In 2020, if you don’t have a digital footprint it’s almost impossible to get in front of your customer. In the age of social distancing, everyone is working from home and spending more time than ever in front of a screen. Is your website and digital brand ready for traffic? Let’s go through the basics to make sure you’re all set for the newest digital golden age.

What is SEO

SEO Stands for “Search Engine Optimization” which is how you grow your organic website traffic or online following.  This strategy started with simply putting keywords in the backend of your website and has grown into hashtags and handles, back linking and cross-promotional advertising. SEO can be organic “Free” service or paid advertising through local platforms.

“SEO helps small business owners create fast, robust, and user-friendly websites that rank higher in search engines, which in turn helps bring more qualified potential customers to their sites and eventually increases conversion rates.” (Improve my search engine ranking)

You may think you already know this, but do you really? Is your seo really the best that it can be? Does it even matter?

Why is it important?

SEO is important for website traffic. Organic searches based on your keywords are generally where most of your traffic will come from.

Attaching your SEO to a location can also help localize your brand and bring in local traffic to your site or store.  For example, here on Long Island, local is practically a movement. Shopping small is in right now. Let people know your story. Let them know where you’re from and why their location matters to you.

Organic SEO is important because it keeps the internet “fair game”.  Your site shows up in search results based on how much traffic you have visiting. The more often you show up, the better chance you have of unique, quality site visitors. It helps you build your online reputation. SEO is an affordable service that will repay you every single day.

Is SEO important in 2020?

Search engine optimization is even more important in 2020 than it has been in the past. In our current economy, organic search continues to sore over other search traffic and less and less people (during a pandemic) are paying for paid SEO placement or ads. “In 2020, it’s clicks over cost” for years business owners have “paid for clicks” but not anymore, now we’re flipping internet marketing on it’s head. Now we’re making it pay us. Organic SEO is the way to go.

According to Forbes magazine – “SEO is still one of the best customer acquisition strategies for locally focused businesses. What better way to bring customers in the door (or to your website) than to outrank your local competitors?”

Answer- there is no better way. Thanks Forbes.

Why do you need SEO for your business?

Wouldn’t you rather spend your budget elsewhere? While you can certainly pay for  listings on multiple sites and ads across different platforms, with SEO built into your site, products and social media- your investment is always paying off.  Can you say the same for your ads or partners? What other kind of marketing investment is constantly paying you back? When you sign on for  most paid advertising you aren’t guaranteed a return, with SEO you can see your results every single day.

So where do you start?

• First, lets’ start with the absolute basics- keyword tags. On your website are all keyword tags filled out to benefit your business? How about on your social media?
• Second, background SEO- Can the search engine find your website or product listings based on your keyword code? If you think yes, have google crawl your site and report back to you.
• Third, your photos- Are all your photo tags accurate and able to be read by the search engine? This is possibly the most important because photos have the ability to show up on searches independent of your main site.

If you answered no to any of the above, try the following to get the right SEO for your business-

Use a keyword tool-

Keyword tools are a great place to start if you’re brand new to SEO. They will help you figure out where you need to go.

Surfer-  This paid tool will help you write SEO optimized content that will rank It’s a quick and easy tool for business owners.

Google Keyword planner- This free service is a great option for business owners. You just have to input a bit of information and within minutes you’ll be on your way to the right keywords for your business and industry. Now you just have to implement them.

Hire a professional or take a course- If you have the money to spend either hire someone who can help you get the proper seo input to your site. Or take a course. With us or another trusted source. Don’t try to bs your way through the process because getting it right is extremely important to your bottom line.

Check your ads – If you’re currently running ads on a paid platform like google or facebook, check the keywords. Those are most likely the same ones you need to input for seo on your site or products. If you’d like to learn more about how social media can increase your seo, check out this great article by Harrison. Remember, your online branding is bigger and better across multiple platforms.  

Why do you need local SEO?

This is like wondering why we need a GPS to find a place to eat. And while we’re on that topic, make sure your local pages (like google maps) are up to date as well. This is the smartphone age, people need information at the tap of a button. Localized SEO means more conversions. More traffic to your site and more customer engagement overall. Local optimization is all about your demographic. Specific towns, interest, ages and locations can help make a brand visible on a local level. The social media generation does their research. And being present in the search engine across multiple platforms while making your brand easy access for your clientele makes them comfortable choosing you.

Why is SEO important for Digital marketing?

If your website is your digital business card, your seo is your digital referral. Clients can find out everything they need to know about your reputation, your pricing and your products based on their google search. Make sure your giving them a great first impression.  SEO brings the right clients to your digital door every single time. Without it, you could have a missed connection or be attracting the completely wrong demographic.

How does SEO affect your online success rate?

The success of online sales and marketing exist solely on how big of a brand presence you possess. How available are you to your customer? Can they find you easily? Is your site easy to access and navigate? Are you constantly updating products and keeping engaged with your following? If yes, then your success rate will be high. Want to make it higher? Stay educated and enlightened- keep up to date on what’s new in online sales and marketing. As long as you grow and change with the world, you’ll be on the right path for success.

‍