Twenty years ago, if a business wanted exposure, they would have paid to put a listing in the Yellow Pages (remember that?). Now companies want to appear at the top of the search engine results page because that is how most consumers search for a solution or service. 

Many business owners make the mistake of thinking it's a case of just "doing SEO" without thinking about how, or indeed if, it will benefit them. When considering SEO for your business, it's important to note that it's more than just a one-size-fits-all strategy. 

Why is SEO important? Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is optimizing a website to generate more traffic from search engines. This practice improves and nurtures a website's visibility or ranking in organic search engine ranking pages and drives maximum traffic to the website to increase its visibility, sales leads, traffic, and more.

SEO practice includes creating content such as blogs, infographics, and videos to post on your website that contains keywords or phrases relevant to your industry. While it's not the only marketing channel a business should use, it still forms an integral part of a marketing plan for most companies. 

Deploying this strategy can make the most out of your business development with your potential target customers just around the corner when you have perfected the technique. 

Why is SEO good for business and is it right for you?

Before hiring an SEO expert, ask yourself these questions to be sure it's the right choice for you now or in the future: 

How does someone typically find your business? Does your target market typically use search engines to find you, or are they more likely to use TikTok or Instagram? SEO benefits most businesses and brand awareness, but social media may be more appropriate for building awareness for some industries. 

What is the age of your business? New businesses need to be more present on the Internet. They can benefit greatly from SEO and also paid ads to boost awareness.

Are you willing to create or spend money on content? If so, the content needs to be audience-centric, focusing on what your reader wants to learn, not what you want to talk about. Be sure that it's helpful and informative, credible, engaging, and of high quality. 

Are you an e-commerce business, brick-and-mortar, or a combination? E-commerce businesses can do better with paid ads / social media to generate initial awareness (top of the funnel) and focus on brand/product awareness with their SEO, which is vital for brand awareness. 

Do you have patience? Time is a massive consideration for SEO; it doesn't happen overnight. It can take 3-6 months to see good results. If your business faces a time constraint, spend your marketing budget on paid ads, which you can reap the benefits of within 24 hours. 

If you are interested in SEO, let's talk. We have experts on staff that specialize in SEO. Fill out the form below to get started in the right direction.