Whether you’re an advertising genius or have simply dabbled in marketing, you’ve likely heard of SEO. SEO, or search engine optimization, is one of the modern marketer’s most effective tools. It can be used to promote brand awareness, drive sales, and even provide valuable insights into customer behavior—and it all happens online. Read on to discover what SEO is, why it matters, and how it can help your business or organization reach new heights.
The Basics of SEO
SEO is the technical strategy used to increase the visibility and ranking of a website in search engine results. Google, the most popular search engine, is often the main target of SEO, but it can also be used for other popular search tools like Microsoft Bing and Safari. When a website is optimized for SEO, it means that the site will be more likely to show up higher in search results when someone searches for relevant keywords. SEO can also be used to increase website traffic and to improve the overall user experience on your website.
How SEO Makes Your Business Stand Out
Think about how much content is available on the internet. The average person can use their smartphone or computer to instantly access millions of active websites. If you’re a business trying to sell your products or services, it can be tough to stand out from the crowd.
For example, if a user searches ‘marketing agency,’ they’ll get thousands or even millions of results. Most users aren’t going to go through pages and pages of links to find the answer to their question—they’re instead going to click on one of the first links they see. If your website pops up on the third or fourth page of results, it’s unlikely that anyone searching for your business will ever find you. Considering that trillions of web searches happen every single day, it’s essential to ensure your website is properly optimized for SEO.
How SEO Impacts Consumer Internet Searches
To generate search results, sites like Google use sophisticated algorithms to scour the web and deliver content that’s relevant to a user’s search. Sites with higher rankings typically appear in the first or second page of search results, while lower ranking pages are pushed further back.
Google considers a range of factors when evaluating websites—things like website speed, internal relatedness (links between pages), quality of content, and SEO keywords. When all these factors are properly aligned, it can dramatically improve a website’s ranking. Put simply, SEO matters because it provides an avenue that allows businesses to be seen and heard by potential customers. By taking the time to optimize your website for search engines, you gain a better chance of appearing in search engine results and driving more traffic to your website.
Working Examples of SEO
Let’s try an experiment: Go to your favorite search engine and search for a product. It can be anything from ‘printer ink’ to ‘shampoo.’ Odds are, Amazon will be listed as either the first or second search result. That’s because huge sites like Amazon have put a lot of time and money into making sure their online stores are consumers’ first stops for their everyday needs. Amazon’s high search rankings mean that it’s one of the first stores consumers see on their purchasing journey. It also means that, even if consumers scroll past their link, they’re still seeing Amazon’s name. This encourages brand familiarity, making potential buyers more likely to trust a business and therefore make a purchase.
The benefits of SEO cover more than just product sales: services, reference sites, and informational articles can all use SEO. Every website’s goal is to get users to click on the link, stay on the page, and ‘add to cart.’ Whether that translates to reference sites like Wikipedia getting more donations or a cable company like Xfinity getting more subscriptions, SEO works to ensure success.
Common SEO Strategies for Boosting Sales
There’s a lot more to SEO than just adding relevant keywords to your webpages. There are a few tricks and tips that can help businesses get the most out of their SEO strategy.
- Mobile Optimization: With the prevalence of smartphones, mobile searches have become more popular than ever. One key element is making sure your website is secure and optimized for mobile devices. This helps prospective customers gain trust in your brand and improves page load times.
- Backlinks: High-quality backlinks from other established websites can help boost your website’s ranking and establish it as a credible source. For example, if a reputable site like WebMD links to your website, that will go a long way towards improving your credibility rating. On the flip side, if your website links to inactive or insecure websites, search engines won’t list you as a viable search result.
- Content: Content is king when it comes to SEO. Quality content that contains valuable information and relevant keywords will keep people on your page, helping you climb up the search engine rankings. Google will often penalize content that appears to be plagiarized, duplicate, or AI-generated (meaning tools like ChatGPT can actively hurt your SEO ranking). By working with the media experts at Salem Media Group, you can ensure that your site’s content is fresh, original, and optimized for SEO best practices.
How Salem Media Group Can Boost Your SEO
Salem Media Group is a leading provider of digital marketing services, specializing in content creation and the implementation of SEO strategies. As a nationally recognized media company, we understand the importance of staying ahead of industry trends and understanding our clients’ needs. Our marketing experts are well-versed in the latest SEO techniques and have the expertise to ensure your business’s online presence is maximized.
Optimize Your SEO with Salem Media Group Today
Salem Media Group can help your business or organization get noticed online with our comprehensive SEO services. Whether you’re starting your SEO efforts from scratch or looking to refine your current strategies, our marketing team is here to help. Contact us and find out how we can help you achieve maximum visibility online.
