The Role of SEO in Digital Marketing

Digital marketing and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) are symbiotic.

Searching online is what consumers do more than anything else, so if you want your digital marketing to succeed, you need to work on your SEO. For example, did you know on Google there are 1.35 billion searches a day?

When you invest in digital marketing campaigns, your business measures ROI on conversions that lead to sales. Therefore every marketer in your business or engage to provide a marketing service should know more than SEO and SEM (search engine marketing).

Even you, as the boss or manager, can benefit from SEO training courses. The more you understand the importance of Google and its algorithm updates, including the latest update that appears to impact indexing and canonicalization, you’ll make better decisions with your digital marketing strategies.

SEO – What Is It?

SEO or Search Engine Optimization basically relates to user behavior while performing any search on search engines like Google and Bing. It has been noticed that the users generally click on the top three to four results of the search engine results when they enter any query. This is the driving factor behind companies optimizing their website or performing SEO to appear on the top of the search results for their products and reach the audience.

SEO marketing (as it’s often referred to) is about increasing the traffic to a business’ website by ranking high on the search results whenever any keywords related to their products are entered by the users.

In other words, SEO’s core goal is to increase a website’s visibility in search results. The action that triggers positioning includes:

• organic website traffic
• website bounce rate
• social media activity

SEO Activity

When you enter the world of SEO strategies, you realize there is no quick fix, and no amount of investment will turn your site’s reputation around overnight. Of course, you can use PPC (pay per click) and spend enough to be the first paid result for keyword searches however most businesses desire reputable organic positioning, and that needs a well thought out SEO strategic plan and continuous action and implementation of best practices.

For example, content should be your top priority. Unique relevant and interesting content shared socially to pull visitors to your website. Using your blog to be inclusive with your intended audience and in time ‘practice will make it perfect’.

Seek to understand what your audience wants to know about you and your business and write on it. Starting is the toughest part, but continuing is easy albeit requires discipline.

Using content as an SEO strategy is a responsibility best given to a team member that loves writing and communicating online. There is an art to blog writing, you don’t want to ‘push’ visitors off your site you want to ‘pull’ them to it.

If the content outreach is your responsibility, you’ll be more proficient at it, with SEO basics starting with knowing the role keywords in indexing and your site getting found online.

SEO Doesn’t Stand Still

Search engine algorithms keep updating continuously, and Google usually says when their next update is likely to occur.

Therefore SEO strategies that worked a few years ago may now be obsolete. Focus on innovative approaches so that your rankings don’t get affected by algorithm updates.

Results with SEO is are not usually instant, and this can frustrate site owners and businesses. Just like with marketing campaigns, SEO only works continuously when it’s given due care and attention. This is where SEO agencies play a role. They are fast to act, and they are more likely to deliver better outcomes sooner for their clients.

However, the good news is there is no chicken and egg scenario regarding SEO and digital marketing. Focus on SEO first, then digital marketing. To get early conversion use PPC, SMM and other advertising strategies for transactional sales.

PPC will also increase your brand awareness in a short period of time. However, it is SEO that can secure and keep it and get your site ahead of competitors.

Startups also see SEO as a way to usurp their competitors in search results. Plus they’re aware that using paid advertising long term is not good for profit.

Will SEO still be relevant in the years to come? Well, no one can give you the exact answer. Still, search engines and others like Amazon A9 will keep on updating their algorithms to deliver more sophisticated results. Hence, SEO will be needed to maintain your website rankings on top.

Today, with Google, it’s a mobile site first, then desktop. However, did you know uses prefer the desktop for searches than their mobile?

Voice-activated searches are becoming more popular, so the switch users need to use their mobiles when searching online.

Start out as you mean to carry on with SEO. Rather than learning on your own, gain knowledge from an industry expert and highly qualified trainer with an initial SEO course, then dive in and make it happen for your business.

Remember, SEO help is always just one search away.