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SEO is about so much more than just optimizing a website. It\u2019s about reaching your target audience online when you can help them. It\u2019s about seizing opportunities for more branding, visibility and revenue.<\/p>\n
So if you\u2019re unsure how SEO can help your business beyond keywords, title tags and anchor text, read on \u2026 <\/strong><\/p>\n Forrester research<\/a> found that 71% of people turned to search engines for discovery, and 74% used them for consideration\/purchase.<\/p>\n That is likely why research from BrightEdge (2019) shows that the organic search channel made up 53% of traffic<\/a> to websites on average across industries. For B2B companies, organic search generates two times more revenue than any other channel.<\/p>\n That was 2019. And we know that a lot has changed since then, too. Gartner pointed out in 2020 <\/a>that brands needed to shift from certain activities like advertising and invest more in digital and organic marketing due to the pandemic.<\/p>\n And in fact, they have. By February 2021, CMOs said<\/a> their digital spending grew 14.3% relative to the preceding 12 months.<\/p>\n So what does this mean to you?<\/p>\n You want your company to be on Page 1 of the search results to capture your share of the traffic going to Google each day that is looking to discover and consider what you have to offer.<\/p>\n When your prospect goes through the process of awareness, consideration and decision-making about what you have to offer, SEO is there every step of the way.<\/p>\n How? Let\u2019s look at some of the SEO activities that support the customer journey in organic search:<\/p>\n SEO Activities in Awareness Phase<\/strong><\/p>\n SEO Activities in Consideration Phase<\/strong><\/p>\n SEO Activities in Decision-Making Phase<\/strong><\/p>\n See our in-depth article on this topic for more on how SEO supports the customer journey<\/a>.<\/p>\n Enticing people to click through from the search results is one thing. Getting them to stay on your website is another.<\/p>\n Google\u2019s “page experience” ranking algorithm update<\/a> went live in 2021. This ranking algorithm looks at factors that would impact a webpage experience like:<\/p>\n Not being able to meet these needs may impact your website\u2019s ability to rank over time. The good news is that SEO can help!<\/p>\n If you have news you want to get out, SEO can enhance the process.<\/p>\n For example, when distributing news via a press release, you can implement SEO best practices. That way, you won\u2019t get into any situations where your news releases look like spam.<\/p>\n Press releases can contribute to your business\u2019s and website\u2019s experience, expertise, authority and trust (E-E-A-T) \u2014 quality metrics from Google. You can learn more about this in my guide on the basics of E-E-A-T<\/a>.<\/p>\n And if you\u2019re a news publisher, there is a lot to consider with getting your articles into Google News. This is another area where SEO can help.<\/p>\n For more, read:<\/p>\n In the past, SEO has got a bad rap regarding measurement.<\/p>\n That is because traditionally, companies have been able to track things like digital ad investments, which is more straightforward.<\/p>\n Most of the time, measuring the value of SEO means changing the mindset around it. Here, you want to ask simple questions like:<\/p>\n You can explore these questions in more detail, including how much you should invest and what results you can expect to see in my article on SEO myth-busting and measuring the value of SEO<\/a>.<\/p>\n Simply checking the boxes off an SEO checklist<\/a> can only get you so far.<\/p>\n To succeed with SEO, it is important to do a website SEO audit<\/a> so that an expert can prioritize tasks based on problems you should fix right away, what can move the needle the fastest and what the long-term objectives are.<\/p>\n The time involved to diagnose a website and create a proper SEO strategy \u2013 not to mention the time invested in pivoting as search engines change \u2013 is a big job.<\/p>\n Remember, SEO is not a \u201cone time\u201d or \u201csometimes\u201d thing<\/a>. It\u2019s a long-term strategy that should last for as long as your website is alive. And that means you reap the benefits for years to come.<\/p>\n Plus, when you hire an SEO expert, you not only get the experience that comes with years of performing SEO, but you also get the benefit of that expert\u2019s continuing education as they stay up-to-date with news and trends that impact your SEO.<\/p>\n How long will you wait to try to beat your competition online?<\/p>\n If you don\u2019t hire the expertise<\/a> needed to do it, your competition will have invested that much more time and energy into their SEO efforts than you.<\/p>\n That means missed opportunities and potential revenue for as long as you put SEO on the backburner or as long as you hire cheap SEO help<\/a>.<\/p>\n Your prospects will continue to turn to search engines to learn more about what you have to offer.<\/p>\n But will you be there? Or will it be your competition?<\/p>\n Investing in SEO is a smart strategy that will help you reap the rewards of organic search traffic for years to come. We can help \u2014 schedule a FREE 1:1 consultation today<\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n SEO is not limited to just incorporating keywords on your website; it is a comprehensive approach that can transform your business’s online performance and unlock a host of benefits that extend far beyond mere keywords.<\/p>\n SEO can be an extremely effective means of increasing organic website traffic. By optimizing your website to attain higher search engine result pages (SERPs), searchers will be drawn directly to it when actively searching. This targeted traffic holds immense value as it comprises potential customers genuinely interested in what you offer.<\/p>\n SEO encompasses an array of techniques that support the customer journey from the awareness phase, where keyword research and competitor analysis lay the foundation, to the consideration phase, where optimized content addresses user queries, and finally, the decision-making phase, where landing pages and customer reviews facilitate conversions. Embracing SEO across this journey ensures a seamless and engaging experience for your prospects.<\/p>\n Beyond keyword optimization, user experience plays a vital role in SEO success. Google’s algorithm rewards websites that provide visitors with a positive, informative, and hassle-free experience. Factors such as page load speed, mobile-friendliness, and visual stability contribute significantly to a good user experience, leading to higher rankings on SERPs and improved chances of retaining visitors on your site.<\/p>\n Embracing SEO also enhances your business’s credibility and authority. Your website consistently appears in top search results, building trust among your target audience. Additionally, SEO integrates well with public relations efforts as optimized press releases can garner more visibility, showcasing your business as an authoritative source in your industry.<\/p>\n Measuring the value of SEO is crucial to understanding its impact on your business. Through insightful analysis, you can determine your SEO strategies’ effectiveness, identify improvement areas and make data-driven decisions to optimize your online presence continually.<\/p>\n How SEO Transcends Keywords for Business Success: Step-by-Step<\/strong><\/p>\n SEO is about much more than optimizing a website. If you\u2019re not sure how SEO can help your business beyond keywords, title tags and anchor text, read on.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":197613,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[1537,1539,1536,1232,1538,1477],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"
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<\/a>5 Reasons You Need SEO<\/h2>\n
1. Organic Search Drives the Majority of Traffic and Revenue for Many Industries<\/h3>\n
2. SEO Supports the Customer Journey<\/h3>\n
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3. SEO Creates a Good User Experience Which Impacts Your Website\u2019s Ability to Rank<\/h3>\n
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4. SEO Supports Public Relations and News Visibility<\/h3>\n
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5. You Can Measure the Value of SEO<\/h3>\n
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<\/a>3 Reasons You Need an SEO Expert to Help<\/h2>\n
1. To Prioritize Your SEO<\/h3>\n
2. Because It\u2019s a Big Job<\/h3>\n
3. Because Not Hiring an Expert Can Cost You<\/h3>\n
SEO Is Essential in the Online Marketplace<\/h2>\n
<\/a>FAQ: How can SEO benefit my business beyond keywords?<\/h3>\n
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