Why Every Marketing Strategy Should Include SEO

About 68% of all online experiences start in a search engine, though most people (over 99%) don’t check the second page. Over 53% of all website traffic comes from these searches as well! With search engine optimization (SEO), you can ensure your business appears for relevant searches.

Each time you appear for a search, you have the chance to gain a new customer!

On the fence? Read on to discover why you should add SEO to your marketing strategy this year. Discover the benefits of SEO marketing today!

Connect With Your Audience

In order to appear for relevant searches, you first need to understand your target audience. Researching your customers will allow you to create helpful content they want to read. When they find your content on search engine result pages (SERPs), they might feel more inclined to click on the link to your website.

Each time someone clicks on one of your pages or posts, your clickthrough rate will increase. A high clickthrough rate could boost your organic SERP rankings. Higher rankings will help more people find your brand online.

Adding SEO to your digital marketing strategy can help you discover new ways to connect with your target audience.

For example, you can take the time to learn more about your customers by gathering demographic and psychographic research. Consider grouping consumers based on:

• Age
• Gender
• Income
• Career
• Marital status
• Buying behaviors
• Online behaviors
• Pain points
• Location
• Interests
• Hobbies

Creating buyer personas will help you picture different consumers as individuals. Then, you can gain a better understanding of what they care about. As a result, you’ll have an easier time understanding their search intent.

A buyer’s search intent can help you determine what they expect to find from a search. Then, you can create personalized content based on their search queries.

Developing a strong SEO plan also involves gathering keyword research. You can see what consumers type into Google before finding your content online. When building a keyword list, look for longer search terms.

Queries that contain four or more words are more precise, allowing you to determine the search intent.

Personalization

Personalizing your content based on each buyer’s needs and wants will help you forge stronger connections with those customers.

About 74% of consumers get annoyed when website content doesn’t match their interests. Another 45% will abandon a brand if their content isn’t relevant to their interests. About 50% will pay more for products/services if brands provide personally relevant content.

Meanwhile, 90% of marketers report a measurable lift in business results after personalizing experiences.

About 80% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase if brands personalize content. As a result, your marketing ROI could rise by eight times.

To personalize your content, first define your buyer personas and gather keyword research. Then, speak to the consumer through your content. Try to remain friendly and personable in your tone and voice.

As you begin receiving comments on your blog posts, pay attention to what people are saying!

For example, your customers might have questions about your products, services, or industry. Maybe they need help solving a problem. You can use their comments to find new topics to cover within your blog posts.

Personalizing your content can encourage more web traffic, which can further boost your rankings.

Generate Awareness

About 45% of marketers say generating brand awareness is a top marketing priority. Generating brand awareness is key to driving new customers to your business. In time, it can help you foster brand loyalty, too.

You can use SEO as part of your marketing strategy to generate awareness.

It takes multiple impressions with a single customer before they grow aware of your brand, though. With SEO, you can appear for multiple search queries. Eventually, awareness will grow into brand recognition.

The consumer will begin to associate your products or services with your brand. Instead of another Google search, they might recall your brand and visit your site directly.

You can also become a memorable brand by generating brand engagement. Content marketing generates three times higher engagement than advertising. It generates three times as many leads, too.

Generating engagement through your blog content can lead to brand awareness, recognition, and recall. Investing in quality content can help people connect to your brand’s voice, leading to relationships with customers.

You can start gaining a following of loyal customers. A single loyal customer is worth 10 one-time customers.

Using SEO as part of your marketing strategy will help brand loyalty grow, boosting your ROI!

Attract Quality Traffic

Appearing on SERPs for multiple search queries can help you generate more website traffic. It’s not enough for people to visit your site, though. If they leave without exploring your content, your bounce rate could increase.

A high bounce rate indicates people don’t find your content useful or helpful. It also indicates a negative user experience (UX). As your bounce rate increases, your search engine rankings might start to drop.

Remember, most people never look beyond the first page of SERP results. If your ranking drops, you might struggle to generate traffic.

Creating content based on your target audience’s needs will help you generate high-quality traffic. These visitors want and need your help. They’ll linger on your website, helping your dwell times increase.

High dwell times can boost your organic rankings.

Attracting ideal customers to your website can also generate high-quality leads (more on this below)!

Backlinks

Developing an SEO plan can also help you generate backlinks.

Backlinks are one of Google’s top ranking factors. These links appear on other websites and send readers to your website content. Generating high-quality backlinks can boost your organic rankings.

Each backlink is viewed as a vote of confidence in your site.

As you start generating more website traffic, Google might boost your organic rankings. You can also use backlinks to generate referral traffic. More people will discover your content through a site they already know and trust.

You can leverage that existing trust to encourage new shoppers to trust your brand.

Offer a Better Experience

About 88% of online shoppers won’t return to a site following a negative UX. In fact, 70% of online businesses fail because of bad usability. Unfortunately, only 55% of companies conduct any form of UX testing.

A negative UX indicates your website is difficult to use and navigate. Visitors could leave frustrated, hurting your dwell times. Remember, your bounce rate might increase, causing your hard-earned, organic rankings to drop.

Investing in SEO this year can also encourage you to invest in your website.

There are four types of SEO: on-page, off-page, technical, and local SEO.

On-page SEO involves optimizing your content, while off-page SEO involves tactics like backlink-building beyond your website. Technical SEO involves the backend of your website, while local SEO can help you reach nearby consumers.

As part of your marketing strategy, you can improve your technical SEO and website UX by:

• Improving load times
• Using negative space
• Improving readability
• Organizing content with headers
• Adding an SSL certificate
• Improving security
• Ensuring mobile-readiness

Consider partnering with an experienced SEO agency. They can help improve your site by ensuring it appeals to Google’s Core Web Vitals. Following the Core Web Vitals will boost your website’s UX.

Improving the UX can improve your dwell times, helping your rankings rise.

Meanwhile, investing in UX website design can help you generate more leads and sales. Otherwise, you might risk losing potential customers.

Demonstrate Expertise

Creating high-quality blog content as part of your marketing strategy can also help you demonstrate your expertise in the industry.

When creating blog content for SEO purposes, make sure to add EAT:

• Expertise
• Authority
• Trustworthiness

Including components of EAT in your content can boost your credibility. Demonstrating your credibility can encourage more people to trust your brand. If consumers feel they can trust you, they might decide to shop from your business.

Demonstrating your experience and expertise can help you stand apart from competitors within your niche, too.

Generating high-quality backlinks from sites with a high Domain Authority (DA) can boost your credibility as well. These backlinks can show Google you’re an authority within your niche, too. Once you establish yourself as an authority, your organic rankings will rise.

Improving your rankings could help you establish your credibility, too.

Remember, most people choose websites that appear on the first SERP page. Appearing ahead of competing brands can help you look like a credible resource. If you reach the top of a SERP, you could encourage more people to trust your brand.

Then, you can boost your clickthrough rate to maintain your rankings.

Generate Leads

Investing in your website and SEO could help you generate more leads and sales as well.

Improving your organic rankings by providing relevant content will help you appear in front of ideal customers. These consumers already want and need your offerings. Once they find your website, they might decide to learn more about your business.

If they like what they see, they might complete a form on your website, make a purchase, or reach out.

Improving your technical SEO can make it easier for consumers to navigate your site. It also ensures it’s easy for them to contact you or make online purchases.

Without SEO, consumers might not find your brand online at all. They’ll choose one of your competitors instead.

Before that happens, consider adding SEO to your marketing strategy for the new year.

Keep Competing

Chances are, your competitors have already invested in digital marketing strategies like SEO. Adding SEO to your own strategy could help you remain competitive. With a strong strategy, you could even exceed huge corporations on SERPs.

Ranking ahead of huge corporations can further boost your brand’s credibility and authority in the industry. You’ll have an easier time generating traffic and leads before competing businesses get the chance.

Working with an SEO agency, on the other hand, can help you track the latest SEO marketing trends.

For example, about 50% of searches within a year were voice- and image-based. You can appear for searches as consumers use voice assistants like Google and Siri. Your unique, branded images can appear for image searches as well.

Google updates its search engine algorithm 500 times every year. With help from an SEO agency, you’ll never fall behind again!

Attract Local Customers

Your local SEO strategy can help you appear in front of nearby consumers, even when they’re on the go.

For example, you can claim and optimize your Google Business listing. This listing displays your company:

• Name
• Website
• Phone number
• Hours
• Location/directions
• Customer reviews
• Posts/updates
• Photos/videos
• Q&A

Positive customer reviews will further boost your brand’s reputation. In fact, some consumers might feel inclined to trust your business based on the reviews they read. They might fall in love with your products after viewing photos on your listing, too.

Consumers can get directions to your storefront or visit your website from your listing. You can generate foot or website traffic to attract new shoppers to your business!

Long-Term Benefits

Once you improve your organic rankings, it will take time for competitors to knock you down. As a result, you can use SEO to reap long-term benefits. SEO could prove more beneficial for your business than paid advertising over time.

In order to make the most of your marketing budget, consider partnering with an SEO agency this year. They’ll ensure you use the top SEO tactics, allowing you to boost your rankings quickly and effectively.

Better Business: Add SEO to Your Marketing Strategy Today

Adding SEO to your marketing strategy will help you reach new customers online. You can remain competitive, generate leads, and stand out in your industry. Consider investing in SEO marketing today!

Remember, you don’t have to develop your SEO marketing strategy or generate backlinks alone. Instead, consider working with an experienced agency this year.

Eager to get started? Discover how we can supercharge your link-building strategy. Request an instant demo today.