Drive Traffic Media, an SEO company in Los Angeles says that it has become second nature for consumers to look up a business through digital media outlets before purchasing a product. They do this to conduct research about whether the brand suits their preferences or interests them at all. More often than not, this is done by every consumer’s pocket friend, the smartphone. A study by Google said that 70% of people who purchased a product from a store used their smartphone to conduct a little research prior to that purchase. 30% of these individuals used a search engine. 

Search engines, such as Google, utilize an algorithm that helps the searcher find applicable information on the SERPs (search engine result pages). It’s a goal for all businesses to end up on the first page of the SERPs, but if you want that to happen then you need SEO efforts for your brand.

A well-organized SEO strategy is crucial to stand out above the competition, especially considering that 93% of online experiences start with a search engine. 

Here are four reasons why your small business needs SEO.

Bring Up Your Site’s Traffic Rate

Your business needs to rank as high as possible, and this is done through the utilization of phrases and keywords that are specific to your niche. When a consumer types specific keywords or phrases into a search engine, your goal is to have your site on the very first page of the SERPs. As for Google, 18% of organic clicks go directly to the first result, 10% to the second, and 7% to the third. With these percentages, it’s important to see why ranking high in the SERPs is crucial for website traffic. The higher your rank, the more traffic you’ll get.

Your Competition Probably Got a Head Start

There’s no denying it, your competitors are most likely deep into their SEO efforts already. Similar to your goal, they’re trying to rank high in the SERPs. Trying to snag the top spot is a difficult task, so if you’re able to get to that position, be sure to maintain it. 

If you see a big name brand ranking high, don’t think you’ve lost the game. Small and local businesses have an equal opportunity to end up in high ranking spots through organic search results. Of course, however, this needs to be completed with strong SEO strategies.

SEO Is Not Going Anywhere

For as long as algorithms are implemented in search engine platforms, SEO is here to stay. There is no better time than now to start figuring out your SEO strategy and to execute it.

SEO is not diminishing any time soon, in fact, it will only continue to change and evolve. In that case, the importance of SEO will only continue to grow as well. As most things change and evolve over time, so will the best practices of SEO. Our advice would be to stay “in-the-know” and well-educated on the latest trends in order to fall into and remain in a top SERP rank.

Build Brand Awareness and Credibility With Your Audience

Let’s take for example the idea that you may be opening up a bakery. If an individual in your local area is searching for a place to pick up baked goods, you’d want your website to show up on the first page of their search results. According to Drive Traffic Media, an SEO company in Los Angeles, if you put enough quality content on your website that is tagged with keywords, you’ll show up on that individual’s SERPs. It’s highly likely that that individual will click on your site to learn more about your menu and business as a whole. That could make all the difference between you gaining a customer as opposed to losing a customer to a competitor. Educate your potential and current customers to build awareness and trust.