How does Search Engine Optimization (SEO) bring traffic and leads to your business? And why is SEO a great way to target audiences and generate sales?

This article will show you how SEO is used to increase sales, why its so effective, and the advantages you can expect.

For those who are more advanced and want to start off sprinting, below is a list of current articles we put together on the subject to help you improve your personal SEO efforts.

The Search Engine Optimization Article List:

The Beginner’s Guide to Keyword Research

Improve Your Search Engine Optimization Ranking through Long-Tail Keyword Research

Reduce Bounce Rate: 5 Simple Tips Using Smart Copy

How to Increase Website Speed

Photo Credit: BigOakFlickr via Compfight cc

What is Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?

Search Engine Optimization is the process of improving your website’s visibility on Search Engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo.

Why is SEO great for generating business? You get to:

• target specific keywords (targeting audiences)
• generate leads for the long-term
• quickly become locally visible on search engines
• corner local and niche markets
• lead traffic to specific landing pages to generate sales

But how do marketers and web development companies optimize your website to rank higher on search engines?

We will first start talking about keywords.

Keywords and Their Role

Generally, keywords are the foundation of how you will rank. Your keywords are chosen from a specific set of variables. Here are 4 variables to consider when looking at a keyword:

1. Search Volume

How many people are searching for this keyword?

2. Audience

Who is searching for this keyword. Is the audience targeted or from all over?

3. Niche Markets

Does this keyword hone in on a niche market?

4. Page Authority and Domain Authority of Competitors

How well are competitors ranking for this keyword on Google’s Search Engine Result Pages (SERPs)?

After you get a set of keywords, you can begin focusing on other parts of your SEO strategy.

Search Engine Metrics

Your rank is decided from a list of search engine ranking factors. To put these factors simply, you must take into account:

1. Quality of links
2. Links within articles (to your website and other websites)
3. Traffic Engagement
4. Content Relevancy
5. Brand name usage (from offline outlets and online)
6. Social Media Metrics

Improving your search engine ranking requires both knowledge of on-page SEO optimization and technical background knowledge.

As well, content marketing plays a huge role in your search engine rankings.

The Purpose of Content in SEO

Content has become a integral part of SEO, and for good reason.

Content serves many purposes in your company’s goals:

1. It helps foster prospects into customers.

2. Provide a set of information for Search Engines to learn about your website.

3. Give authority, credibility, and SEO-weight to your website.

Google uses small programs called “spiders” that crawl through your website and learn about it using the content that is on it.

As well, spiders crawl through your outbound links to learn about your website in the context of other web pages.

Imagine that you are providing a large pamphlet of information to describe what your website does, except a computer is reading it. A highly-advanced computer by the way.

Your content must be relevant and cause visitors to engage. Companies use multi-media and competent writers who can write engaging and informative articles to increase engagement on their website.

Furthermore, the layout of your website, its speed, and a dozen other factors contribute to the engagement of your website’s content.

Here’s a quick outlook of on-page SEO metrics:

Stats from SearchMetrics

Back-End Metrics

Behind the content, there is another part of search engine optimization many people don’t understand.

Why?

Because it isn’t as fun as creating content and reaching out to real people. This is the behind-the-door part of the business.

Here are some things to consider when hiring web developers for your website:

1. Are they implementing easy access to headers?
2. Are they optimizing the website for speed?
3. Does the website have a simple URL structure?
4. Are pictures being correctly labeled?

As well, there are several ways to engage with Google and request site crawls for your website that help increase the speed of the SEO process.

The Sales Process

The whole point of SEO is to create sales.

Behind a sales process you can expect to be leading your traffic through a sales funnel.

Here is a basic outlook of a standard sales funnel:

Step 1: Lead Traffic to Website Blogs

Your blogs can serve as the first place for visitors to meet you. Provide useful information and don’t promote yourself too much.

Step 2: Build your Email list

Build a product and trade it for emails. Use the traffic from your blogs to convert them into more dedicated subscribers.

Step 3: Lead Email Subscribers to Landing Pages and Relevant Content

At this stage, you can begin creating foundational content to send subscribers to with more advanced information. As well, you can begin sending them over to landing pages you have created to convert email subscribers into sales.

Content Marketing Sales Process via Laurie Caradonna

Conclusion

Search Engine Optimization is not a straightforward process.

It requires the skills of web developers, online writers, and content marketers. But, with some basic understanding, a company can implement a strong SEO strategy built on a foundation.

There are many benefits to SEO, and as well, there is almost no downside — but it takes time. SEO improvement does not happen overnight.

Like I said, you are building a pamphlet for search engines, and this pamphlet must speak to human visitors as well. To build this pamphlet, it takes time and resources.

You have to build a relationship with your audience. You must pivot depending on search engine signals and ranking factors. You have to create content that is optimized for search engines.

To speak to us about SEO, how to improve your rankings, and more — we are available to talk to you! Call us right now at 727-237-2035.