What is SEO marketing? Why is it important? With “67,000 users perform[ing] a Google search every second of everyday,” 1 people have a heavy reliance on the internet for accessing information, communicating, and performing business transactions. Search engine optimization (SEO) is an essential digital marketing strategy for all businesses to increase revenues and gain the attention of customers. It allows businesses to optimize their websites for search engines like Google 2 in order to improve their customers’ experience and their own bottom line.
Every action a customer takes on a website creates data that, through analysis, has the potential to provide valuable insights for marketing managers. Data analysis allows marketers to understand the way customers interact with their digital platforms, and SEO provides a measurable way for marketers to effectively reach and satisfy customers. Whether a local dry cleaners needs to attract more customers, or a large consulting firm wants to build their credibility, effectively utilizing technological resources with SEO strategies allows all kinds of businesses to accomplish their digital goals.
“Thousands of users perform search engine queries just about every second of every day. That is a tremendously large and constantly replenished audience to reach from a marketing perspective.” 3
Every time a customer searches online for a business, there are thousands of result possibilities, but search engines present a ranked list to make the search process easier for users. Being at the top of that list increases the chances of reaching customers. Because of the significance of internet searches, “Climbing to the top of Google’s search engine is something almost every business owner should want since it can exponentially increase revenue.” 4 And it’s a popularity contest: “Google is continuing to reward the biggest sites on the internet (in terms of age, content, and backlinks).” 5
SEO marketing strategies help businesses understand the best ways to build their websites to optimize customer searches or search queries. For example, Google may give preference to sites that load faster, 6 so ensuring websites are functioning sufficiently for customers seems like an obvious step but can make a big difference in the search process. But Google is not the only search engine that can be optimized: “Amazon, Reddit, Yahoo, YouTube, Bing, and others all have standards for SEO and require different strategies. Keep in mind that you may need to optimize your business on multiple platforms.” 7
“Search is arguably one of the most important digital marketing channels now as it can be used to both drive brand awareness and acquire customers.” 8
Compared to more conventional marketing tactics, “SEO marketing strategies tend to have a much higher conversion rate than traditional marketing or advertising endeavors.” 9 Paid advertising in search engines like the ones in the image above are not always the most effective way to get a customer’s attention when they use a search engine. In fact, “80 percent of searchers disregard paid advertisements in search results.” 10
The American Marketing Association points out four specific website features for optimizing search engines: Content, Keywords, HTML, and Architecture. 11 Many SEO marketing guides offer similar advice.
Content refers to the information found on the page. Is it high-quality? Is new content posted regularly? Is it useful to consumers? This is “one of the best ways to improve marketing SEO. Without producing high-quality content on a consistent basis, it is extremely difficult to achieve search engine marketing goals.” 12 Backlinks are an essential component of content as well. Found on a webpage, backlinks are links to other webpages where the information came from, proving to users and search engine algorithms that the content is reliable. The more backlinks, “the higher your site will rank in Google and other search engines. 13
Keywords are words or phrases closely related to the content of a webpage; these are words that users input into search engines when making a search query. If I was looking for a cup of coffee, the keywords I might search are “coffee shops near me.” These words are chosen by companies based on “search frequency and competitiveness.” 14 How often do customers use this word when making searches? How many other companies use these words? Keywords should be popular among customers and not over-used by competitors.
The HTML or website address can also be modified for optimized search rankings. Similarly, the architecture of the website or its style can make an impact on search results as well as the customer experience. “38% of users will no longer visit a website if it has a poor design, according to Adobe. On the other hand, attractive website design can increase traffic and leads.” 15 For one company, the American Egg Board (AEB), simply updating website content and making it more user-friendly created “87% growth in mobile traffic, a 22% increase in website traffic, and a 39% increase in recipe sharing.” 16 Understanding user flows, creating a visually appealing and functional web design, and providing simple, clear, and consistent navigation are a few examples of ways to improve site architecture and design for search optimization. 17
For tips on how to make a website more user friendly, visit Adobe’s site: https://xd.adobe.com/ideas/principles/web-design/web-page-design/
“In summary, experts advise online businesses to do keyword research, competitor research, investing in regular blog content, improving site speed, and generating backlinks.” 18
Questions marketing managers might consider:
- How can you use SEO marketing to improve the content of your website?
- How can you use marketing analytics (such as data on clickthrough rates) to optimize search engines for your business’s website?
- Can you think of other digital marketing strategies that would be useful to influence your website users to make a purchase or share your page with others?
References
1 Nikolovska, H. & Kiran, H. (5 February 2019). 60+ SEO Statistics to Help You Rank #1 in 2021. SEO Tribunal. https://seotribunal.com/blog/stats-to-understand-seo/
2 American Marketing Association. (25 January 2022). What is SEO Marketing? American Marketing Association. https://www.ama.org/marketing-news/what-is-seo-marketing/
3 American Marketing Association. (25 January 2022). What is SEO Marketing? American Marketing Association. https://www.ama.org/marketing-news/what-is-seo-marketing/
4 Swigunski, M. (6 July 2021). Small Business SEO: Ranking Your Business On Top of Google. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeswigunski/2021/07/06/small-business-seo-ranking-your-business-on-top-of-google/?sh=7694b0de7c9d
5 Swigunski, M. (6 July 2021). Small Business SEO: Ranking Your Business On Top of Google. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeswigunski/2021/07/06/small-business-seo-ranking-your-business-on-top-of-google/?sh=7694b0de7c9d
6 Swigunski, M. (6 July 2021). Small Business SEO: Ranking Your Business On Top of Google. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeswigunski/2021/07/06/small-business-seo-ranking-your-business-on-top-of-google/?sh=7694b0de7c9d
7 Swigunski, M. (6 July 2021). Small Business SEO: Ranking Your Business On Top of Google. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeswigunski/2021/07/06/small-business-seo-ranking-your-business-on-top-of-google/?sh=7694b0de7c9d
8 Membrillo, A. (20 May 2020). 10 Best SEO Campaign Examples to Learn From. Cardinal Digital Marketing. https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/blog/10-best-seo-campaign-examples-to-learn-from/
9 American Marketing Association. (25 January 2022). What is SEO Marketing? American Marketing Association. https://www.ama.org/marketing-news/what-is-seo-marketing/
10 Nikolovska, H. & Kiran, H. (5 February 2019). 60+ SEO Statistics to Help You Rank #1 in 2021. SEO Tribunal. https://seotribunal.com/blog/stats-to-understand-seo/
11 American Marketing Association. (25 January 2022). What is SEO Marketing? American Marketing Association. https://www.ama.org/marketing-news/what-is-seo-marketing/
12 American Marketing Association. (25 January 2022). What is SEO Marketing? American Marketing Association. https://www.ama.org/marketing-news/what-is-seo-marketing/
13 Backlinko. (2022). Backlinks. Semrush Inc. https://backlinko.com/hub/seo/backlinks
14 American Marketing Association. (25 January 2022). What is SEO Marketing? American Marketing Association. https://www.ama.org/marketing-news/what-is-seo-marketing/
15 Membrillo, A. (20 May 2020). 10 Best SEO Campaign Examples to Learn From. Cardinal Digital Marketing. https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/blog/10-best-seo-campaign-examples-to-learn-from/
16 Membrillo, A. (20 May 2020). 10 Best SEO Campaign Examples to Learn From. Cardinal Digital Marketing. https://www.cardinaldigitalmarketing.com/blog/10-best-seo-campaign-examples-to-learn-from/
17 Babich, N. (24 November 2020). Web Page Design: A Comprehensive Guide. Adobe. https://xd.adobe.com/ideas/principles/web-design/web-page-design/
18 Swigunski, M. (6 July 2021). Small Business SEO: Ranking Your Business On Top of Google. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeswigunski/2021/07/06/small-business-seo-ranking-your-business-on-top-of-google/?sh=7694b0de7c9d
Marketing Management 