Is SEO as Crucial as Google Makes You Think?
If you are anywhere near digital marketing, you might have heard something about Search Engine Optimization (SEO). If not, then we will provide some information on it so you brush up on that before continuing forward.
The question here, however, is whether SEO matters for every business, and whether they all might benefit from it. Google certainly thinks so, but does it want to sway you towards SEO to use its services more, or is there some real tangible benefit that not everyone is taking advantage of? Well, we aim to answer that here.
What is Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?
Uh, oh. We all saw this question coming, and it was always going to happen. Yes, we can point you to Google to see what SEO is, but doesn’t that defeat the purpose of this article and the very question it poses? We are questioning Google here, after all.
So, what is Search Engine Optimization?
SEO optimises your search engine. That statement might seem like saying ‘water is wet,’ but hear me out. The thing about search engines is that they show one thing first, then the next, and the next, and so on. So, all websites are fighting to appear as the first result on the first page at all times.
SEO basically optimizes everything about your online presence according to the search engine so that you have the best chance to appear as the first result on the first page. And since Google is the one being targeted, SEO follows the rules Google has to rank up higher. Of course, we don’t know the actual search engine algorithm (that is a trade secret), but we do know enough to put it to our advantage.
It is a Process
One crucial thing to note here is that it is a process and one that changes and evolves over time. SEO now is not the same as SEO five or ten years ago, and the same will be true five or ten years down the line.
There are two types of SEO. On-page and off-page. On page is everything that your website has and everything you can control. That means website speed, how many keywords you have stuffed in there, and many other things that will require plenty of explanation. Off-page SEO is things other websites have that may influence your rankings, but you cannot control them directly. More often than not, off-page SEO is only talking about links.
This is only scratching the surface, but if I get to explaining everything, we might be here all day. Right now, all you need to know is that for SEO to be successful, you need to consider plenty of factors and work on them before you get any results.
That means SEO is not some program you run to magically optimise everything for you. SEO takes time as you apply strategies and your own research to rank higher and higher. It is also a constant challenge to stay high up.
So, What Makes SEO So Important?
Well, you see, the fact that nobody knows Google’s secret algorithm sauce (except for Google) is a good thing. That way, SEO can come in and make all the search results fair.
The higher your ranking on Google’s searches, the more people will click on it. That brings more traffic, more users, more potential sales, and more ways for your business or website to generate revenue. Some ad agencies are simply looking for high traffic websites to display their ads, such as blogging websites, so users alone are a valuable resource.
However, that also means the status quo is always changing. Proper SEO techniques will keep you high on the list and listed as a credible source, but SEO can take time to bring results, and change over time as well.
It also brings competition. No website remains #1 for a long time if they don’t consistently work on their SEO. Google may also change its rules every now and then, which may change how SEO rankings work, too.
Without these caveats, one might easily answer that yes, SEO is crucial for any business that wants to be successful online, but with the constant change in how things operate, it throws a wrench in the works and makes giving a solid answer more complicated.
Working Without SEO
To truly gauge the importance of SEO, simply consider how it would be for your business to operate without SEO being a factor for you. Note that this doesn’t mean SEO won’t matter, because your competition could still be using it for their advantage.
The constant changing of search engine results through SEO brings a much-needed dynamism that would otherwise be manipulated far too easily.
One can say that online traffic is driven mostly by Google. If you want to search for a product, you search on Google, and then click on the top few results. The 2nd page of Google is practically non-existent except for the most desperate of power users.
That also means that SEO is meant for the user’s benefit, so that they get their desired results in the first search, and on the first page. You position your business according to the user, and as such, you have to consider SEO as something for the user rather than your business.
Social Media and Other Possibilities
Yes, you can use social media, word of mouth, and general advertisement techniques to spread word about your business without using SEO.
However, that still means you are competing against people who do use SEO as well as everything else. Essentially, if you don’t do it, you are leaving something very important on the table that can take plenty of potential customers from you.
SEO thereby stands as crucial for marketers. A good marketer will never favour one or another tool or process, but rather consider each and look to get the best of everything they have on offer. That way, SEO is not the only tool to use, but marketers do believe it is one of the most important ones.
Do You Need SEO Regardless of the Kind of Business You Have?
Even brick and mortar stores (of the few that still are there) have websites and online alternatives for shoppers. There might even be businesses with little to no competition, making you the #1 ranked business in that specific niche at all times. Or maybe, you just haven’t found success with SEO and are looking for alternatives.
The reason to use SEO, even if the constant bombardment of benefits in sales and awareness that you are informed about SEO don’t sway you towards it, is that it is something that is in your control. Most businesses would love any level of autonomy in the market, and to be able to control how they operate. SEO gives them the opportunity to at least control where they are shown. You still have to conform to Google’s rules, but so does everyone else.
SEO Does Matter to Some More than Others
A business sells two things. A service, or a product. However, sometimes, a business might just need to have people be more aware of it rather than focus on selling their products. The importance of this can vary depending on various factors, such as the scale and size of the business, or the stage of its growth.
However, there are a few factors that make SEO less important than it already is, and it is quite important. These are a few that can make all the difference, though they still don’t discount the importance of SEO yet.
- If budgets are tight enough that you don’t have the flexibility to consider SEO.
- If your customers are purely office, then SEO might as well be useless. You might still appear on search engines from results from Google Maps if customers search for you, but such businesses don’t need as much online traffic. Most of the time, a few ads here and there work for them.
- SEO does not bring fast results. SEO is also not something to be done once or twice. You have to do it constantly. So, if you are looking for results now, SEO is not for you.
- Last but not least, if competition is simply too much and your investment in SEO is not producing results, look towards alternatives. You might still need SEO in the future, but for now, it is okay to admit defeat and put it on hold.
But digital marketing does not just have SEO. There are many more methods for it, such as email marketing, social media marketing, influencers, brand ambassadors, and more.
So, if you can’t do SEO now, don’t discount it just yet. SEO is always important for online businesses, so you can’t just hang up your SEO boots once you get on top of Google’s rankings for a day or two.
FAQs
You got the questions, we have the answers to almost all the questions. If you’re more towards learning the mostly asked questions related to SEO.
- Do you need an SEO expert for creating strategies?
Yes, a Seo expert or strategist is required to drive forward your marketing activities, especially seo because it’s a long-term process that requires patience, creativity, and strategic thinking to better compete with the competitors. The expert will analyze the competitors first, and then see where you stand as a brand and how much will it take to fight back against the competitors who’re already ruling the Internet with thier strategies, and marketing tactics. SEO is based on Google, and the more crisp your content will be, and seo optimized the page is strong on the page and off the page, the chances of being ranked will be increased
- Is keyword research necessary for SEO?
Yes, keyword optimization is the first and most important thing in the seo lifecycle canvas, and if you think about keywords then, again you require an expert who will do the extensive research for you, giving a much better insight into the marketing domain. There are businesses who’re ruling thier niche only by adding keywords in the content, and that’s how they are earning heavy amounts, in return for their strategies. Google always ranks those content that is high in relevancy, properly optimized, and backlinks with relevant links.
- Is content marketing a crucial part of SEO strategies?
Definitely yes! CONTENT Marketing is the second and most important marketing canvas to check the relevancy and see where you stand on a whole. Without content, your appearance is zero because if you don’t have well-optimized content that is written with proper research your target audience won’t understand your key message, also google will also not make it rank on the search engine. The competition is fierce and people who’re in the marketing domain are working every day to extend their services and create a strategy that will result in maximum outcomes with less failure.
- What is the difference between on-page and off-page seo?
On the page, seo includes all the activities you do on the website, like your actual brand website where you publish content, do internal linking, optimize the pages, add alt text, and create pages that are visually appealing. However, off-page is sharing of guest posts on different websites with the guest user, and passing a high authority link either in the author bio or the same blog. Strategist love to do these practices to make the website rank on the search engine, because both of these will make the website of the client’s perform well.
Key Takeaway| SEO As Critical As You Think Of It?
The question was asked, and we are ready to answer, though that answer does have a ‘but’ at the end of it. But at least, we hope that it is as simplified as it could possibly be for you.
Is SEO as crucial as Google makes it? Yes. Google has positioned SEO to be crucial for all online businesses, but if yours is among the few that doesn’t need to be online, then feel free to disregard SEO, though that could mean you have an untapped market waiting for you.
If you still have some queries in mind, then feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section. We will try to get back to you as soon as possible.
