What Is SEO and Why is It Important?

You’ve certainly heard the term SEO thrown around – especially when it comes to your business website. But you may have been left thinking, “What is SEO and why do I need it?”.

The Breakdown

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization – so think Google, Bing, Yahoo – any site you would go to for searching information. These engines crawl through all of the websites on the internet and rank them in order to deliver the searcher the best, most accurate results for their query. Search engine optimization means the organic or natural return of a website based on a query – i.e. without advertising or other paid-for processes.

Search engine optimization refers to the practice of optimizing a website to improve its visibility and ranking on search engine results pages (SERPs). It involves various techniques and tactics, both on-page and off-page, aimed at making a website more appealing to search engines. The ultimate goal of SEO is to attract targeted organic traffic, ensuring that potential customers find your website when searching for relevant information, products, or services online.

Why It’s Important

So why is it important to have natural or organic results from a search engine? In a word, good SEO is free. It means without paying for advertising, boosts, or anything else, your website will be in the search results of a query. Of course, you could pay for these returns, but if your site is naturally appearing, it’s more likely that your site will get a look from the searcher because it most closely matches what they are looking for. And a happy searcher is just good for business. Plus, you’ll save on your bottom line.

Increased Visibility and Organic Traffic

By optimizing your website for search engines, you are more likely to appear higher in rankings, thereby increasing your visibility and attracting quality organic traffic.

Enhanced User Experience

SEO is not just about improving search engine rankings; it also focuses on creating a seamless user experience. By optimizing your website’s loading speed, enhancing mobile responsiveness, and improving navigation, users are more likely to stay engaged and explore your content, products, or services further.

Builds Credibility and Trust

SEO techniques such as creating quality content, obtaining backlinks from authoritative sources, and optimizing for relevant keywords help build credibility, which can enhance user trust and loyalty.

Cost-Effective Marketing Strategy

Compared to other digital marketing techniques, such as paid advertising, SEO can be a cost-effective option in the long run. Once your website is optimized and rankings improve, you can enjoy sustained traffic without necessarily investing significant resources in ongoing campaigns.

Long-Term Sustainability

Unlike temporary marketing campaigns, the effects of SEO tend to be long-lasting. While search engine algorithms may evolve, a well-optimized website with regularly updated content and continuous improvement can maintain its rankings, providing you with a steady stream of organic traffic.

How to Improve SEO

To improve your site’s search engine optimization, start first by enrolling in Google Search Console. This free app will show you how Google is analyzing your site and pinpointing any areas of the site that are possibly not being categorized correctly by a search engine. Second, give search engines lots of fresh information to crawl through. Search engines won’t continually re-analyze a site, so creating new content to be evaluated is key. Update product information, add a blog, video blog, and or new images often to keep the crawlers working. Lastly, make sure all your videos and image information is completed – alt text, caption, description, and title are all analyzed by search engines, so don’t miss an opportunity to give more important information.

Hammersmith Support Can Help

Schedule a free 30-minute consultation to talk through your website needs and discuss how Hammersmith Support can help you!