Our last discussion was on the website as an asset and the key objectives of creating and owning one. By now, I expect that if you own a business and have not gotten a website yet, you have gotten in touch with a professional who is currently working on establishing one for your business. At this point it may also be necessary to discuss Search Engine Optimisation with the professional to enhance the visibility of your website. After creating this website, your thought is that you have arrived; you now have a website, therefore business should troop in. The good news is that owning a website is a great feat to be achieved; the bad news is that it is no longer enough to just own a website. You need to be visible to visitors to search for the services that your business offers. Why do you need to be found? Search engines have been a hot subject in marketing over the past years. However, most businesses/companies are yet to key into the opportunities available to increase their search engine rankings. A recent research has shown that a lot of people now use Google, Yahoo!, Bing and other search engines for research, shopping or entertainment. Users of search engines mostly are looking for answers to pertinent questions as well as data that will influence their buying decision. Search questions, ranging from “closest bank” to “how to peel a banana”, are asked daily by searchers who need information on-the-go. People search for services, products, how to do a lot of things on their own. etc. Also, people ask several questions on how to solve several problems and issues. As another recent research has shown, 37 per cent of consumers used the Internet to find local businesses at least one time per month and 85 per cent of consumers say that they read online reviews for local businesses,.So, you need to reinvent your business. What these stats mean for your business is that searchers of your services/products now trust the search engines to provide reviews and referral which influence their buying decisions. Most searchers contact the company immediately they read a positive review. How to improve your visibility One of the first and surest steps to take in making your business visible on the Internet is through Search Engine Optimisation. Daily, millions of people use search engines by typing in words or phrases to describe what they need. If your name comes up in the results list at Google, Yahoo!, MSN, Ask or any of dozens more like them, the benefits are golden. Search Engine Optimisation ensures that your business shows up once such a search is conducted. Given the fact that 93 per cent of online experiences begin with a search engine and that 82.6 per cent of Internet users use search, the importance of Search Engine Optimisation to your business cannot be over emphasised. SEO guides you in marketing your website and deciding what quality content works for you. It knows how to efficiently present you in the virtual world, how to connect you effectively and where to get you valuable links. Benefits of Search Engine Optimisation to your business • Your own 24-hour marketing team: An optimised website works like having a 24-hour marketing team dedicated to your business. Even after you close for the day, SEO is still working for you. In other words, once your keywords are typed into any of the search engines, you will be found. • Targeted traffic: Driving the right kinds of visitors to your website should mean that you see an increase in enquiries about your products or services, which can then be treated as quality ‘leads.’ These enquiries may come directly through your website, via email and also by telephone. SEO enables your website to be discoverable and accessible to your target audience who use different search engines (Google, Yahoo and Bing) to scan for your services in your industry round the world. • Increased Traffic: As suggested above, being higher up the search listings will naturally result in more traffic. Searchers usually click on the results that are offered to us rather than scrolling through page after page looking for something more relevant. • Improved brand credibility and visibility: Most searchers of your business trust Google and other search engines to provide them with credible and relevant results. Being seen on the first page of these search engines therefore portrays your business as one to be trusted in the eyes of the public. • Long-term rankings: Once this is accurately executed, marketing strategy is in place and your results will last a long time. • Attain enhanced conversion rates: An SEO optimised website is swift, easy to use and compatible with mobile and tablet devices. This then converts to better conversions i.e. visitors to your website are more likely to become clients, subscribers or loyal visitors. • Stand out from your competition: As at February 11, 2013, there are over 650 million active websites online. How then do you think you can be differentiated from your competitors? That’s right, organic search marketing. Optimised websites are the fastest, easiest way to bypass your competition. When can I start optimising? Generally, it is advisable to plan your SEO along with your website design phase; this is done at the website designing phase. The key words related to your business can be analysed and implemented all over your website; hence, making sure that the website attracts targeted visitors. If you already have a website, however, SEO can still be carried out on your website by an expert in this field. At this stage, you may require the support of a professional, like an SEO specialist/digital marketing strategist, who knows how to handle things and keep them steady to accomplish the desired result. In the words of Albert Einstein, “time is an illusion.” Successful business owners and professionals agree that the time is now. Your competitors are already tapping into this means of generating leads and sales so the earlier you assert your position in your market place, the better for your business. -Amara Nwankwo for PUNCH
Posted on: Fri, 13 Sep 2013 08:34:48 +0000
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