SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. It involves helping both search engines and users easily understand your website. The goal of SEO is to get relevant traffic to your website from the unpaid search results.
Unpaid search results are also called the “organic”, “natural”, or “free” listings. It is any spot on the search engine result page that does not say it’s a paid advertisement. This is often shown with the small word “Ad” somewhere in the listing.
Since you don’t pay for these spots, how do you get there? You must work for them. Imagine you are trying to develop a friendship with Google (or any other search engine). Much like developing a friendship, showing up in these unpaid spots takes time and effort. It is not done overnight, and it is not accomplished by doing one thing. Showing up in the natural, unpaid listings involves a combination of factors.
Perhaps you’re thinking that this is starting to sound like a lot of work. Wouldn’t it be easier to pay for an advertisement, and show up where you want online? Paid advertisement may have a place in an online marketing plan. But, showing up in the unpaid listings is of utmost importance. Why?
A recent study uncovered some interesting information regarding user behavior online. It shows that a lot more people click on the unpaid listings instead of the paid advertisement. Notice these figures:
Of distinct search queries done in Google, only 3.4% resulted in a click on an AdWords (paid) ad
SEO traffic (unpaid listings) have 20x more traffic opportunities than the Pay-Per-Click advertisements
If you are really interested in driving traffic to your business, paying attention to the unpaid listings is well worth the effort.
As shown here in the Google search engine results page, unpaid listings include the map listings (also called Local Pack) and the organic listings below that.
As mentioned earlier, it’s important what search engines see on the back end and what users see on the front end. This means effective SEO is a combination of technical optimizations and design enhancements.
Many of these factors involve your business website. It involves both how your site appears to humans, and how it is coded on the back-end for search engines. This is often called On-Page SEO.
We help you with on-page optimization by paying attention to items such as:
Other factors include your overall online presence and are often called Off-Page SEO. We can help you with off-page optimization by paying attention to areas such as:
Local SEO is a more specific type of optimization. It is for businesses trying to attract customers in a certain geographic area. Many of our services focus on Local SEO.
The concept of general SEO and Local SEO are the same. But, there are some methods of optimization geared toward consumers searching locally.
We'll pay special attention to:
Citations are listings of your business name, address, phone number and website in online directories. They play an important role in showing up to local customers. A recent study (by Moz) revealed the top factors industry leaders believe affect local searches. They consider citations to be in the top five most influential factors.
It is important that these citations all include the same name, address and phone number. It should be the one listed on your website and that’s shown in your Google My Business listing. The consistency of your listings around the web will help legitimize your business with search engines.
These citations serve as a verification of your location and will help build trust with search engines.
They also build trust with consumers searching for your business. A study was released early in 2018 on local citations and consumer trust. It showed that many consumers have seen incorrect details when searching for businesses.
How did these inconsistencies affect their consumer choices? These statistics are worth noting:
Paying attention to your directory listings around the internet is important.
We can perform a complete audit of your online citations and find any inconsistencies or identify areas for improvement. If necessary we’ll develop a plan to build accurate citations online. This will increase trust by both consumers and search engines.
93% of respondents said they get frustrated by incorrect information in online directories
80% of the consumers lose trust in local businesses if they see incorrect or inconsistent contact details or business names online
68% of consumers said they would stop using a local business if they found incorrect information in online directories
Local Search Engine Optimization is an investment in your business, and just like any good investment, it takes time to develop and grow. It may generate some quick wins, but to ensure your spot at the top, you’ll need to pay ongoing attention to it. Why?
We all know time brings change. Change can come fast in the online world. Some of the changing factors may include:
You have no need to worry if you are prepared and have a plan to keep up with these changes. We can help you with a customized monthly SEO Plan fit to your business size and needs.