Almost 30% of all global website traffic comes from the search results pages. That figure grows by up to three times in the case of first-time visitors to your website. These facts alone should make clear the case for using search engine optimization (SEO) tactics to boost your visibility in search engines like Google and Bing.
"User experience is now just as important to the point it has become a top priority for marketers"
With organic search being the primary source of website traffic, it is more important than ever that you have a robust yet adaptable SEO plan. Yet at the same time, SEO is perhaps still one of the most misunderstood areas of digital marketing and brand management. There is, after all, far more to SEO than keyword optimization. Here are some examples of how Google ranks websites:
The above are some of the most important ranking factors. Google generally keeps quiet about precisely how its website crawlers work, but it’s estimated that there are at least 200 ranking factors in total. There’s no need to address all of these in your SEO plan, but focusing on the most important ones can help your business in several key ways, such as:
Successful brands are known authorities in their respective industries, hence Google favors content that it considers relevant and authoritative. There are numerous elements that go into establishing authority, such as the placement of relevant links and content that is educational or entertaining rather than promotional. In other words, if your content delivers real value to its intended audience, it will meet one of Google’s key requirements and enhance your credibility.
In the old days, webmasters thought of SEO largely in terms of keyword-based optimization, but the truth is that search engines have evolved far beyond that over the past decade. After all, Google’s machine learning algorithms are among the most sophisticated in the world. User experience is now just as important to the point it has become a top priority for marketers. For example, if your website is poorly optimized for the small screens and touch controls of tablets and smartphones, chances are it will end up being buried in the search results.
Only a tiny fraction of website visits come from paid advertising, such as sponsored listings in search results or ads on social media. That’s not to say that paid advertising is a waste of time and money, but it should never take priority over organic search. While paid advertising offers quick results, SEO is all about long-term growth and sustainability. To that end, it should not be viewed solely as a marketing cost center, but as an investment in your business.
SEO might not have an instantly calculable ROI when compared to sponsored advertising, but that doesn’t mean it’s not measurable. For example, using a platform like Google Analytics or HubSpot gives you a clear picture of where your visitors are coming from and how long they’re spending on each page of your website. This way, you can quickly identify which content your visitors engage with most and which content needs improvement. With these insights at your fingertips, SEO helps you continuously improve your strategy to fuel long-term growth.
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