In recent years, SEO was a technical science comprising analyzing large data sets and breaking it into smaller patterns in an effort to predict future online activity and adapt to the ideal model of what the future was thought to hold. This was something that required massive amounts of effort and teams of specialists and search engine optimizers to foresee coming SEO trends and make their business’s website perform well on search engine ranking results.
Modern SEO, however, is much different. With the development of many technologies based on AI, along with the newest Google algorithm updates, SEO is possible for every business, large or small. And if you’re not taking advantage of this opportunity, then you are going to miss out.
The SEO Migration
We are seeing a rapidly growing shift toward SEO strategies, and people are increasingly beginning to opt for this method in place of PPC and other forms of paid advertising. We are not claiming that PPC doesn’t work; let’s be clear about that. We are simply stating that SEO is better.
SEO offers a unique opportunity to business owners because it is far less expensive than paid advertising, and it delivers a much higher ROI. One problem with paid advertising is that you are paying for each click or ad view, and when you stop paying, consumers will no longer see your ads. On the other hand, effective SEO will continue to be a viable source of leads and revenue with regular website maintenance and content strategy.
Paid Advertising
Before we explain why SEO is better, let’s take a quick look at PPC. It’s true that PPC visitors have a stronger search intent, and they are more likely to make a purchase than organic visitors. The reason behind this is the fact that PPC visitors already know what they want.
Though PPC conversion rates are much higher than those of organic searches, the reality is that some 60% of clicks go to organic search results. When someone is doing research on a purchase they would like to make, 80% of consumers will tend to gloss over all the Google search results that have the “Ad” icon next to them. This is because they know that all of those links will go to a page that is trying to sell them something. At this point in their buyer’s journey, they are not looking for a sales pitch; they’re looking for information to educate themselves on their future purchase.
What Is SEO?
Content
One aspect of SEO is the practice of tailoring your content with keyword research to rank highly in search engine results, but this is only one part of a multifaceted approach to attracting visitors to your website. As Google’s AI becomes increasingly smarter, it can accurately determine the overall quality of your content.
When you are producing content to attract clicks, not only do you need to convince Google that your content is valuable, but you need to convince the reader as well. You can have #1 ranking content, but if no one spends enough time on your page to read it, then it serves no greater purpose than that of a vanity metric. This is why it is important to use research and tools to produce high-quality content that will inform your readers and help them solve a problem they are facing.
When a potential customer is in the early research stages of a purchase, they are looking for someone offering what they need. But they want more than just a product or service in return. First, people searching want to find a business that works on building trust and will earn their purchase by providing the information they are looking for. By providing expert content with an authoritative voice, you will gain the reader’s confidence in your business and product.
Technical SEO
One of the critical ranking factors today is the technical optimization of your website or the platform where you are posting your content. Whether you have a brick-and-mortar store or an online business, we strongly recommend that you have your own website. Having your own website will give you autonomy and control over decisions that will determine whether or not your potential customers will be able to find you.
Having a website that is technically optimized for crawling and indexing determines the success of your SEO campaign. Optimizing your site includes a number of factors, such as speed, URL structure, site map out. It also involves submitting your pages to Google Search Console. If your website contains errors, broken links, and images, and is hosted on a slow server, then Google will automatically assume that the site is of poor quality and will significantly decrease your rankings.
In addition to your on-page SEO, your content also needs to be technically optimized using relevant keywords, keyword phrases, and SEO tools. You can use a combination of short and long-tail keywords to improve organic traffic and click-through rates to your website. Once posted, your content pages need to include title tags and meta descriptions to be indexed by search engines.
Your Approach
Lastly, you need to update your schema to reflect the current state of your market to stay current with ongoing search trends. Right now, for example, people are most likely not looking to make major purchases or long-term financial commitments. Businesses need to tailor a sensible approach to the general public and maintain a respectful attitude toward the way their customers are feeling.
An interesting analysis from a Harvard professor of Business Administration concluded that 95% of purchase decisions are based on emotion rather than logic. What this tells us is that businesses and marketers don’t need to focus on the quality of our products nearly as much as we might think. While it is essential to highlight the benefits of these products and services to demonstrate how they can solve consumers’ problems, it is even more important to establish a connection or relationship with the consumer before we try to make a sale.
A crucial component of this process is storytelling. A good story will capture the reader’s attention and enhance the user experience. And if it is told the right way, it will also earn their trust. This may sound somewhat underhanded, but the truth is that appealing to the emotional component of the consumer’s needs doesn’t equate an attempt to trick them. Or it shouldn’t anyhow.
You believe in the efficacy of your business and your products. If you didn’t, you most likely wouldn’t have taken on a great personal risk to pursue those interests. There will always be fly by night operations looking to make a quick buck, but those are the exception, not the rule. Since you already know that your product is valuable and can solve an issue or problem that a potential customer is facing, then all that is left is show them how they feel when they choose your solution.
Why They Should Choose You
More often than not, there will be many different options found on the web that essentially all do the same thing. As the saying goes, “There is nothing new under the sun.” Pricing will play a large part in the overall attitude that a potential customer will have toward your product, but that is not the end all be all. Finding a voice that will capture a reader’s attention requires authenticity. It is extremely important to be yourself when producing optimized content, but that is not to say that there aren’t some qualities that you should try to adopt.
When communicating with consumers, you need to use strong and compelling language that will alleviate any doubts they may have. Don’t go too far by trying to tell them that they should do what you say because you’re the expert. Just stick to what you know. Don’t focus too much on the logistical aspects of your product, but certainly give them the resources to review those things. Focus on how your product has evolved and developed into a reliable solution for your consumers and yourself.
There is nothing wrong with talking about your success, as long as you’re not bragging. Show the reader how your product’s reliability has produced results for your customers and how that has enabled your business to grow. You can also include testimonials and case studies to back up your claims.
Conclusion
SEO is the new standard for businesses and content marketers. Though it may have appeared to be somewhat inaccessible in the past for small and medium-sized businesses, it has developed organically into the preferred method of increasing visibility and acquiring new customers. This is a result of how technology is increasingly changing to meet customers’ preferences. With the overwhelming amount of information and available options on the internet, consumers are looking for one thing in particular: to establish a relationship of trust with a brand.
SEO techniques can help you accomplish this because it requires authenticity and reliability. The information you provide needs to be accurate and high-quality to make it onto a potential customer’s screen. And the domain where that information is hosted must also be of high quality and well-maintained.
“White hat” SEO is also the smart choice for businesses because it requires lower investment and can bring long term results. Once your content is published on the web and is optimized for searchability, it will remain there for as long as you choose. Paid advertising is subject to rising prices and the whims of search engines and social media outlets, but optimized content that is searchable and high-quality will continue to bring visitors to your website for years to come. And the best part is that it’s yours.
We have developed and implemented a proven method for producing high ranking, quality pieces of content that are easily found by your potential customers. We believe that in a time like this, when emotions are running high, it is crucial to establish a connection with your audience that will ensure the longevity of your business. If you would like to learn more about how we can help you increase your digital marketing ROI, please contact us.
