Nearly 70% of all experiences online start with a search engine like Google. About 75% of consumers don’t look beyond the first search engine results page, though. If you’re not ranking at the top of a search page, consumers might not find your brand.
You could struggle to generate brand awareness, site traffic, leads, and sales.
With search engine optimization (SEO), you can learn how to get higher search engine rankings. Then, you can generate more traffic and leads to set your business up for success.
Still not convinced about the importance of higher search engine rankings? Here are nine benefits of higher rankings to consider first.
After reading this guide, you can determine if SEO services are ideal for your business.
Read on to discover the benefits of learning how to appear at the top of search results today.
1. Boost Brand Awareness
About 59% of shoppers prefer choosing familiar brands they recognize. In fact, the more people appreciate and believe in a brand, the more they’ll buy. Unfortunately, it can take about seven impressions before you start generating brand awareness.
If consumers aren’t encountering your brand online, they’re likely seeing your competitors instead. Your would-be customers might decide to shop from your competitors as a result.
Instead, you can start generating brand awareness by learning how to appear at the top of search results.
Higher search engine rankings will ensure your brand appears before any other on a search page. Each time consumers search for your offerings, your website could appear. As consumers continue to encounter your brand, awareness will grow.
Eventually, you can build brand recognition. Consumers will have an easier time remembering your brand.
Increasing brand recall could encourage more people to choose your brand directly. You can generate direct website traffic, which can improve your rankings further.
Remaining top-of-mind with customers could help you become their go-to choice.
Each time they need your product or service, they’ll choose you before any other business. Improving your search engine rankings will help you occupy their minds.
Once you become their go-to resource, you can start generating more leads and sales.
2. Establish Your Credibility
Consumers want to choose businesses they can trust. If your website doesn’t appear on the first page, it could impact your credibility. Consumers might feel more inclined to choose one of your competitors instead.
Before that can happen, consider learning how to get higher search engine rankings. For example, you can create high-quality, informative blog posts. Creating blog posts will give you the chance to demonstrate your experience and expertise.
The information you provide readers could even position you as an industry thought leader.
Consumers will begin to rely on you for the answers to their questions. You can continue generating website traffic as people explore your content.
You can even personalize your content based on the questions your customers are asking.
Establishing your credibility could give you a competitive advantage. Meanwhile, consumers will have an easier time trusting your brand. Once they trust you, they might decide to give your business a try.
You can start generating more leads and sales as a result.
3. Get Ahead of Competitors
Chances are, your competitors are already using digital marketing strategies to generate more business. Discovering the benefits of higher search engine rankings could even the playing field.
Large corporations can’t spend money to improve their organic search engine rankings. They need to earn their higher rankings. Developing a search engine optimization strategy could help you take the lead.
You can improve your rankings and position yourself ahead of your competitors.
Remember, higher rankings will ensure consumers see your business before any other on a search page. Higher rankings will establish your credibility in the industry, too.
You don’t have to compete with a large corporation’s huge marketing budget.
Instead, learn how to boost your search engine rankings and start getting ahead of the competition.
4. Generate Trust and Loyalty
Remember, consumers want to choose businesses they can trust. Discovering the importance of higher search engine rankings could boost brand trust.
You can use your blog posts to remain honest and transparent with your target audience. One of the latest SEO trends is EAT (expertise, authority, trustworthiness). Establishing EAT within your content could encourage consumers to trust your brand.
For example, you can give consumers a behind-the-scenes look into how your products are created. You can use Q&A live video sessions to answer their questions.
Generating brand trust could help you generate more leads and sales, too. Consumers might decide to become loyal customers as a result. Boosting brand loyalty could improve your ROI.
In fact, about 84% of consumers are loyal to specific retailers. A 5% boost in customer retention could lead to a 25% increase in profit. In fact, about 43% of consumers spend more money on brands they’re loyal to.
Boosting brand trust and loyalty could set your business up for lasting growth. As you retain customers, your revenue will rise.
With SEO, you can boost your ROI and experience lasting success.
5. Boost Website Traffic
Consumers might struggle to learn about your business if they can’t find your company’s website. Higher search engine rankings will position you in front of more customers online. Consumers can click on the link to visit your website.
They can read your content to find answers to their questions. Increasing your clickthrough rate can boost your rankings, too.
As your rankings continue improving, you’ll appear in front of more and more customers.
Generating more website traffic can help you learn more about your target audience.
For example, you can use analytics to determine what pages they’re visiting. You can use that data to better inform your content marketing strategy. Then, you can appeal to your customer’s distinct needs and interests.
Appealing to their pain points and needs could help you generate more traffic in the future.
6. Attract Local Customers
As part of your SEO strategy, consider optimizing your Google My Business (GMB) listing. Your GMB listing will take up prominent space on a search engine results page. You can appear at the top of search results and help more people find your business.
Optimizing your GMB listing will help you attract local consumers, too.
They can find your phone number, address, and website. Consumers can already read customer reviews from your listing. Positive reviews can boost your brand’s reputation.
Improving your search engine rankings will help you reach nearby customers. You can generate more foot traffic, leading to more sales. Your ROI will continue to improve.
You can also create location-based content for your blog.
For example, you can include keywords that are specific to your city or region. Consumers who are looking for local businesses will see your content. They can visit your website, explore your offerings, and check out your store.
Learning how to improve your search engine rankings can help you appeal to local customers.
7. Leverage the Shopping Mindset
Your website can appear when someone searches for your product or service. These consumers are already in the mood to shop. You can leverage that mindset by answering the questions that are causing them to hesitate.
Remember, higher search engine rankings will help you appear in front of those customers first.
Consumers will recognize you have the answers, products, and services they’re looking for. Once they’re equipped with the information they need, they might decide to shop.
With traditional marketing methods like cold calling, you have to convince consumers they need your offerings. With SEO, consumers already want what you offer. You won’t have to convince them.
Instead, you can leverage their existing mindset to generate more leads and sales.
8. Generate Leads and Sales
SEO drives 1,000% more website traffic than organic social media. In fact, 53% of all website traffic comes from organic search. About 60% of marketers say SEO and blogging are their highest quality sources of leads.
In fact, leads through SEO have a 14.6% close rate.
Generating more website traffic by improving your search engine rankings could help you generate more leads. Then, you can nurture those leads and turn them into paying customers.
Remember, you can turn those one-time customers into loyal customers, too.
Learning how to get higher search engine rankings could help your business grow.
9. Improve Your ROI
Traditional marketing strategies like billboards, flyers, and cold calling aren’t always effective. You could blow through your marketing budget without generating results. Even other search engine marketing strategies like pay-per-click advertising are expensive.
Improving your search engine rankings is an organic strategy.
You can use search engine optimization to rank higher on search engine result pages. Your content will help you inform and engage consumers. As you generate more leads and sales, your ROI will improve.
Remember, retaining long-time customers can boost your ROI as well.
Either way, you’re paving the road for long-term growth and success.
Set Success: 9 Reasons Higher Search Engine Rankings are Essential
Learning how to gain higher search engine rankings can help your business grow. You can rank ahead of competitors and boost your credibility. Then, you’ll generate more traffic, leads, and sales with ease.
Consider using SEO to give your business the boost it needs today.
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