You may have heard of the buzzwords SEO and Search Engine Optimisation come up in conversation a lot but do you actually know what it is? Many industry experts and business owners are claiming that this method is the only true way to keep your website relevant in the modern era. However many business owners especially those who own and operate a small business are left clueless to what this phenomenon actually is.
If this situation sounds all too familiar to you, you don’t have to worry any longer. Continue reading as we break down what SEO is and how it can be used to benefit your business.
What is it?
Search Engine Optimisation, commonly referred to as SEO, is all about optimising your online presence to have your website appear at the top of the Google results page. It is common fact that most people don’t look past the first page when they are searching for something so obtaining that number one spot is highly beneficial in getting you the business that you need to grow.
There are many different methods in which you can do to improve your SEO. With that in mind it is important to note that this method isn’t a fast results guaranteed kind of deal. Search Engine Optimisation shouldn’t be seen as a get rich scheme but rather a long term investment. Once you achieve that number one spot on the results page your efforts shouldn’t stop there. You need to constantly be improving and working on your efforts to ensure that your competitors don’t overtake you.
How long does it take to work?
When small business owners enlist in the services of an SEO agency that immediately asked what the estimated time frame is in which they can start to see results. As their money is being invested into something that they can’t necessarily grasp it is important that they know it is going to good use and that the agency is actually doing work. With that said you won’t see any real results until the 3 month mark.
Even so this timeframe is an estimate and isn’t a one case fits all kind of scenario. For different search terms you will find that the time frame differs. For example there is an abundance of law firms and their respective websites out on the internet. If you were to try and get law firm “insert your city name here” you may find that it could take a lot longer to rank for that term. More niche search terms and longer ended ones are easier to rank as the competition is lower.
What are the benefits?
We mentioned it briefly before but can’t stress this point enough. People are very unlikely to click on the second results page when they are searching for a term. The majority of clicks happen on the front page which is why it is very important that you at least get to that page if not the first result. Think of all the business you are missing out on if you are at the top of the second page as opposed to the bottom of the first. The internet is a great tool for people who are lazy as they can simply look for something and with little to no effort. From such many business owners invest in SEO services to get their website to the front page.
Additionally getting your website and social media channels to the front page also lowers the chance that a user clicks on your competitors. The more results you have on the front page the less room for those who are trying to take away your business.
As our marketing manager, James takes on the responsibility of overseeing the creation of original, persuasive and high quality content that is an integral part of how we achieve success for our clients. Through his experience working in the SEO field, James has developed a robust understanding of core digital marketing principles and has a particular interest in the growing importance of sincere and engaging content in world where issues like ‘fake news’ have become a major talking point.