Insights

So, You've Been Googled. Now What?

SEO and It's Importance

If you've been paying attention to digital marketing, you've probably heard a thing or two about SEO. But what is SEO, exactly? And why is it so important? In this post, we'll answer those questions and more, giving you the information you need to make sure your website is ranking high enough in search engine results pages.

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What is SEO?

SEO, or search engine optimization, is the process of making sure your website appears as high as possible on search engine results pages. Since Google is by far the most popular search engine, we'll use them as an example. Google's algorithms are constantly changing, but they generally favor websites that are relevant, well-designed, and easy to use. However, there are a number of other factors that can affect your rankings. For example, the number and quality of backlinks (links from other websites to yours) play a big role.

SEO can be divided into two main categories: on-page and off-page. On-page SEO refers to all the measures you can take to make sure your website is optimized for Google's algorithms. This includes things like using the right keywords, having a mobile-friendly design, and making sure your website loads quickly. On the other hand, off-page SEO refers to all the measures you can take to improve your website's visibility that don't have anything to do with your actual website. This includes things like link-building and social media marketing.

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Why is SEO Important?

There are a number of reasons why SEO is so important for businesses today. First of all, it's worth noting that Google handles over 8.5 billion searches per day! That means that there are a lot of potential customers out there who could be coming to your website... If only they could find it. And that's where SEO comes in. By making sure your website appears as high as possible on search engine results pages, you're dramatically increasing the likelihood that those potential customers will actually find your site and become real leads or customers. In addition, research has shown that organic search results (i.e., non-paid results) are more trusted than paid ads by users. So not only will good SEO helps you get more traffic, but it will also help you build trust and credibility with potential customers.

Did you know? A properly optimized website, with high quality on and off-page SEO, drives an average of 300% more foot and website traffic. There's no question about it: if you want your business to succeed online, you need to make sure you're doing everything you can to optimize your website for search engines - and that includes investing in good SEO practices. Luckily, there are a number of measures you can take to improve your site's visibility and draw more traffic from organic searches. By being mindful of things like keywords, backlinks, and design elements like page speed and mobile friendliness, you can ensure that your website is ranking high in SERPs... and reaping all the benefits that come with it!

Local SEO is a highly undervalued asset that most small businesses can't take the time to properly optimize. A proper and targeted local SEO strategy can elevate your business's physical and website traffic, hands down. First Thought has a plethora of resources available for you to explore if you would like to help your small business grow organically through the use of SEO. Our SEO practices have proven results and are guaranteed to increase your website's traffic within the first thirty days of implementation.

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