4 benefits of SEO for small businesses

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a tactic used to draw traffic to your website. Quite simply put, it focuses on the keywords included on that site to get organic traffic. When people run searches for these terms, perhaps seeking out the services and products that a business offers, the page ranks higher because of this SEO process. This generates more traffic, and the small business then has a chance to sell its products or services to those consumers. SEO doesn’t make the sales, but it gets people on the page so that the company has the opportunity to demonstrate why consumers should pick their options.

But this is not the only tactic. People will also create Pay Per Click ads, for example, paying to get these ads in front of people and creating traffic that way. Both of these tactics can work, but let’s look at some reasons why small businesses in particular enjoy the benefits of SEO.

1. It has a long-term focus

First of all, SEO should be viewed as a long-term strategy. It’s something that you do consistently for years, and it ideally generates traffic on a similarly consistent basis. Paid ads only work when you continue funneling money into those advertisements, but a site that has been properly optimized can continue to get traffic. You’re actually improving the site itself, so it’s not just a short-term payoff.

2. It’s better for users

Ads are targeted to users who are theoretically predisposed to want to buy those products or services. But they will inevitably land in front of at least some people who don’t want to see them and who will not click on them. SEO, on the other hand, focuses on the terms people are deliberately typing into the search bar. This means it’s a better experience for those users when they find your site, which can give you higher conversion rates and better engagement.

3. It’s cost-effective

Cost is one thing that many small business owners are considering, with due reason. Traditional advertising tactics may simply be too expensive. But SEO can be done cost-effectively and scaled up over time.

4. It competes with other businesses

Finally, SEO is a way for small businesses to directly compete with other local businesses. People in your geographical area or online niche are going to be searching for goods and services, and a business that has focused on SEO will rank higher than one that has not. This means that you not only give yourself a better position, but you hinder the efforts of your competition.

Here at Content Customs, we have decades of combined experience running SEO campaigns. Contact us today if you’d like to know more about how we can help your small business increase traffic, engagement and sales.