Are you curious about what SEO is and why it matters for your business? Well, look no further.
Here are 5 simple reasons SEO needs to be a priority this year when it comes to the content on your blog, website, and online.
What is SEO?
SEO is short for search engine optimization.
A search engine is a website that you go to on your computer or phone when you want to search for something. Maybe it’s a question you have or a product you want to look for and purchase. For example, the biggest search engine website is Google.com. Bing.com and Yahoo.com are two other more well-known search engines as well.
Optimization means you want to make something the best or most effective.
So when you think about search engine optimization, for example, it means you want to show up on Google toward the top of the page for that person doing the searching.
You do this by being strategic with the copy you have on your website. When I say copy, I mean the words on your blog, in your headlines, included in your URLs, in your meta descriptions, and anywhere you are talking about yourself online.
The words you choose are a big deal.
Over 50% of your blog and website traffic is determined by your copy
“Organic Search (53.3%) remains the dominant source of trackable web traffic and the largest digital channel.” (BrightEdge)
Right off the bat, this statistic confirms your copy needs to be intentional.
Over half of those visiting your website, are doing so based on the quality of your copy and how Google is crawling your content.
If the most popular words people are searching for related to your business are not published in multiple places on your site, you have a problem.
You aren’t signaling to Google to essentially pick your site to get some of those top organic spots on their search page.
And you want those top spots.
That’s how people will find you when they have a problem or want a product and go searching.
Product descriptions optimized for SEO are a no-brainer
“53% of shoppers say they always do research before they buy to ensure they are making the best possible choice.”(Google)
If you have something to sell, your optimized descriptions are key for higher sales.
With over half of the consumers going online to research what they want to buy before actually going in-store or purchasing online, they want to see their options.
If you want to be an option, your product descriptions need to have the same words consumers are typing into their search bar.
For example, you sell nutrition shakes, but through keyword research, you have discovered that your consumers are searching for protein shakes more than nutrition shakes. Your product has protein, but you never thought to include the term “protein shake” as an additional keyword term in the description copy.
Voila — you could have missed an opportunity for consumers to find you simply overusing “nutrition shake” and leaving out “protein shake” from your product headline and description copy.
The right words matter.
If you want to be #1 on Google, your copy needs to have credible links
“The #1 result in Google has an average of 3.8x more backlinks than positions #2-#10.” (Backlinko)
SEO is more than using the right words in your copy. It’s also a mixture of utilizing credible links if you want to show up in the top spots on Google’s search page.
What’s a backlink?
A backlink is a link from one website that when clicked, directs you to another website for more information.
For example, every one of the statistics in this article ends with a link to the site where I read the original fact. You can click these links to read more and download the necessary material which I pulled the statistic from.
I’m crediting the site, and Google will factor in these backlinks as a part of my long-term organic search rating for my website.
I want people to find my website for freelance copywriting services, and writing blog content with credible links helps my organic SEO.
Your keywords in your copy are how consumers find you
“76% of people who search for something nearby on a smartphone will end up visiting within a day.” (Google)
Look at your own behaviors.
How many times are you out and you grab your phone to see where you can go to dinner or buy something nearby?
Well, it turns out just over 3/4 of us look to our phone to search and then end up visiting that destination in a day.
That reaffirms for me if your copy on your blog or website doesn’t contain keywords, you’re not showing up in the top 5 local business searches.
Not only that, it’s a reminder your website and blog need to be optimized for mobile. Nothing’s worse than ranking high on keywords, and then the consumer clicking on your site and having a horrible experience trying to navigate a desktop view on their smaller mobile device.
Make sure your website is optimized for mobile and SEO.
SEO copy knowledge plus user experience expertise are the future
“34.7% of SEO pros plan to focus on the user experience this year.” (Search Engine Journal)
High-ranking keywords are a part of the user experience on your website. Over 1/3 of SEO professionals know it’s about being obsessed with the consumer mindset.
Not only should your copy be optimized, but it should also resonate with your consumers making them feel something.
What is their overall impression of how easy or hard it is to navigate your website? Do they still feel a connection through your copy?
Keywords won’t keep them on your site if you aren’t entertaining to read and give them the information they need.
Final thoughts on SEO
If SEO hasn’t been your priority with your content online, it should be.
Statistics continue to indicate that the words in your copy matter. It makes the difference between a potential consumer being able to find you online or not.
The good news is if you don’t have the time to look into it yourself, there are freelance digital copywriters like myself who can help you.
You would be surprised how refreshing your content with a focus on SEO can boost your website traffic and create improved awareness for your business.
Thanks for reading. If you need a freelance copywriter skilled in SEO and digital marketing best practices, please contact me to schedule a free consultation to talk about how my services can help your business succeed.