Statistics and trends show that consumers are now spending more money with virtual stores. Unlike the traditional brick and mortar stores, virtual stores give consumers an opportunity to shop from the comfort of their home. In the competitive world of advertising, businesses with a strong online presence stand a better chance of succeeding. This is the primary reason why business owners must take measures that will help them gain a significant edge over their competitors.
SEO is responsible for helping business owners establish their brand on the internet. It is a grave mistake for business owners to overlook or underestimate search engine optimization. In this article, we will take a close look at SEO strategy and answer some common questions about this innovative internet marketing concept.
What is SEO?
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a powerful internet marketing strategy that can help a website get high search engine rankings in major search engines. As a result, the website will get more traffic or visitors. At the end of the day, this will lead to more sales.
An effective SEO strategy includes the following:
-Great blog content (regular updates)
-Wise use of HTML Meta Tags
-A responsive social media audience across every platform
-Establish solid B2B relationships
-Analyze keywords
-Use webmaster tools to keep up the site
-Thorough market research (competition analysis)
-Build quality backlinks
-Research the latest SEO guidelines
-Investigate volume data associated with relevant search queries
-Reputation management
-Optimization across major search engines (Yahoo, AOL, Google, Bing, etc.)
-Shrewd organic and CPC campaigns
How does SEO Work?
You must learn how Google works if you want to succeed with SEO. We will now go through a simple breakdown of how Google ranks websites.
Google has managed to become the most dominant search engine around today. Internet browsers are fond of how Google provides quality results with each search command. In layman terms, people rely on Google because they feel they will get credible results. Google has emerged as a true authority when it comes to helping people find vital information on the internet. It is imperative to point out that Google takes their reputation seriously. This is why Google periodically makes changes to their algorithm.
How does Google manage to produce quality listings with every search command? Every website in Google’s index is carefully analyzed with a complex algorithm. The algorithm critiques the content on the website. Websites with quality content typically get higher rankings. This principle was developed at Stanford University in 1966 based on an equation used to determine if the papers written by ambitious law students had authority. Google’s algorithm remains a top secret, but we do know a few factors Google used to determine the value of a website.
Here are a few things we know about Google’s Algorithm:
-A website will get a high-ranking if it has links coming from other high-ranking websites.
-The site’s traffic will have a bearing on its ranking. It’s imperative to mention that if your visitors leave immediately after landing on your page, Google will give your site a lower ranking.
-Unique content plays a huge role in getting favorable rankings.
-Websites getting a tremendous exposure on social sites rank higher.
-Pages filled with relevant keywords rank higher.
-Websites with outbound links to other relevant sites rank higher. Make certain you are getting quality links from high ranking sites.
These are just a few factors that play a role in how Google ranks sites. Keeping these factors in mind can help you get a nice spot on the first page of Google and other popular search engines.
Do Not Deceive Google
You will be wasting your time if you try to deceive Google. The internet marketing tricks from the past do not work anymore. Your site will be penalized if you try to use them. It will be difficult for you to get visitors to your site after it falls in the rankings. Instead of using tactics like “keyword stuffing” and “link farming,” you need to focus on offering valuable content to your consumers.
Why Automated SEO Software Doesn’t Work
Experienced SEO Analysts and Advertising Directors understand what consumers want. They also do their due diligence to predict what consumers will want in the future. Automated software can offer accurate Meta information, but it cannot analyze the behavior of the traffic coming to your website. The automated software also has a hard time with keeping up with Google’s periodic algorithm changes.
The Value of Getting to the First Page of Google Search Results
Let’s say you’re at home and you decide to have dinner with your close friends this evening. You have a craving for Thai food. Instead of pulling out a phone book, you pull out your cell phone. You use Yelp or Google to find an exceptional Thai restaurant in your area. After reading reviews and looking at pictures, you pick a Thai restaurant located seven miles away from your home.
Do you see how Google plays an important role in helping us find businesses that offer valuable products and services? Millions of people use Google to find businesses daily. You have the world at your fingertips!
Studies Show 85% of People Never Venture Past the First Page
Many people never go to page two of search results after submitting their query to the search engine. Society is conditioned to expect immediate gratification. Websites on page two and beyond fail to be discovered by 85% of the population. This typically causes major problems for businesses that are trying to establish their brand on the internet.
Consumers are now turning to the internet for everything. Companies with poorly designed websites are viewed as untrustworthy and shady. Companies associated with terrible SEO internet marketing practices run into difficulty with getting on the first page of Google and other popular search engines. It is also worth mentioning that companies will not get a good exposure on the internet if they fail to use solid internet marketing tactics for their website.
The Final Word
SEO internet marketing is one valuable tool you cannot afford to ignore. Some feel that SEO is a myth, but there is solid evidence that SEO works exceptionally well when it’s used correctly. You must consider adding SEO to your marketing toolbox if you expect to have a legitimate shot at making it to the first page of Google. A high-ranking spot on the first page will help you get more customers for your products or service.
The internet business is a competitive profession to go into when you’re a business owner. What’s more is facing the ever-changing challenges of the global eCommerce phenomenon. With the professionalism needed plus the 
