Marketing and advertising are ever-changing, and it’s crucial for businesses and agencies to keep up with the latest trends and tactics. The way people engage with brands today, it’s clear that digital marketing is more important than ever and is one of the core components of the work we do for our clients here at Brew. Learn more about how SEO can impact your business.
So, what is SEO?
SEO, also known as “search engine optimization,” is the practice and strategy of increasing both the quantity and quality of traffic to your website through organic, non-paid search engine results. This is done through code and content on the website itself, as well as implementing other important off-site signals.
Search engines, like Google, show web page results that are ranked in order of what the search engine considers most relevant to your search terms. While no one knows the exact algorithms Google and the other search engines use for ranking, utilizing the most up-to-date knowledge and best practices in SEO can have a positive effect on your website’s rank in the search results.
Does SEO actually work?
In short, yes! However, results are not immediate, and anyone who promises a quick boost is most likely a scam. It’s important to understand that SEO is a long game, and one that is constantly changing at that, so whoever does work on the SEO for your website should stay abreast of the latest and most valid SEO techniques. Outdated or spammy tactics that promise quick results, also known as “black hat SEO,” can get you a one-way ticket to Google’s bad side, and it’s tough to bounce back from a black hat knock from Google.
How does SEO affect your business?
According to Google, there are roughly 40-60 billion searches each month just on their website in the United States alone. More than 90% of these traffic clicks are somewhere on the first page of the search results. This means if your website does not rank on the first page, then people will most likely never view your website at all. Investing in SEO can increase site traffic, increase SERP (search engine results pages) ranking, attract customers, and much more.
More importantly, good SEO can position your business as an industry leader and valuable resource for people that are looking for the products or services you offer. As a business owner, you already know how impactful it can be when you can truly tune in to your customers’ problems and how you can help them find a solution!
What is PPC and how do SEO and PPC work together?
PPC (pay-per-click) or SEM (search engine marketing), refers to the advertising you see at the top and along the sides of different search engines. It’s called pay-per-click because you only pay for the ads when they are clicked. PPC campaigns (when implemented strategically) can bring much quicker results than SEO alone.
However, that’s not to say you should use one without the other. We believe that SEO and PPC work best together for a successful digital marketing plan. You can think of PPC as the sprint and SEO as the marathon. In the long run, they can both get you where you want to go.
Finally, it’s important to understand that keywords are the foundation of any successful SEO or PPC campaign, and you can leverage that same research for both implementations. Developing a strong keywords list is all about understanding what your audience is looking for, and how they are searching for it. When you understand that, you can meet your audience where they are, and that ultimately is the goal of SEO.
Do you need SEO or PPC help?
There are many excellent resources online to help you get started with SEO and PPC. Two of our favorites are Moz and Search Engine Journal. However, whether you’re already deep in the SEO trenches or not even sure where to get started, you may want to consider calling in some professional reinforcements! Brew Agency is a full-service branding and advertising agency with a knack for business, strategy and visual communication. We focus on your goals and are driven by your success. If you’d like to hear how we can help set your website up for success, contact us!