Just how important is to your business to have an SEO strategy in place? According to a recent survey done by Clutch, this figure may not be as high as you would imagine. This survey interviewed 500 digital marketers across companies of various sizes to find out which channels were being utilised most frequently. The results put SEO at just 44%, making it the least popular channel.
Top Reasons to Move Forward With Your SEO Strategy
Instead of investing in an SEO strategy that offered plenty of rewards down the line, many companies chose seemingly simpler and faster strategies, ranging from social media marketing (81%), website (78%), and email marketing (69%) among others. What this tells us is not that SEO offers value but rather that there is still a great deal of confusion when it comes to the role of SEO. Many still believe that SEO is complicated, time-consuming, and expensive. In reality, while it may not be a quick fix, SEO is without a doubt one of the most powerful marketing tools that you could use for long-term growth.
If you’re still on the fence about whether to implement SEO within your broader digital strategy, here are a few things to keep in mind.
Some of the reasons to keep going with your SEO strategy include the following:
Organic reach
SEO is one of the most effective tools for organic growth. That means that you have the ability to improve your online ranking in a way that does not require a huge budget to maintain. Even regular blog posts can make a big difference to your rating over time. Used as part of a broader multichannel strategy, you will be able to improve your reputation without drastic effort or cost.
Enhanced reputation
If you do not have a strong online presence, it is impossible to grow your reputation. One of the biggest mistakes that many businesses make is assuming that they do not need to do anything to be found online. Simply putting up a website is no longer enough. You also need to show Google that your website is a trusted source of information that adds genuine value. This, in turn, helps to establish your company as an industry leader, which is good for many things, not least increased traffic.
Increased conversion
Another benefit that is not widely known is the conversion factor. Think about it this way for a moment… imagine you are looking for a play school for your toddler. Your first step would likely be to search online. You will likely not bother looking past the first page or two. Even then, the schools you look at are likely easy to find, with websites that are easy to navigate, and information that easily helps you get information. Navigation and user-friendly design are tied closely to how websites are ranked. When your website is easy to find AND easy to use, you have a far better chance of conversion.
Treating SEO as an after-thought will only end up making it easier to lose out on the chance to bring in more visitors. Take your SEO strategy seriously and you will start to see results, even if it does not happen overnight.