Often, I get asked what I do for work, which is quickly followed up with: "Okay So What exactly is this SEO?"
It stands for Search Engine Optimization and it's a way of getting your website in front of your ideal customers or clients organically.
Imagine this scenario:
You have a website where you sell beanie babies. Wouldn't it be great if people looking for beanie babies find your site at the top of Google's search results?
You would be the number 1 beanie baby seller on the market.
SEO is all about being found on Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, or AskJeeves if you remember that one. It's about ensuring your website shows up for your target audience when they search for relevant keywords.
It's also about qualifying your traffic because not all traffic is good traffic. You want visitors who are interested in the services you offer and SEO makes this possible.
It directs interested folks right to your online doorstep. And trust me, the importance of these visitors can't be under emphasized. You see, these are the individuals whose hair is on fire. They are actively searching Google for a business to solve their problem.
SEO allows you to directly target those who express interest in your products or services, which leads to higher conversions and more clients.
Having said that, it's crucial to remember that SEO isn't an overnight solution. It requires time, and effort. But if you keep up with it the rewards are truly worth it.
PPC is a quick way to get your site to the top of search results. You're essentially paying to have your website promoted on search engine result pages.
The catch? You have to pay for every single click. This can be as low as $1 per click to as high as $300 per click depending on your industry.
One downside with PPC is that the moment you stop funding the ads, your visibility stops instantly.
Interestingly, SEO and PPC aren't necessarily at war with each other and most businesses should be doing both. Depending on your resources, time-frame, and goals, you may find that a blend of both strategies works best for you.
Think of Search Terms Your Readers Would Use
You are going to need to use keywords or search terms on your website so that when people search for those words, your site is more likely to show up. But, you can’t just stuff a bunch of keywords into an article for your website that barely makes any sense. Create separate pages when it makes sense. If you offer car accident legal services and uber accident services, make these two pages.
Create People First Content for Your Website
You used to be able to get by with a website that had gibberish on it with keywords sprinkled in. People would spin articles, which creates articles that don’t make much sense, and they would get good results.
Nowadays, search engines are a lot more intelligent. They can tell if your content makes sense and whether or not it has been copied from elsewhere. You need to come up with suitable material that is original and makes sense.
Promote Your Website
One of the best ways to get readers to your website is by activity telling others about it. There are a several ways of going about this:
Google has gotten better at knowing when a business is popular off-line so be sure to promote your business in your town as well.
Next Steps
If you need help with managing your SEO , reach out to the Chicago SEO Scholar for a free SEO audit.
Article By:
Founder and Owner of Chicago SEO Scholar. Kenny has over 10 years of experience in keyword research, conversion rate optimization, and ranking service based & enterprise businesses for their top keywords on Google.
He has worked at some of the top well known SEO agencies in the industry such as Alpha Dog Agency, The HOTH, and Linkbuilder.io. When he is not working, he is cooking at home or taking part of a cooking class to learn a new Italian dish.
The Chicago SEO Scholar is a trusted digital marketing consultancy that specializes in generating more traffic to Chicago businesses.
The founder, is committed to providing an excellent experience for his clients. He does this by providing excellent communication with clients, getting them a fantastic return on investment, and treating their business as if it was his own.