If You Run One of These Businesses, You Can’t Afford to Ignore SEO

online marketing companiesAmericans turn to the Internet when they need to find something, and that trend is only increasing with the prevalence of mobile devices. As of January 2014, the Pew Research Center found that 55% of American adults owned smartphones, and 42% owned tablets. Gone are the days when consumers could only Google something from a desktop or laptop computer. With figures like that, it should come as no surprise that businesses are turning to online marketing companies, rather than traditional advertising, to bring in more customers. It also shouldn’t be surprising that search engine optimization is one of the most prominent online marketing services now being offered.

A decade ago, SEO consisted primarily of stuffing awkward keywords into webpage content or buying a bunch of backlinks to boost a site’s rankings. But thanks to improvements in Google’s ranking algorithms, such the so-called Hummingbird update, that’s no longer good enough. Now, the best SEO services focus on online audience optimization. OAO refers to optimizing content so that it has user intent, not just the search engine, in mind. That means creating high-quality content that actually anticipates a searcher’s needs. It’s a time-consuming and specialized process, which is why 62% of companies decide to outsource part or all of their content marketing (according to a Forrester survey) to expert SEO services.

Should you be looking at online marketing companies that can offer SEO for your business? The short answer is yes, almost all businesses will benefit from SEO given how heavily American consumers rely on Google to find what they need. But search engine marketing — comprised of SEO and its cousin, paid search advertising — offer particular benefits to certain kinds of businesses. Here are some examples of businesses that benefit most dramatically from SEO and SEM services in general:

  1. Online Retailers
    This one isn’t much of a surprise. E-commerce sites tend to see a high conversion rate (of traffic into sales), so it’s usually worth it for these businesses to invest in SEO.
  2. Doctors and Lawyers
    Professionals such as doctors and lawyers can draw in new clients via SEO because people often type medical and legal questions into their search engines first. High-quality content is a must in SEO for these types of professionals, as searchers won’t end up actually going to a doctor or lawyer if the practice seems outdated or sloppy.
  3. Home Services
    SEO tends to work very well for the same types of businesses that used to be listed in the phone book — plumbers, roofers, HVAC specialists, etc. People often don’t have much of a reason to choose one plumber over another, so simply ranking higher can be the deciding factor between you and a competitor.
  4. Travel Services
    When you’re dreaming about your next vacation, you probably turn to the Internet first. It’s vital that airlines, hotels, and attractions rank well in order to draw tourists.
  5. Restaurants
    Restaurants and other small local businesses often see a substantial benefit local SEO services, especially as Google has begun to prioritize local results. Remember that even if your customers want to visit you in the real world, they’re searching for you online.

Are you ready to start looking at online marketing companies? Discuss what benefits you might see from SEO in the comments.

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