Why is SEO So Important for Your Website? SEO is a mystery to many people. In truth, it is even a mystery to lots of self-appointed SEO experts. When something is difficult to understand it is obviously difficult to define the benefits. So, if you don’t know why SEO is important for your website and business, why would you spend time and/or money on it?
Firstly, let’s look at what SEO is without going into the technical mumbo jumbo. Instead, we will focus on the results of SEO as that will move us a step closer to understanding why you need it.
SEO involves taking several steps to:
- Give Google and other search engines a better understanding of what your website is about
- Show Google that you are a leader and an authority in your industry and in your market
- Indicate to Google the types of phrases, known as keywords, that you would like your website to appear for
- Ensure your website appears in as high a position as possible when users do a search for your brand, products, or service
This still doesn’t answer why you need SEO. Let’s look at that now.
It Won’t Happen on Its Own
The list above are common objectives of an SEO strategy. The simple fact is none of those things will happen on their own. Let’s look at Google as an example as it is the most used search engine in the country. Google gives website owners guidelines on how to achieve the best possible rankings in search. In other words, it is a very structured process.
If your website and marketing strategy doesn’t fit in with that structure, you won’t achieve the objectives listed above. In other words, if you want Google to send visitors to your website, you need SEO.
This leads us nicely to the next point.
Do You Really Need Traffic from Google Search?
This is a legitimate question to ask. After all, there are lots of other ways to get traffic to your website:
- PPC advertising
- Social media
- Email marketing
- Direct mail
- Offline advertising
- Industry organisations and portals
- And more
The fact is, most people start their search for a product or service on Google. That means there are people who are right now going to Google to search for the products you sell or the services that you offer. Even if you get traffic to your website from other sources, you are leaving money on the table if you ignore potential traffic from Google.
Also remember that the people searching on Google will have to go somewhere. This is likely to be one of your competitors who does invest time and/or money in SEO. Unless you are regularly in the business of gifting customers and profit to your competitors, you need SEO.
What SEO Do You Need?
While SEO is important for your website, the exact nature of your SEO strategy will depend on your business. There are many small things, for example, that you can do in-house that require minimal time or effort and practically no expense. You may also want to go into more advanced SEO strategies or bring in a professional.
Whatever option you choose, make sure SEO has a part in your overall marketing strategy.
