It has been more than a decade since businesses realized that SEO is a truly necessary investment. Billions of people use Google to find what they’re looking for online. And for many consumers, “googling” is one of the most important tools to help them make a buying decision.
Let’s start with the most obvious demographic: online shoppers. The great thing about Google and SEO is that they let you connect with people who are the most likely to become your customers. With TV or newspaper ads, you’re presenting info to people who may or may not be looking to buy that LED TV you’re selling or the new sale you’ve just started.
But with SEO and Google, you’re presenting your website to those who have given some indication that they’re interested in what you’re offering, because they typed in “LED TV” on their Google search bar.
SEO at the very least concerns itself with getting you on the first page of the search results when a particular set of keywords are typed. Research shows that consumers rarely go past the first page. The results on the second and third page combined receive less than 5.6% of the clicks.
With SEO, you get more people to visit your online presence through Google. So let’s say your website converts 10% of your visitors into actual customers. If you just have 20 visitors a day, then you get a couple of sales a day. But if you get the top ranking in Google, that number can shoot up to 200 maybe even 2,000 visitors a day. That’s at least 20 purchases everyday.
SEO can even help you get customers who are already in a store trying to buy something. About 82% of them use search engines on their mobile devices instead of using an app. About 33% of them use search engines to look for info instead of asking store employees.
Here are some other stats: 73% use search to find where the products are sold, 72% use search to make price comparisons, and 63% use search to find promos.
And they read reviews too. 73% of consumers say positive reviews make them trust a brand more, and 79% say they trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
Ranking on Google also gives you credibility. It shows that your brand is trusted by Google, which is also one of the most trust-worthy brands around. For a customer, it’s like having a trusted friend personally recommending your services and products. Some people may also assume that if you take SEO seriously, then you take your business seriously too.
And finally, a high ranking on Google acts like a billboard, and it helps you increase awareness of your brand among potential customers.
So will SEO increase your business? With proper SEO, it will.
Of course at Build Your Online we specialize in local SEO and proudly serve Harford, Cecil County Maryland and New Castle County Delaware.