You’ve heard all about it, but you’re still not quite sure what it is or if you need it. They say it can be very good for business, but while you’re curious, you’re not exactly sure where to start. What exactly is SEO, and why do you need it for your business?
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SEO Defined
This three-letter acronym carries so much weight around that it practically sits at the core of any and all business marketing efforts, whether or not they operate fully online or brick-and-mortar. SEO, which stands for Search Engine Optimization, essentially refers to how easily your brand can be found online.
As you may be very well aware, the internet is one huge marketplace, and the competition is fierce and tough. You literally only have a few seconds to catch the attention of your viewer, much less hold onto it, and even then, you’re still not sure if they’re going to buy your product.
With so many options out there, you need to be among the foremost considerations. You can’t be one of them if you’re not visible online.
How SEO can Help
Simply put, SEO can help by improving your brand’s chances of being among the top searches online. Put yourself in the shoes of your audience. If they’re looking for shoes, for example, they would most likely type in keywords related to what they want. The more specific the keyword is, the more filtered the choices become.
Assuming that you are in the business of selling shoes, you would want to have related keywords–the ones most likely to be used by the online user–available on your website’s content, so that you could show up as a search result. Once you’re found, then you’ve cleared the first hurdle of online marketing, which is putting yourself in front of the user as a viable option.
Comprehensive Techniques
Don’t be fooled, however. SEO is not just about stuffing keywords in your website. There’s also the matter of ensuring you have quality content being shared so that other websites can refer to you as a credible resource. The more mentions or link-backs you get, the more you are perceived by the algorithms as something worthy of being bumped up in the search results.
You can even go as specific as you want in terms of marking your target audience. If your business is relatively small, and is focused on a particular area, then you can simply focus your efforts on that region.
All of these may sound complex and overwhelming, which is why it’s highly recommended to hire professional SEO services, such as Firestarter SEO. Agencies specializing in digital marketing can help create a strategy custom for your business, so you can make the most out of your online presence.