So what is so important about SEO?
If you are a business owner and you don’t have a website, then you are not going to be taken seriously. Having a website is really the starting point today for operating a business in this decade. However, even if you do have a website, and even if it looks fantastic, that doesn’t mean that you also have a successful online presence.
A website without visitors is like a tree in the forest that falls when no one is around. It doesn’t make a sound! (At least I prefer to look at it that way!)
But seriously, you need people who are searching for information online for a business that does what you do, to find you. This is the reason why search engine optimization or SEO is important for your website.
1. Search Engine Optimization Turns the Spotlight on Your Website
Search engines use a system of rules, or algorithm, that is continually being refined. The search engine then applies the rules to the information it has collected in its database. The rules tell the search engine how to rank the different sites in accordance to relevance and importance. So when someone uses a keyword to search for information online, the system will display pages and pages of websites that contain the information they are looking for. A website that has been optimized has more potential to be displayed on the first page, and even be on the top ranking, for people to easily find the website.
2. SEO can bring FREE traffic to your website
Advertising is an important aspect of businesses. Millions of dollars are spent for advertising and huge companies actually allocate a huge amount of their yearly budget to it. However for the online world, it’s not all about advertising. Although advertisements can still be placed on websites and even on the search engines themselves, wouldn’t it be nice to have free advertising by placing yourself on top of the search results? You may need to pay for optimization, but once you are ranking, you should enjoy some period of time when you are no longer paying. Of course, in order to get on Page 1, you will have knocked someone else off. They may not know, or care; but you may need to continue your campaign some time down the road.
3. You Get More Brand Trust and Credibility
Common user psychology is that when they search for information and your site appears on top of the page, then you are trustworthy and a credible source of information. In this manner you are helping yourself build brand recognition and credibility.
4. More Visiblity Means More Customers/Clients/Revenue for the Business
It’s nice to be King of the Hill, but even nicer to get revenue because of your position. The more visitors who see your message, the more who will buy. No one knows your metrics but you regarding your conversion rate, but whether you need 10, 1000, or 10,000 visitors to get one sale, wouldn’t you rather get that each day, rather than annually?
These are just some of the things SEO can do for you.