So you caved a while back and finally had a website created for your company. You were excited about the possibilities about all the growth and leads you'd see from it!

But some time has passed now and, well...you don't really understand what all the hype was for.

Before you go blaming an oversaturated digital market or shaming millennials for revering the internet a bit too much, ask yourself this: How's my SEO strategy?

If your answer is, "My HUH?" then you may have just gotten to the essence of why your site isn't doing all the work you'd hoped of it!

Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, plays a crucial role in the functionality and success of all websites ever. Whether you're thinking you should maybe definitely do some work toward SEO implementation, or you're still wondering, "Uh...what does SEO do?" read on for 10 ways SEO can boost your company's website!
 

1. Drives Traffic to Your Site

One of the major purposes of SEO is to drive viewers to your website.

When your site is optimized for search engines, it's much more likely to appear higher on the list of search engine results. Over 75% of internet users never bother to push past that first page of results, so if your page isn't ranking, those users won't be bothering to see it.
 

2. Connects You With Broader Audiences

One of the major benefits of SEO and digital marketing as a whole is that it allows you to connect with much broader audiences in greater numbers than traditional marketing practices allow.

Optimizing your site using SEO means it's making itself available to a much bigger pool of people, not just those you refer to your site in-store or after orders. If someone in the world is interested in services related to yours, SEO can help them stumble upon your site naturally!
 

3. Establishes Credibility

Lots of what we do when facilitating a digital marketing campaign are working toward establishing credibility in one way or another. We want to be credible among audiences and SEO helps us become credible with search engines.

Search engines notice efforts in SEO, such as quality backlinking profiles, and positive user behavior. When you optimize your site for search engines you build credibility, which boosts your site in rankings.
 

4. Improves User Experience

Many of the elements of a website that makes for great SEO are also things that make for a more-quality user experience; so when you're investing time into SEO, you're also investing time into your readers and potential customers!

Search engines favor awesome sites with mobile versions, fast page speeds, and high retention rates for visitors. They love good integration of photos and videos, as well as relevant and quality backlinks.
 

5. Increases Engagement

If you own a business whose main audience is concentrated locally, your SEO can be tailored to fit that local area - and its engagement can skyrocket as a result. Local SEO allows geographic location to boost your results; it uses backlinking and social media to start conversations with your audience, asking them to engage directly with your site and content.

When it comes to digital marketing, followers and visitors aren't enough. You'll need lots of engagement from your audience to convert leads.
 

6. Leads to Higher Close Rates

Studies have shown that, while outbound close rates from sites that neglect SEO ring in at about 1.7%, close rates from SEO-savvy sites average 14.6%. That's a huge gain in close rates!

When potential customers are allowed to actively seek out your site and its content because of great search engine results, they're able to find what they're looking for.
 

7. Provides Long-Term Strategy

With SEO, you'll likely witness a major uptick in your site's usefulness over the course of your first optimized year. The impact of the optimization over that first year, however, will often extend long after the fact.

While digital marketing is always evolving, SEO provides an adaptable strategy. SEO is growth-oriented and versatile - as long as you continue to tend to your site and its SEO, your site and its rankings will continue to grow and benefit your business.
 

8. Saves You Money

Okay, so maybe a better way to say it is that SEO makes you money. Doing it right often costs a chunk of change at the outset, but SEO typically proves to be a seriously lucrative investment in your company's future.

Good SEO implementation will last for a long time. With regular attention and continued use, it'll enable you to convert leads and grow your web presence for years to come. Think of SEO implementation as a major investment in your company's future, then sit back and wait for the leads to flow!
 

9. Helps You Understand the Web You're In

One of the very best things about SEO and digital marketing as a whole is that it's totally quantifiable; at any given moment, you're able to step back and analyze your marketing efforts, successes, and failures. You're able to reevaluate and adapt.

Using proper tracking and analytics, your SEO will help you to understand at all times where you're at, where you're headed, and it'll often provide clear paths as to how best to get there. While it won't necessarily offer clear calculations on ROI like paid research would, SEO constantly works to help you understand the market and climate you're in, as well as how you might best adapt.
 

10. Highlights New Opportunities

In the same vein, quality SEO should always be working to highlight new opportunities, as well as the things that are already working well.

If you're investing time and money into optimizing your site, you'll probably definitely want to see something come of it. Through SEO, you're setting your site up so it's in a position to grow and adapt. Without SEO, you'll be unable to anticipate opportunities for growth.
 

So...What Does SEO Do?

Now you've got a better idea now as to how SEO can impact your business's website!

If you're ready to start implementing awesome SEO or if you're still asking "what does SEO do?" be sure to stop by and check out our Managed SEO service for small businesses!