experience is so important in any SEO strategy, in both helping your website get found but also in reducing bounce rates and keeping your site visitors on your webpage.
If your website provides a good experience and content you are more likely to be seen as the solution to your visitors problem, therefore increasing your clients and growing your business.
Top Tip - Ensure your website has good navigation and good content. Makes sure it is fully responsive on all devices, and has a good design layout that is clear.
2. SEO goes hand in hand with your content marketing
Creating good quality, useful and valuable content for your visitors will not only help your site rank higher, but will also help to convert those visitors to clients.
Search engines like fresh content, and a site that is updated regularly. Blog posts are a great way to achieve this.
Top Tip - Ensure good quality content, carry out keyword research and update regularly. check out my recent blog on how to optimise your blog post for SEO
3. SEO is free
It’s a great way to gain organic traffic to your website as search engines crawl sites 24/7. Thus no need for paid adverts, which can get pricey.
However, it can be quite time consuming, but you can outsource for help with SEO. Outsource to a virtual assistant, agency or why not check out my digital marketing support services.
You can also pay for online toolset for backlinks and SEO analysis. Make sure to use free tools such as Google Search Console, Analytics and analyse your traffic and keywords.
Top Tip - Use google analytics, google search console. Use free online tools such as ubersuggest and keep eye on how your competitors are ranking. Use your social media to drive traffic to your website.
4. SEO gives you competitive advantage
If you don’t pay attention to SEO, your competitors, who do, will be ahead of you in search engines results. And as a result, you will miss out on potential business.
Being high up in google builds trust, it shows credibility and therefore you are likely to get more visitors and conversions.
Top Tip - keep eye on your competitors, how they are managing their SEO. Check out their backlinks, keywords, content and their user experience. Then focus on making yours better.
5. SEO Helps you rank in local searches
A lot of people go to Google for local searches such as ‘web designer near me’.
Working on local SEO will help you be more visible to local people and can help you attract clients who are ready and wanting to do business with someone close to them.
Top Tip - Ensure your business is on Google my business, and ask for reviews. Ensure your address is listed on your site, local directory backlinks and using local keywords.
6. SEO targets quality leads
SEO can help you attract anyone at any time but by using targeted keywords you attract people who may be interested in what you have to offer.
An optimised site brings in better quality traffic. If your site offers content that the visitor is looking for, they are more likely to stay on your site longer and therefore more likely to become a customer.
Top Tip - Ensure good keyword research, check what your competition is doing and do better.
SEO will help your business thrive
It is evident SEO has major benefits for your website and your business. It increases your visibility, attracts more viewers and therefore more chance of conversions and ultimately a chance to grow your business online.
