When was the last time you Googled a question you didn’t know the answer to? For a typical internet user, chances are, very, very recently. Want to know where the nearest fast food restaurant is? Voila. How a chemical process works? Easy peasy. Where to find the best clothing deals? Type that into the search bar and you have your answers in less than a minute.

More than 90 percent of actions taken on the internet begins with a query on a search engine. The entire process has evolved to become so fast and convenient, it’s no wonder that a lot of us have become so reliant on it. Over time, search engines have advanced to become extremely good at giving us what we’re looking for, so much so that very few people actually venture beyond the first page of results. So for those who want to make their websites stand out, this is where SEO comes into play.

SEO, short for search engine optimization, basically refers to the process of making a webpage more likely to appear when someone does a search on a search engine. With so many existing websites on the internet, having a website appear higher up on the list of search engine results is a great help, especially for businesses.

Regardless of their niche, many companies understand the importance of and place great emphasis on building their online presence. This is even more so after many physical businesses took a hit from the pandemic. However, with millions of active websites on the internet, it is easy to be buried among the rest. This is why what an SEO company does is so helpful in making a website stand out.

The main aim of digital marketing for businesses is of course to increase sales and profit. Even if a business’ operations does not mainly occur on online platforms, the goal can still be achieved via increasing brand awareness, building customer loyalty, and so on. The success of digital marketing strategies can be measured through a myriad of different metrics depending on your short-term goals. These include website traffic, conversion rate, average time spent on the page, and exit rate, just to name a few.

What’s interesting is that while SEO strategies can help to improve these metrics, these metrics also affect the webpage’s SEO. It’s an interdependent relationship. Also, SEO techniques tend to come hand in hand with increasing the visitor’s user experience as well as the quality of the page, rather than simply forcing an advertisement onto potential customers. Read on to find out some ways in which SEO can help a business in achieving their marketing goals.

Increase Quality Traffic

Most basic digital marketing tactics can successfully increase the amount of visitors to a webpage. The most direct way that SEO does this is by pushing a website to the front page of results of any search related to the company and what they’re offering, so that the chances of someone clicking in is higher. However, website traffic alone doesn’t necessarily lead to higher sales and profits.

Apart from the increase in general traffic, SEO can also increase the website’s traffic quality. Because organic search engine results correspond to what the user is actually searching for, there is a high chance that they click into the website with an intent and motive, as compared to say, a pay-per-click ad. Therefore, the increase in traffic is more likely to consist of potential customers and might lead to higher conversion rates.

Keyword research is one such technique used by SEO companies to ensure the content on a page reaches the right audience. By finding out what phrases and words the target audience are actually searching for, the net is cast in the right direction rather than thrown around randomly in hopes for a catch.

Boost Branding and Public Image

Appearing at the forefront of search engine results gives users the impression that the website is an established and reliable one, which improves the image of the company. The process of applying SEO techniques also indirectly leads to similar results. One of the main techniques in SEO is to ensure that the website produces quality content. This means that content is well-written, interesting, and consistently updated. Using hyperlinks that lead to reliable and relevant sources is another main SEO technique, which gives the article more credibility and depth.

SEO plans usually consist of technical modifications to the website as well. Search engines aim to present the best results to their users, hence their algorithm will also factor in metrics that affect user experience. Examples include loading time, webpage security, or whether a site is mobile friendly. As such, a webpage optimized for a search engine is bound to provide a pleasant experience for customers. Good content and an enjoyable experience will make a lasting impact on webpage visitors, which in turn can lead to improved brand awareness, brand loyalty and higher rate of return to the site.