Today, businesses of all sizes must have an awesome online presence to attract potential customers. Without a modern, comprehensive marketing strategy, you’ll be missing out on more leads than you might think.
Just think about how you search for the products and services you need. If you’re like most people, you’re not opening the phone book or calling numbers on billboards. You’re probably using Google and sticking to the first page of results.
But how can you get your business to rank high enough on Google for your potential customers to find you? The answer is SEO.
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What Is SEO, Anyway?
SEO, or search engine optimization, is a process that businesses implement to make it easier for Google and other search engines to pick their website out from millions of others that could pop up instead.
In simple terms, it works like this: The search engine’s algorithm looks for websites that provide the best experience for visitors. It also takes social media presence into account as it decides in an instant whether your website will be on the first page — or the last.
The Components of SEO Services
To optimize your website, you’ll want to make sure you’re integrating these necessary SEO services:
Keyword analysis
Do you know the exact words your potential customers are typing into the search box of Google (or Yahoo or Bing) to search for the product or service you provide? That string of words is known as a keyword, and you can use them strategically throughout your website to rank higher.
However, keyword selection isn’t a game of guesswork. For example, if someone is looking for an ice cream parlor in Las Vegas, they may type “ice cream Las Vegas” or “gelato on The Strip.” Identifying and using relevant keywords to label your content is essential for getting your content in front of potential customers.
Experience enhancement
The content you provide on your website must be educational, entertaining, or useful in some way, Otherwise, people will scroll right past you. SEO services must not only enhance the content that you offer, but also ensure that you don’t have duplicative content that can result in a lower ranking.
SEO agencies know the best practices that are used for building out web pages with the kind of copy that gets noticed not only by the search engine but also by your customers. Experts can help you refine and expand your content to position you as an authoritative leader in your industry.
You also need your company’s site to function well across platforms — not just on laptops and PCs. Google’s algorithm frowns on sites that aren’t optimized for viewing on smartphones or tablets.
Backend improvements
This is where most business owners throw up their hands, but you can outsource this task to an SEO agency if you’re not comfortable optimizing code. These services include cleaning up the backend of your website to organically improve your ranking.
For example, let’s talk about tags: When you upload an image to your site, there’s a section for copy to explain the image called the tag. If that ice cream parlor photo has “ice cream in Las Vegas” as part of the tag, it will show up higher on the Google Images page.
It’s the same for your site’s HTML and Meta tags; they must include identifying words or phrases to help search engines find them.
Better understand the competition
Another important part of SEO is a service known as “competitive analysis.” With the right tools, SEO agencies can see how your competition’s website ranks in a variety of factors. With this information, you’ll be able to create an online strategy that can beat them where it matters most.
Perhaps that ice cream parlor is competing with one down the road that was linked to by some blogs or articles about ice cream shops in Las Vegas. Links from external websites are called inlinks, and they can also help your rankings. You’ll want to optimize those inlinks for your business, too.
Monthly reports to show success
How will you know if it’s working? Make sure you work with an SEO agency that provides monthly statistics to track measurable objectives and gauge success. As a business owner, you don’t have time to wade through endless charts and figures. You deserve updates in plain English.
You also deserve clear and transparent pricing and workflow. The best SEO agencies can explain the work that needs to be done to improve your website and what it will cost up front.
Talk to an SEO Expert Today
These SEO services are part of a long-term online marketing strategy designed to make it easier for your customers to discover you without pop-ups or other paid advertisements. (Ads are an important part of marketing! They serve a different purpose, though.) Modern consumers are usually more inclined to trust their own research than click on an ad.
Once your website is optimized for search engines, you’ll need to continue improving your ranking with local business SEO and content marketing. This includes everything from checking for errors in online directories to crafting blogs that get clicks and views.
SEO experts can provide you with the focus and know-how you need to improve your search ranking and bring in new customers.