Why SEO is Important to Increase Your Business Visibility Instantly

Why SEO is Important to Increase Your Business Visibility Instantly

If you are an avid internet user as most people are in today’s day and age, you will know why online visibility is important. Whether you own a business or have something to say about a product or service, you want to be heard and there is nothing you can do about it unless you choose a platform that allows you to market your products, services, and reviews to the world. However, the internet is not the only tool you need to become visible to millions. Search Engine Optimization is another factor that you need to consider before you start investing in online success.

Instant Online Business Visibility – Is it a Myth?

You may think it is a myth, but it certainly is not one! Instant online business visibility is possible thanks to fast and efficient search engines like Google, Yahoo, Bing, and others. Moreover, the power of social media cannot be undermined either. Remember the times when a small business owner had to struggle to get one customer to step foot inside their store? And this too involved rigorous efforts that included printing pamphlets and distributing them or having a salesperson stand outside the door and shout at the top of his or her lungs to get the attention of passersby. Everything has become easier with enhanced technology and online visibility is no different, although you still have to put in some effort to achieve your goals.

Since the invention of the internet, business owners around the world have used it to their benefit by investing millions to build an online presence. However, not everyone has gained the same kind of benefits. Why you may ask, is this the case? Well, simply because it is not as simple as posting an ad on Facebook and waiting for the likes to pour in. You have to be smart in how you do things.

Although the internet has made instant visibility possible, an effective SEO strategy is needed so that those investments and efforts do not go in vain. It involves carefully formulated strategies and a powerful plan to steer the online community in the direction of your business once they prompt the search engine to find a business product or service that matches yours with a keyword.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – What is it All About?

When you take your business online in search of more customers, you need to make sure that you optimize your website to generate the right response. Smartly formulated SEO strategies are required for a rewarding online presence.

By definition, SEO stands for “Search Engine Optimization.” It is a process that generates free and organic traffic from search engines.

SEO covers both, the creative and technical aspects required to drive traffic, improve your website ranking, and increase awareness of your business in search engines. From creating effective links to other websites to selecting keywords that will lead the internet traffic to your website, everything can be managed by implementing an SEO strategy that is customized to cater to your business needs specifically.

Still confused? You are not alone! Understanding SEO is not a piece of cake. You will need more time to get your head around it and this blog post will assist you in doing that.

How Does it All Work to Your Benefit?

Let us start from the beginning.

The moment you open a browser and type in the name of your desired search engine, which may be Yahoo, Bing or Google, a search bar magically appears that gives you the opportunity to get any information that you may require. The next thing you do is type the question, a phrase or a keyword that you need clarity on or information about, such as how to fix a leaking pipe or finding the nearest bakery that sells cronuts. A list of web pages will then be generated which could help answer your question.

But, how does it work?

If we took Google, for instance, or any other search engine for that matter, it has a crawler that serves the main purpose of collecting information about all the content that is being displayed on the internet. This will include each and everything from keywords to links to website content. As we all know, a computer operates through 0s and 1s. The crawler gathers all these 0s and 1s and brings them back to the search engine to build an index which is fed through a unique algorithm that matches the results to your query.

Now that we have covered the search engine, let us move to the optimization part of the process. This is what will help push your website ranking to the top. When a keyword is typed in the search bar, Google matches that with all the meta titles and descriptions to find relevant links that will satisfy the search.

For example, if you type in “surfboards in Australia,” Google will run its search to find relevant links where your keyword most closely matches with the content on the websites and will then rank them according to relevancy, web traffic, and other factors.

Factors That Carry Importance for a Search Engine Algorithm

• Link Authority Features at Domain level
• Link Features at Page Level
• KW and Content Features at Page Level
• Keyword-Agnostic Features at Page Level
• Brand Features at Domain Level
• Query / Traffic, User, and Usage Data
• Social Metrics
• Keyword Usage at Domain Level
• Keyword-Agnostic Features at Domain Level

Factors that Contribute to SEO to Deliver Instant Business Visibility

Content Relevancy

As discussed earlier, as long as the content is relevant, and specifically answers the queries of internet users, it will appear in the search results. Therefore, if you are selling hand-knitted gloves this winter with the best quality wool, your content should include specific keywords that will lead the internet traffic to your website. For instance, using “hand-knitted woollen gloves” as a keyword in your content will mark it as relevant.

Quality of Content

According to a new research, even if you do not focus on keywords, you can increase your business visibility. The trick lies in having quality content which is popular amongst your visitors or readers. This may include videos, pictures, and infographics that attract a majority of your target audience. The focus should be on user experience, which is why Google is focusing more on long-form content to understand the intention rather than relying solely on keywords.

User Experience

An easily navigable website with internal linking and content that is relevant keeps the visitors on the page in search of more content. It also increases website traffic as more people discover the website and explore the content within.

Cross-Device Compatibility

Optimizing your website and content for any given screen size will not only improve popularity but also increase search engine ranking. A responsive design is often preferred by Google, as well as internet users, as the fast-paced life, today requires an immediate response, no matter what device the query is made from.

Site Speed

The instant loading of web pages is as important as compatibility across different devices. Pages that are hosted on AMP (Accelerated Mobile Page) may, therefore, appear on top of search results as they load faster.

Internal Linking

Internal linking is an important factor when it comes to SEO strategies for online visibility. If you own a business that provides expert reviews, you would want to include other options that help push traffic further and ultimately generate more trust signals for a search engine (e.g. Google). It not only improves the ranking of the website based on certain keywords but also helps Google develop a favourable index for your website.

Authority

Authority links to responsibility, therefore an authority website represents a responsible business. An internal link from such a website is very valuable and creates confidence amongst your visitors. Therefore, the more quality content you produce, the quicker you will become an authority website.

Title Tags and Meta Descriptions

Meta descriptions are important for a sneak peak of your website, which may compel an internet user to give it a visit. It is a short paragraph appearing under your website’s URL and gives a clue of the content within. A good length is often considered to be between 154 – 156 characters.

Title tags also carry significance since they tell a visitor what your website is about at a single glance, in the most concise manner, through the keywords highlighted in the title tag, which are also typed in search engine results.

Schema Markup

This adds attraction to your search results. With a schema markup, your search engine results will also show added star ratings, images, customer ratings, and other helpful information.

Images that are Tagged Properly

One thing that should be kept in mind is that Google is not a person, so it does not look at images. However, the alt text you type is readable and therefore describing your image will increase chances of it appearing in Google Image results.

Unique Domain Names

Domain name is important and represents your brand, therefore it should be clear, attractive, fun, and not very complex. This means that avoiding hyphens, numbers, double letters, and other similar problematic elements will eliminate confusion. Moreover, sticking to .com, or maybe .net increases affiliation as well as adoption, reducing errors when typing addresses.

Evergreen Content

Everyone seeks long-term visibility and online popularity, therefore, rather than publishing quick news or common stories, writing and posting more thoughtful, practical, advice-focused, and helpful content will drive more traffic.

Permalinks and Headlines

Headlines should be of less than 55 characters to ensure they are completely visible. Moreover, they should be attractive, attention-grabbing, and descriptive as well. It is important to note that you shouldn’t claim something that your business does not deliver in the headline.

Permalinks (URL) do not necessarily have to match the headline. 3 to 4 keywords can be incorporated, with the most important keyword first in the link.

Comments

Comments show a response, which is very important to attract more visitors or encourage them to take part in the discussion. While they may be negative or positive, it gives the visitors, as well as Google, an idea that people are engaged. You may also want to add nofollow value to your comments section because Google ignores the erroneous links.

Local SEO

Google now displays results based on user location. Therefore, by registering your business with Google My Business and keeping all your information up-to-date, like opening times, customer service support, address, and reviews, you will get the visibility and feedback you deserve.

Social Media

The era today is plagued by social media and its extensive use, therefore, it would be in your business’ best interest to be present on all relevant social channels. Facebook and Twitter remain the most popular worldwide, so having a presence on these two key platforms can be your opportunity to become instantly visible to the masses that log into their social media accounts every day. Although the debate regarding whether social media integration improves search engine ranking is a long one, and there is no real conclusion that can be reached, it is better to stay active on social media to improve visibility.

What to Avoid so You Can Improve SEO Ranking and Increase Business Visibility

Here are some things that you should stay very far away from in order to achieve your goals.

• Annoying advertisements
• Keyword stuffing
• Excessive link exchanging or link buying
• Full-screen ads to download a mobile app
• Duplicate content
• Hidden links and text

Final Advice

Because you are a part of the current century, it is better to adopt the current ways to promote business visibility rather than relying on pamphlets and screaming salesmen. Considering different aspects of SEO to boost business visibility online instantly is the need of the day, therefore, searching for an easy way out will not get you anywhere – it will only result in you incurring extra costs and ultimately resulting in a decline in the popularity of your business. So act wisely and reap the benefits!