So, you’ve been thinking about investing in SEO for your business but still aren’t quite sure if it’s the right call.
After all, you only have a finite amount of resources to spend on marketing, and there are a lot of different roads you can take to try and increase traffic and conversions on your website.
To help you figure out if SEO is worth it for your business, here are four characteristics that suggest that SEO is indeed a good investment for your company.
Is SEO Worth It? For Business That Have These 4 Characteristics, it Definitely is
They Are Not Ranking Where They Want to Be on Google
This one is simple enough. If you’ve noticed that you’re not appearing high on Google for search terms and keywords that are commonly associated with your product or service, then SEO is a worthwhile investment.
Odds are that if you haven’t implemented and SEO strategies in the past, then this applies to you. Sure, some businesses can get lucky and have stable search rankings for some keywords, but those rankings won’t last because *newsflash* your competitors are using SEO to unseat those above them. So while you might have a few keywords that you rank well for, it won’t take long before someone overtakes you for the top spot.
The bread and butter of SEO is to rank higher on Google for key terms that will help bring you more business. If that sounds intriguing to you (which it should), then SEO is for you.
They Want to Be a More Digital-Savvy, Forward-Thinking Business
As we’ve seen in the last few months, having a robust digital presence is helping companies survive the current pandemic.
But SEO and other digital marketing initiatives will still be needed even after things return to “normal.” That’s because even long before the coronavirus was on anyone’s radar, online search and shopping have continued to grow. In 2019, US eCommerce sales grew by nearly 15%.
According to this infographic from Social Media Today, last year, 46% of all searches on Google were people seeking local information, and 97% of all search engine users have searched online to find a local business. Eighty-six percent of consumers rely on the internet to find a local business, and almost a third (29%) search for local businesses at least once a week.
You can read about online traffic, shopping, and search statistics all day, and it’ll point in the same directionāhaving a strong online presence is a must if you want your business to thrive today and tomorrow.
They Have the Time to Let SEO Do its Work (And Understand it’s a Slow Burn)
SEO is a lot like Alejandro GonzĆ”lez IƱƔrritu’s 2015 film, The Revenant. Sure, there are some great scenes throughout the 2.5+ hour movie, but the real reward doesn’t happen until we finally see Di Caprio’s Hugh Glass get revenge on Tom Hardy’s vile John Fitzgerald.
Just like the slow burn of The Revenant, SEO is an investment in time that will pay off in the end if you’re patient. And, just like how Hugh Glass had to put in (a lot) of work to reach his end goal of eradicating John Fitzgerald from this earth, businesses also have to understand that to increase leads, hard work must also be done beforehand.
Continued efforts like keyword research, on-page SEO, technical SEO, and the consistent publishing of fresh content for 4-6 months will reap significant rewards. But, you have to be patient. While it’s not uncommon to see boosts in online rankings after a month or so of implementing SEO strategies, if you’re expecting a windfall of leads and new business after just a few weeks of SEO, then you’re setting yourself up for disappointment and SEO might not be for you.
They Are Ready For a New (SEO-Friendly) Website Redesign
I’ve probably used stats like these a million times before, but they offer excellent insight into how vital web design is.
- 38% of people will stop engaging with a website if the content or layout is unattractive.
- 88% of online consumers are less likely to return to a site after a bad experience.
- 39% of users will stop using a website if the images don’t load or take too long to load.
- 75% of consumers admit to making judgments on a company’s credibility based on the company’s website design.
The list of stats that illustrate just how important web design goes on and on. That last one, in particular, the 75% judging a company’s credibility on their website, is astonishing and should scare the living shit out of you if your site is long overdue for a redesign.
Okay, so maybe you need a new website. But what does that have to do with SEO? Well, aĀ masterfully designed website is just one component of a good SEO strategy. That website also needs relevant, keyword-driven content that addresses the needs of your consumers, landing pages that attract new business, services pages that clearly articulate your unique value proposition (or why you’re better than the competition), backlinks that demonstrate authority, technical SEO best practices that help pages rank, and many more SEO strategies.
Think of all these SEO tactics like a baseball team. You can try and field a team with five players, but eventually, those gaps will be exposed when Byron Buxton rips a double into left-center (I miss you, baseball).
You can also have a fairly good SEO presence if you have a good website and implement the occasional SEO strategy. But, if you want to dominate your industry and beat out the competition, you need a robust SEO plan that covers all the bases.
That’s why at Hook, we love working with clients that are need of a new website. It’s a perfect time to hit the refresh button, get energized about the chance to create something fresh and modern, and create an SEO-friendly website that will get you better leads, support your sales team, and even attract the best employees.
If you’re interested in learning more about SEO and whether or not it’s right for you, give us a call at 612.772.9555 or shoot us a message here! Even if we’re not the best fit for you and your business’s needs, we’ll point you in the direction of another agency that is.
