One year ago, there was a small art gallery near my home. The gallery had a lot of potential, but it shut down a few months ago. The problem? It wasn’t equipped with the right tools to thrive in the digital world.
As you might be aware, the world is going digital, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only fastened this shift. To survive and thrive in this new world, small businesses need more than just an excellent product – they need digital weapons like Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
In this article, we’ll discuss what is SEO and why SEO services are crucial for small businesses.
Ready to dive in? Let’s get started!
What is Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a broad term that encompasses multiple strategies, actions, and best practices, all of which are used with the end goal of improving your website’s ranking on search engines (hence the term search engine optimization).
SEO is divided into two categories: on-page and off-page. On-page SEO refers to all the measures you can take to directly control your website (or individual web pages) and improve its search engine ranking. These include keywords, header text, site speed, and more. In contrast, off-page SEO has all the activities carried out on other websites – or simply away from your website – to boost its search engine ranking.
SEO is one of the best and most cost-effective digital marketing tools. It’s a great way to boost your website’s ranking, connect with more potential customers, and increase website traffic with qualified leads in today’s world.
SEO Services for Small Businesses: How Important Are They?
Here are five reasons why SEO is essential for your business:
SEO is cost-effective and quantifiable
One of the first things that you’d notice about SEO is that it’s more cost-effective than other ways of procuring customers. Sure, it costs money, and the upfront payment might be substantial for most business owners, but it’s relatively cheap in the bigger picture and offers a considerable payoff, too, in the long term.
Besides this, SEO is also quantifiable. Although it’s not easy to calculate ROI for SEO for paid clicks, proper tracking and analytics make the job pretty straightforward
It helps create user-friendly websites
Every business wants to maximize its visibility on the web and rank on the first page of Google. Still, few realize that optimal user experience plays a significant role in this journey.
Despite its name, SEO isn’t just about search engines – its ultimate focus is the user. Search engines like Google know how to interpret a good or bad experience. This means when your users are happy, this will reflect positively on your search engine ranking (and vice versa). Following effective on-page SEO techniques can help you improve the user experience and leverage it in your business’s favor.
It increases brand awareness
It can be hard to increase your visibility and strengthen your brand image as a small business as you cannot afford the expensive billboard and TV advertisements. This is where SEO comes into play.
According to the latest research, 81% of people search for a product or service online before purchasing. If your business doesn’t appear in their search results, they’ll never know about it. SEO can help you maximize your visibility, resulting in qualified leads and an increase in revenue in the long term.
It opens up new opportunities
High-quality SEO services for small businesses don’t only make a business more discoverable, but they also open doors of opportunities that you can leverage to make yourself stand out.
Besides customers, proper SEO also helps other businesses in discovering your business. This can result in potential deals and collaborations, all of which can help you gain exposure, reach more potential customers, and create new connections that are essential to survive in the business world.
Local SEO means increased engagement, traffic & conversions
Local SEO has become an integral part of small and medium sizes businesses’ journey to success, mainly due to the rise in the number of people searching for nearby businesses on Google and other search engines.
As the term suggests, local SEO services for small businesses are aimed at optimizing your website for a specific area, city, or region (where your business offers its services), making it easier for nearby people to find your business and initiate a transaction. Local SEO Companies optimize the brand’s Knowledge Graph panel, its Google My Business listing, and its social media profiles as a start.
Is SEO More Important for Some Businesses Than Others?
At this point, you’re probably wondering if SEO is really that important for your business. You might be operating in an industry with little to no competition, so your business already ranks on #1. Or you have too much competition and are struggling to rank in the first place, so you’re wondering whether SEO can even help you or not.
Well, it doesn’t matter what situation your business is in. If you have a website for your business, then SEO is a must for you. The type of industry your business operates in and its landscape might affect the type of SEO services for small businesses you need, but it doesn’t change the importance of SEO anyhow.
Digitorm: Offering Top-Rated SEO Services for Small Businesses
There’s no doubt that SEO is a very powerful tool that offers high returns with a relatively small investment and boosts your small business’s overall growth, making you one of the top contenders in your niche.
Wondering where you can start with SEO or revive your existing SEO strategy? You’ve come to the right place.
Digitorm offers top-of-the-line SEO services for small businesses. We have a team of SEO specialists who’ll identify what your business needs, design a personalized SEO strategy for your business, and also monitor the analytics to ensure you’re 100% satisfied.
Ready to take your small business to new heights of success? Schedule your free consultation session today!
