SEO–short for “Search Engine Optimization”–is one of the most commonly used terms in the digital marketing world. So much so, in fact, that you’ve probably heard it even if your business doesn’t even have a website yet. But what does it mean, and most importantly, why do you need to know about it? Is it meaningless tech jargon or is it a vitally important part of marketing your business? (Hint hint: it’s the latter.)
How do Search Engines Work?
We won’t bore you with all the in-depth techno-babble, but fundamentally, major search engines like Google work by scanning billions upon billions of websites and indexing them based on the information they find. This can include site content like text, images, and meta-data tags, particular sets of keywords that define what the site is “about,” links to and from other websites, and how users who visit a site spend their time on the site.
Search engines make their money through data and ad sales, but in order for those revenue streams to function, they depend on gaining the trust of their search users. Any given user is more likely to continue to use a search engine that consistently returns results that answer their queries, give them useful recommendations, and don’t suggest low-quality, dangerous, or irrelevant websites. For this reason, search engines don’t just index website info, they also rank web pages by quality. These rankings determine which websites show up in which order for any given search query, and when the rankings work well, that’s how a search engine gains user loyalty.
What is Search Engine Optimization?
In its broadest form, Search Engine Optimization means positioning your website so that Google can analyze it the way they like and fully understand what you do, who you do it for and where you do it. This can be done in a variety of ways, such as including keywords (words and phrases that, if searched for, you’d want your website showing up under) in your web copy, tagging your pages and photos with appropriate metadata to help the indexing process, and generally making your website as user-friendly and informative as possible so that users stick around and find value in your site.
This is–of course–hardly a comprehensive list of SEO options, and there’s a reason that entire industries are built around providing Search Engine Optimization services. It’s a complicated practice made even more complicated by the fact that search engine algorithms are constantly changing and updating, often with little-to-no transparency, making it difficult to know what strategies remain effective.
Do I Need Search Engine Optimization for My Website?
With all that being said, why is Search Engine Optimization important for your website? If it’s such an opaque science and such a never-ending process, why bother when you could put your time, money, and energy into more traditional marketing options? The answer lies in the vitality of search engines in the marketing process. As of this year, 80% of major purchase processes start with online research, and leads that come from search engines are over eight times more likely to result in a sale than outbound leads.
Those are huge numbers and underscore the importance of having a searchable website. But most consumer websites appear in search engines; is that enough? No! If you remember only one statistic from this article, it should be this one: 75% of search engine users never go past the first page of results. Search results are hugely competitive, and if you’re not on the first page of results for a particular term, you might as well be invisible. This is why Search Engine Optimization is necessary for your website because a page that ranks highly for relevant search queries grants your business massive exposure to the customers who could use your products or services.
Now, most search engines (and Google in particular) push heavily to get businesses to advertise on their platforms. This means paying to run sponsored, “pay per click” ads that appear at the top of particular search queries. This seems like a great shortcut to get your brand in front of potential customers, and there’s absolutely a time and a place for search engine advertising for many businesses. However, consumers are savvy: 4 out of 5 search engine users ignore paid ads and only look at “organic” (unpaid) search results. So a well-optimized website not only gets in front of the right eyes but appears more trustworthy and reliable.
How Do I Get Started Doing Search Engine Optimization?
We hope we haven’t scared you off–Search Engine Optimization may be a complex and somewhat intimidating science, but there are easy ways for any business owner to get started. SEO is a long-term strategy and you likely won’t see results right away, but starting with a few of these simple steps can put you on the right track: Making sure your web page titles are relevant to the info you want your potential customers to find, making sure your pictures are labeled so they show up in Google Image Search results, and making sure your web copy is readable and informative will all help get you on your way.
Of course, if you don’t have the time, or if you want to make sure your website is always keeping up with the newest algorithm changes, or you’d just rather leave it in the hands of a specialist, consider reaching out to a company specializing in SEO like Skol Marketing. If you’d like to discuss how our assistance can help your business reach more people through Search Engine Optimization, please don’t hesitate to contact the local SEO experts at Skol Marketing.
