Marketing is an integral part of running a business. But with the onslaught of modern technology, traditional marketing is no longer enough to keep your head above water. To stay ahead of the competition, you will have to adopt new skills and wield stronger weapons — in digital form.
Nowadays, simply knowing digital marketing strategies and how they work to achieve a goal can make you a more competent business owner. However, not everyone has the time or skills to set aside their core functions and learn a new concept, especially if that concept has to do with search engine optimization (SEO) and the complexities that come with it.
It seems more practical to entrust that aspect of the business to SEO services home to professionals who already have expertise in the industry. And while there’s no shame in admitting your weaknesses, there’s also nothing wrong with allowing yourself to navigate the complex practice at your own pace. You might even be surprised at what you can discover in the process.
It’s Easier than You Think
Once you get past all the buzzwords and the hype, only then will you see SEO for what it truly is: a cost-efficient strategy to get your website on the first page of the search results. Forget about everything you can associate with SEO, such as traffic, rankings, or keywords, and take a step back.
Most things become overwhelming when you try to take them all in one go. That’s why many people choose to back out before they can get the chance to try something out for themselves; their fear of failure gets in the way. But failure is actually the best teacher in life because it shows you what you shouldn’t repeat the next time you try again.
Besides, SEO has a learning curve. This means that the more you put in the effort to understand it, the more it will become easier for you in the long run. So instead of trying to wrap your head around what SEO is as a concept, you should start with the basics, such as the main goal and terms used, then work your way up.
It’s Not the End Goal
Knowing that SEO is not the end goal is arguably the most important detail that you should keep in mind. Doing SEO is only a means to an end, the end being the generation of sales that leads to profits. This is the reason why all businesses invest their resources into doing SEO.
All businesses without customers will cease to exist. Exerting effort into SEO strategies allows your business to stand out from the crowd and potentially attract your prospecting customers. Once your website appears on the results page, what you say can pique their interest and lead them to your web page.
When your prospects at finally at your doorstep, your website’s design, content, and flow are what can make them stay long enough to generate a sale. Using SEO tactics allows you to jump-start this lengthy process of getting the attention of your market, compelling them to see what you have to offer, and reeling them in to close a sale.
It’s an Elevator Pitch
People nowadays have very short attention spans, especially when it comes to the internet. Since there are plenty of resources that can be accessed with a few taps on the keyboard, you will only have a few seconds of their attention to say what you have to say.
That’s why SEO strategies are like your elevator pitch. If you think about it, brick-and-mortar businesses have employees that can directly communicate with their customers regarding the products or service. On the online sphere, however, you don’t have that kind of privilege.
This means that you have to let your website speak for itself and hope that what it says is enough to guarantee a sale. SEO isn’t just about the keywords you use — it’s also about what words you put into your titles and meta-descriptions to catch the eyes of your intended audience.
If you only had 30 seconds or less to sell your product, service, or brand, what would you say to your customer to close a sale? Keep this in mind when you start navigating your way through the complexities of SEO and wonder about what your end goal is.
Your business can exist without SEO because it’s not the only way to market online. But it can make your job a lot easier because it streamlines the process of communication with your target market and increases the potential for sales. With that reason alone, it’s safe to say that learning SEO can be a worthwhile way of spending your time.
