Even with the importance that the internet plays in commerce and industry, businesses still have trouble with one very important aspect of their internet presence, SEO. the biggest question is how SEO affects any business when it comes to their bottom line. This is only natural as any investor would want to understand their return if they’re investing time and money. However, this can also be a difficult question to answer, especially when you consider the many variables that are at play in SEO. Furthermore, each business has its own logistics and qualities, and each would be affected differently when it comes to the impact of SEO in their organization.
However, the variables and differences notwithstanding, past practices have allowed us to gauge a generalized idea of the impact of SEO on any business’ bottom line. Today we’ll discuss each of the different impacts with a little bit of detail to help you understand, in a general, as to what SEO can do for your business.
So without further ado, let’s go!
SEO Improves Sales
It is a known fact that most people nowadays use the internet when they’re looking for services or goods. Furthermore, statistics show that more than 90% of online activity, regarding the purchase of goods or services, starts with a search engine. With search volumes growing each year, the need for search engines won’t be going away anytime soon.
SEO is what brings your site to the top of the search engine results, which means more users will see your site and visit to buy what they need. Look at these updated numbers from one of our local clients. They have dramatically improved the numbers of visitors coming to the site daily, which in turn, has lead to more calls, form submissions, and ultimately…..drum roll, please…..SALES!
These results didn’t happen because they were hoping and praying Google would be nice to them. These types of results happen when you are doing the right things that help push your business forward, and you become more relevant in the eyes of the Search Engine Overlords.
SEO Will Create Organic Traffic
When you see a store that’s empty most of the time, you’re not going to want to go in there yourself. A store that’s flowing with foot traffic is considered to be a successful store and everyone will automatically think there must be something good about it, which is why there are so many people.
In the same way, SEO brings more users to your website and this traffic would not be forced or artificial. I other words, it would be “organic” traffic. Search engines place a great deal of importance on organic traffic in their assessment of rankings and if you are able to ensure a good organic presence, you are bound to rank higher.
SEO Doesn’t cost the same as other advertising methods do
Digital marketing costs can definitely vary. They’re more variables that are likely to increase those markers for your business, so expect the cost per click to likely be much higher, especially if the services you are offering are “highly valued” and the demand is up there too.
With conventional means of marketing, you’d have to spend money on air time or billboards or newspaper space (thousands upon thousands of dollars!). SEO doesn’t have any price tag attached to it. You don’t need to pay for space or ranking on a search engine. All you need to do is follow guidelines that are readily available to anyone. The internet is virtually the biggest platform for any type of trade and to make sure you stand out, you don’t have to pay like you would in conventional forms of doing business.
The only cost would be hiring a consultant and, while it would be better to hire a consultant, you could even do it yourself. However, if you’re a running business and have employees, then you should aim to hire people who have such skillsets. This would typically involve someone who is great at writing content, but also has a high level of understanding when it comes to the technical side of optimization.
Either way, by implementing the proper strategy, or hiring someone who will, it will have a significant impact on your customer acquisition cost, which refers to the amount of money it takes to attract one customer to your business. If your marketing costs are reduced, or completely slashed, by SEO, then your customer acquisition cost will also come down significantly.
Remember also, the work that gets done for SEO is tangible. The content created for your website is yours. It stays and continues to provide relevancy for your website. When you simply just pay for ads, once you stop paying…..that’s it. There won’t be a continuation of traffic as a result, its like hitting a brick wall.
Unlike Employees, SEO works 24/7
The internet has birthed a global economy allowing for trade to be easier than it has ever been in human history. As such, more and more businesses are looking to establish a global presence, but in order to do that, they need employees who can work everywhere and around the clock. The more people you hire, the higher your cost of doing business will be.
SEO, on the other hand, allows for a global internet presence, provided it is done right. An optimized website and a strong organic online presence will ensure that you have a global presence at all times. Along with not having to worry about paying more salaries, you’ll also be saved from the burden of having to manage more employees.
That is why it is best to outsource your website’s optimization efforts to an SEO expert. Remove the need for training, benefits and a competitive salary, and your efforts won’t just happen quicker, they’re likely to be more sustained.
A lack of SEO would cause doubt
In addition to improving your search engine ranking and attracting customers, SEO ensures you have a site that users can appreciate. User experience is a pivotal element used by search engines in assessing a site’s SEO ranking. Following SEO guidelines will ensure your site is optimized in a way to create the best user experience.
Furthermore, a quality optimized website also creates a level of trust in your customer base. If your site doesn’t function properly and does not have an adequate ranking on any given search engine, customers will have doubt as to your capabilities and you would be losing out on business. It’s the same as not doing any marketing or advertising and such an activity is bound to hot your bottom line in a massive way. If you need a team to handle your website design, reach out to our team and we can get you set up properly!
The biggest change that is happening over at good old Google, is what we call Google’s Page Experience. The days of having a broken website and getting away with it is nearly gone. This experience, good or bad, will have either a positive or negative impact on your business. If you have zero experience with managing your website, or not sure where to even begin, it’s likely time you have a conversation with a local SEO pro.
CONCLUSION
As you can see, there are quantifiable means to assess how much of an impact SEO has on your business’ bottom line. Following SEO guidelines are bound to help improve your business, especially if you operate mostly (or solely) on an online platform. Remember that each search engine or platform will have its own SEO guidelines and these guidelines tend to change frequently, yet erratically. So keep a close eye on developments to ensure that you’re always ahead of your competition and rank at the top.
Check Out Our Latest Posts
- What is Semantic SEO?
- 16 Canada Small Business Grants and Programs
- Financial Advisor Tips for Success & a Thriving Career
- Lead Generation for Financial Advisors in 2024
- Boost Website Traffic 300% with These Proven Junk Removal SEO Tactics
