SEO 101: What is Search Engine Optimization?

As a business owner, you have heard the term “SEO” thrown around quite a bit, but what is search engine optimization? SEO involves a strategic process to increase website visitors (traffic). It is a somewhat broad term that covers various ranking factors that are necessary to have your website appear in search results.

Why Do I Need to Rank Well?

With more than 12 billion searches conducted on Google alone every month, it provides you with the opportunity to reach new customers that would not have found you otherwise. With this added visibility, you build your brand recognition and customer loyalty to improve your sales. You will see an improvement in your bottom line as you remain front and center with an effective edge over your competition.

Although you want to see an increase in revenue right away, you cannot just jump to the finish line. You must have a roadmap to get you to your destination, which is SEO. Your overall goal is to have your website rank as high as possible on a search engine’s results page (SERP). These are the results that appear when someone searches for information regarding a specific topic, like “lawn care” or “auto parts stores.” By enhancing your online visibility, you will climb the ladder of success to see your business thrive.

To reach this new level of growth, you want to rank within the top 3 results or at the very least, within the top 10. Why? When a website appears on the first page, it will receive 91.5% more traffic because the average person will not scroll any further to find what they need… unless they are desperate. As a result, if your website ends up on page 3, your potential for traffic decreases to 1.1%. Your primary focus should be to earn that #1 spot to acquire 32.5% of the page’s traffic.

Achieving this ranking is easier said that done. It takes consistent effort because optimizing your website is not a one time deal. There are various ranking factors that you must follow, such as links, keywords, and social media engagement.

You need a strategy in place, which will also involve trial and error to stay on Google’s radar as an authoritative website. Not to mention, the online world is constantly changing. To promote the user experience, search engines implement new algorithms frequently. You must abide by these changes to stay visible.

Although it can seem a bit overwhelming, I hope I did not discourage you. You can build your website ranking, even if you have no prior experience. With the basics behind you, you will have what it takes to promote your online visibility to remain competitive in today’s digital age.

Be prepared, there will be changes and updates, which will impact how SEO is conducted in the future. To remain relevant, you must adapt to these changes as the industry evolves. With consistent effort and a well-planned strategy in place, you will earn your spot on the front page of search results.

Move Your Business Forward Today!

Keeping up with it all can seem like an uphill battle; however, with a solid foundation behind you, you will have the skills you need to roll with the modifications. SEO is not going anywhere. There is no better time than now to jump onto the bandwagon to drive your business forward.

If you need help with your SEO strategy, I can help. Contact me today to learn more.