How to Use Search Engines to Get Your Business Discovered
Did you know that more people than ever before are browsing the web via mobile devices? It’s true. These days, it’s all about smartphones in the back pockets and tablets in the over-the-shoulder bags. You have to have access to the information you need right when you need it. That’s why mobile Internet usage is projected to overtake desktop computer usage by 2014.
Say you’re on the couch, searching for something to eat for dinner. You could check the fridge, but that requires getting up from your comfy spot. After all, that’s what your iPhone is for! Studies show that nearly half of all mobile users will look up reviews for products and services using their devices — and all it takes is a few nimble fingers.
Most users are likely to search for these reviews using search engines, the most popular of which is and has, for years, been Google. That’s why it benefits any company to get its name out there, as high up in the Google rankings as it can possibly get, by using the complex systems of search engines to its advantage. One of the best ways to land these kinds of results is through online marketing, and search engine optimization (or SEO for short) is one of the most powerful tools you can use.
What SEO does is greatly expand the avenues by which your business can be discovered on the web. Picture it this way: You hire a team to create outstanding and relevant content for your website. This content lands high in search engine rankings, translating into more traffic for your pages and, eventually, more business. It’s all about playing with the dynamics and algorithms of search engines.
Recent data consistently shows that users discover more about your particular service or product through search engines than through a company website or social media. Sure, some consumers like to crowdsource and ask their friends for opinions. Some like to read up on a company’s history. But nothing drives a customer’s impulses more than user-generated reviews that can be easily discovered via search engines using a few simple keywords.
When your business relies on leads to sustain itself, opt for SEO to find them. Outbound leads tend to yield an average close rate of 1.7 percent, while inbound leads like SEO tend to close at 14.6 percent. It’s all about letting your potential customers come find you.
This is only the beginning of what search engines can do for you. Do a little research and find the online marketing agencies that have your best interests in mind. It could just be the difference between the top of the rankings and the bottom of the barrel.