We tend to talk about SEO in technical terms. That is, how do search engines work? What is the algorithmic magic they’re performing to take a term you search for and turn it into a list of web pages and descriptions?
We talk about them this way because, as digital marketers, we’re always trying to crack that code. To uncover that magic. SEO is a massive part of what we do. And we want our peers and clients alike to know why we do what we do for SEO.
But! We get it. You don’t need to know the ins and outs of optimizing search engine results. That’s not your industry, and it’s not what your business does.
But you do need your SEO to work. And that’s what we’re talking about here. Why SEO is so important, and what it looks like when it’s at its best.
Why is SEO so important?
SEO is how people find your business online. Simple as that. (Yes, that’s why it’s so important to us digital marketers. Digital marketing is primarily about helping people find your business online, and making sure it looks good when they do.)
What does SEO look like on a search engine?
SEO literally means “search engine optimization.” We’re optimizing the results of any search that your website might (or should) appear in. That means A) that your website appears on or near the top of the results list, and B) that the information that appears with your website link is clear and appealing.
We don’t want this to be too abstract, so think about it in terms of your own behavior. How do you find things on the internet? We’re pretty sure you go to google.com first. Or you just type your search terms into the bar at the top of your internet browser, which is also operated by a search engine (probably google).
Say you type, “Bradenton locally owned [service you’re looking for].”
You hit enter and a list of websites pops up. You read the title of the websites, probably starting with the first one and scrolling downward. You might also look at the “snippet” of website text that let you know the smallest bit of what each website contains.
And then based on those results, you choose which link to click on, and which website to visit.
If your SEO is bad (ie if your “search engine” results aren’t “optimized”) then your website appears below a lot of other websites on that list, meaning a lot of people won’t even see it. Or it doesn’t appear at all. And/or the snippet is terrible or misleading or gibberish.
And then let me ask you this: If your SEO is terrible—if your business’s website never appears on these lists—then how are people finding it? Hint: They’re not. Anywhere from 45% to 93% of website traffic comes directly from search engines. Anything else you’re doing is just twiddling your thumbs.
(FYI if you ever look for businesses via directories or ratings sites, Deckard & Company recommends those services as well.)
What does SEO look like on my website?
We’re not talking about how or why google does what it does. We’re just going to tell you, briefly, about what successful SEO looks like.
“There is no substitute for good content.” Whether it’s your landing page copy or your fresh, regularly published blogs, content is the name of the SEO game. That means really well written copy, especially. And stuff that’s actually relevant to your business, your industry, and your customers. (Did we mention we use a southwest Florida-based professional copywriter?)
In addition to being quality, your content will contain the “keywords” that pertain to your business. These keywords include industry-specific phrases (especially ones used by your prospective customers) as well as regional terms to help people who search for, say, “Bradenton small business [your industry].”
Also, you need fresh content. This isn’t just about finding the same people who want to return to your site on a regular basis (though that’s good, too). Fresh content actually helps people find your website who’ve never even seen it before. Yeah, they don’t know it’s fresh content, but that’s what made them see your site on the search results in the first place.
SEO in Short
Long story short, you could have the prettiest, most spectacular site in southwest Florida. But if your SEO is terrible, then nobody is seeing it.
And putting your website out there before it’s perfect is way better than hiding it away.
The best news is, good SEO breeds even better SEO. This is one of the biggest reasons you want good content and not just AI-generated crap. The more real people click on your website, stay on your website, and just plain-old like your website, the higher your SEO ranking will go.
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