How important is search engine optimiser (SEO) for marketing?

Search engine optimiser or SEO for short is the process of affecting the online visibility of a website or web page in a web search. it is regularly referred to as ‘natural’ or ‘organic’ results. The purpose of this is to track and monitor the amount of traffic a website gets from its users. While using SEO this ensures that a website is friendly to search engines which in turn help generates organic search traffic, creating more awareness to customers online and encouraging greater profits, according to Samson. S (2015).

Search Engine Land has a huge range of resources including the periodic table of SEO success factors and access to a whole range of books and online guides for you to learn and use for your business. Hubspot 2018 created an eight-step guide to starting and creating a successful SEO, this website also has a free SEO template to start you up.

Step 1: Make a list of topics. 

  • Pick 10 small words and use Google keyword tool to identify their search volume and see if this will benefit your website. Each of these keywords is called pillars.

Step 2: Make a list of long-tailed words based on the topics you picked in Step 1.

  • For each pillar, you will identify 10 – 15 words which dig deeper into the original topic.
  • These are called clusters. So for every pillar, you will have roughly around 10 subtopics.

*The more specific your content the more specific the needs of your audience are*

Step 3: Build pages for each topic. 

  • Each webpage needs to have relevant content, enhancing customer experience.
  • Take the 10 pillar topics and create a webpage for each.

Step 4: Set up a blog. 

  • This is an amazing way to rank in the web searches also link your blog to your web pages and websites.

Step 5: Blog frequently developing page authority.

  • This is more for a relationship with your audience and customers.
  • Write about customer’s interests and make sure to use keywords where needed, this will make your audience start to notice.

*these are all ‘On Page’ SEO Tactics*

Step 6: Create a link building plan.

  • This being an off-page SEO tactic, this is the process of inbound links. (linking to other websites)
  • Share your blog on Twitter, Facebook etc. Getting your website more noticed.

Step 7: Keep on top of current SEO news.

Google, Bing, and Yahoo are the biggest search engines used around the world, yet they all use a different format of layout for their searches. Layout and visibility to the user are very essential if it is too much for the consumer to take in, they will simply use another site. Searchers look for ‘good quality, relevant, trusted, and what is ranked highly in the search’ (Enge. E et al, 2015)

 

Here is an example of how Google lays out their search for stuffed animals and the main key areas what appear on a search.

  1. Search query box
  2. Verticle navigation
  3. Results information
  4. PPC advertising
  5. Google Product search result
  6. Natural/ Organic/algorithmic results.

Benefits of using SEO:

  •  Nezar 2009 stated the primary advantage of using an SEO is that your company will be ranked top 10, users are more likely to choose from the addresses what appear on the first page of results. Making your website much easier to be found.
  • A successful search engine marketing strategy can generate steady levels of traffic to the website, a great return on investment and enhance brand awareness. (Shih et al. 2013)
  • The search engine journal reported that SEO can go as high as 14.6% in comparison to email marketing which is only at 1.7%.

Cons of using SEO:

  • SEO results take time, it is a very slow process. If you need immediate results for your business, then SEO may not be for you.
  • SEO will require a big investment if you are in a niche market, therefore it is not totally ‘free’. You will most likely need to hire external help.
  • You have no full control… Google algorithms no one can work out. What you think matters may not, and your results may not be the complete opposite of what you expect. The traffic you generate you have no control over.

*If you want to read more pros and cons for SEO click here*

Very little research has been conducted on SEO, one study by Singh et al. (2011) investigated the impact on SEO on advertisement in IT companies in India. The use of qualitative and quantitative data found that Google, Bing, and Yahoo were the most commonly used sites, and 90% of customers select the product from the first page only. The study concluded that companies using SEO for advertisement are getting more new customers than those using traditional methods.

 

References:

Samson.S  (2015) SEO 101: Search Engine Optimization, Learn the Basics of Google SEO in one day. Committee of Publishers and Associations

Enge. E, Spencer. S.M. , Stricchiola.C.J. (2015) The art of SEO: mastering search engine optimization. Third edition. Beijing: O’Reilley pg. 30

Kharim, H. (2015). The impact of search engine optimisation dimensions on companies using online advertisement in Jordan. American Journal of business and management, 4(2), pp.76-84.

Gregoreo, J. (2016). The Pros and Cons of Using SEO for Your Business. [online] Digital Marketing Philippines. Available at: http://digitalmarketingphilippines.com/the-pros-and-cons-of-using-seo-for-your-business/ [Accessed 20 Feb. 2019].

Search Engine Land. (2019). What Is SEO / Search Engine Optimization? – Search Engine Land. [online] Available at: https://searchengineland.com/guide/what-is-seo [Accessed 19 Feb. 2019].

Fortin, D. (2018). How to Create an SEO Strategy for 2019 [Template Included]. [online] Blog.hubspot.com. Available at: https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/seo-strategy [Accessed 21 Feb. 2019].

Moz. (2016). SEO Software, Tools & Resources for Smarter Marketing. [online] Available at: https://moz.com [Accessed 22 Feb. 2019].

Seobook.com. (2014). SEObook: We Love SEO. [online] Available at: http://www.seobook.com [Accessed 23 Feb. 2019].

 

 

 

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