SEO or Search Engine Optimisation has become a common term these days. With a rapidly increasing number of internet users, opting for these services has become crucial to gain more visibility and grow business.
It wouldn’t be wrong to say, search engines like Google are the first place where users drop their queries. Be it the latest Nike sneakers or a solution for a calculus equation, people will type everything in the search bar.
However, to excel in this game of digital leap and turn the internet tide in your favour, you need a data-driven digital marketing strategy with an equally vocal SEO.
Whether it’s the eye-catchy logo or a blog post on DIY hacks, investing those few hours in adjusting colours and creating content outlines is worth every penny.
Gone are the days when only offers and deals could attract customers. Today’s customers are changing the market with their curiosity-driven searches.
They are no longer impulsive buyers. Before they put a search query, they have a clear aim in mind– to find quality products on a budget from a reliable brand.
What is Digital Marketing?
Ever seen ads randomly appearing on your device’s screen? Or, ads popping up when you click on a YouTube video? That’s digital marketing.
Digital marketing is similar to traditional marketing, the only difference being, it is done online. That means everything that brands or businesses do online to promote their brands will fall under its tab. Here’s an example:
Suppose you are shopping on an e-commerce platform. You add a few products into your wishlist or the cart and leave it as it is.
Now, when you browse the internet, those products or brands will start appearing on the sides or top.
These are display ads.
The primary objective of these ads which comprises a combination of text and images is to generate interest and promote products/services. W
hen one brand pops up again and again on your screen, those colours, images and products get imprinted in your mind, making you either click on those or visit the website again to buy products left in the cart.
That was just one example of how digital marketing works.
This brings us to the definition of Digital marketing which involves the use of a variety of online channels to promote or market a product/service.
It includes marketing a business or brand on social media, creating targeted ads, search engine optimization, email marketing and everything else that falls under the purview of Internet marketing.
Is SEO really important for Digital Marketing?
Indeed, businesses and brands need to take effective steps to stay relevant in this internet age. However, figuring out the right way to take this digital leap can be a challenge.
For instance, SEO and SMM are two different strategies, but a lot of small business owners struggle to decide which they need to incorporate first.
Well, digital marketing is an umbrella and SEO is its shaft. So, no matter what your goals are, no online marketing plan can give the best outcomes with its main ingredient (SEO) missing from the recipe.
Apart from what most people confuse SEO with, it is more of a comprehensive plan that helps your website stay relevant to the target audience.
It boosts your site’s search volume with the help of keywords, makes it visible by improving its ranking on search engine result pages (SERPs) and helps in earning genuine leads.
In short, SEO is the ultimate business booster.
No matter what type of roadmap you lay to become the next big thing online, believe us SEO is a must in each of those.
10 Reasons, SEO is a Must in every Digital Marketing Plan
From keywords to backlinking, SEO is a full package. When your digital marketing strategies align with SEO, it increases your website’s credibility and makes it visible.
It helps Google crawlers identify your site as a valuable and relevant source of information for the internet user.
It’s like shooting two birds with one stone.
On one hand you are helping search engines list your brand’s site on top, while on the other hand, you are getting more website traffic.
That’s not all. Here we have listed 10 reasons why SEO is the secret to high-outcome digital marketing plans.
Increases Visibility & Rankings in SERPs
Getting website traffic is tough at first, but not impossible. All you need is an SEO strategy that helps in improving your website’s rankings and increase its visibility on SERPs.
Let’s take an example of an Indian restaurant in Canada which has invested in GMB posts. When a user searches for authentic Indian food in Toronto on Google, there’s a high probability that your website will pop up.
These higher rankings will further lead to more clicks, turning into more impressions and more business. One strategy can help you gain the necessary exposure and attract potential customers.
Unlimited, 24/7 Web Traffic
Like New York, ‘SEO is the strategy that never sleeps’. Simply because search engines crawl your website 24/7 for useful content to help internet users find a solution to their query.
That means, whether someone looks for products similar to your business at 1 am or 1 pm, a search engine-optimised website will find its way into users’ screens.
Builds an Authority
As a consumer, how many times do you buy from unreliable sources? Perhaps, never.
When your website is new or has a minimum online presence, it becomes extremely important to earn organic traffic and get on the first page of Google. It increases your authoritative value and helps you establish a reliable and credible brand.
Suppose your website ranks second place on SERP. A visitor clicks on your website and is happy with the type of services your business offers. Plus, client testimonials further helped them gain trust in your brand.
This positive perception is a result of higher rankings and genuine reviews from previous clients.
Increases Lead & Conversion Rates
Almost everything in business is about revenue generation. And, as we know there can be no income without customers, and no customers without leads.
That’s where SEO comes in. It helps you achieve a higher spot on SERP, build brand credibility and increase your lead share. When a website visitor turns into a lead and finally into a customer, it boosts the conversation rate by almost twice.
User-Friendly & Responsive Website Design
While SEO optimization is often confused with only rankings, many people ignore its most important element i.e. user experience.
Yes, valuable content increases the crawling rate of your website, but a responsive design helps you retain a visitor. Imagine opening a website that doesn’t operate well on mobile phones.
As we know the number of internet users is skyrocketing, the shift is the result of the rise in cellphone users.
Therefore, your website must cater to this group. Whether you have an in-house team or you outsource website development tasks to others, make sure the design looks appealing, with clear CTAs, and navigation options and is functional.
Doing so reduces bounce rates and helps you retail visitors for a longer time.
Creates More Brand Awareness
What is the primary goal of digital marketing? Obviously, increasing brand awareness. Therefore, when you implement any SEO strategy, the content, keyword, and backlinks start performing their ritual, which results in gaining more exposure for your brand.
As we know more exposure equals more traffic, it is a win-win on all sides.
Adds Long-Term Benefits
Even though SEO tactics are highly effective, businesses stay away from it due to the long time frame involved.
However, one must note that patience is the key to success. Here’s an example:
When you invest in short-term marketing strategies like PPC (or, Pay per click), the gains are temporary. In contrast, SEO works organically to gradually increase traffic and build a strong online presence to generate genuine leads over time.
It does require more time to achieve the expected targets, however, the long-term gains will fetch you a sustainable growth rate which will not disappear soon.
Establishes Monopoly in Local Searches
If you own a small business that targets only the local population, investing in a national plan will be a waste of money, time, and effort.
So, consult a professional SEO expert who can help you narrow down your target audience and stay relevant to it.
Once you gain clarity about the location of your prospective customers, converting them with high-quality content and SEO hacks is as easy as making a pie.
Moreover, it brings you local traffic which further enhances the scope of your business. If you are new to SEO, invest in local SEO, as half of your competitors are still doing things the wrong way.
Highly Cost-effective
SEO takes time, true. SEO gives results, true. But what about the cost?
Well, SEO is one of the most cost-effective digital marketing strategies out there. It helps you stay relevant and target only a specific group.
One such method is targeted ads. These ads, unlike others, focus on targeting only a specific demographic that is highly likely to turn into customers.
Builds Trusts & Credibility
At last, your brand or business is all set to experience a boost in its rankings. But did you know what more SEO does?
It makes your brand a credible source of information from the crawlers’ perspective. It shows that you do more than just sell products or promote services.
It tells a visitor that you genuinely want to add value to their query with your content and services/products.
That’s how SEO helps you build trust in the digital landscape.
Finally,
Digital marketing adds multiple benefits and SEO is the key to unlocking all of those. So, whoever says SEO is not important, share these ten reasons with them. Maybe, you’ll help a brand regain its lost business.
Or, you can share our BLOG’S TITLE(add link & name of previous relevant blog here).
Keep reading our tips and tricks to know more about SEO.