Why SEO is essential for small businesses
Why SEO is essential for small businesses
However, imagine that you had established your storefront in the middle of a huge forest. You didn't bother putting up a sign. In fact, there weren't even any decent roads to get to your store! How much business would you realistically expect? Perhaps a few people whom you’ve pitched to personally will call you to order your services. Over time, they may even refer someone else. But if your direct competitor is situated on a busy intersection, I can guarantee that he’s getting far more new business than you!
This illustration aptly depicts most small to medium sized businesses that have had a website developed. They expected that by building a website and placing upon it their sales pitch, enormous amounts of traffic and business will just pour in, (the Internet is global after all)! However, what they don’t realize is that without proper SEO, they may as well be building their store in the middle of a forest, because the many millions of internet users have a small chance of finding it amidst the forest of other sites out there.
SEO is short for Search Engine Optimization. It may seem complicated, but it's really these three basic steps:
1. Definition - Who are your target customers? What keyword phrases do they search for to find what they need?
2. Optimization - Does your website contain the needed content & structure to qualify (rank highly) for those search queries? Is there something that perhaps needs to change?
3. Promotion - Get the word out. Acquire links back to your site from authoritative, relevant websites, informing search engines that you truly provide what you claim to.
To emphasize the impact of proper SEO, I’ve dug up example. I consulted on a website dedicated to a specific pet-related niche. On average, the website accumulated about 30-40 visitors per day, it wasn’t all that profitable. After only 6 months of solid SEO, the site now ranks in the top 3 search results for a number of related terms. The result is that the site now receives over 800 visitors daily! Of course, the most important result is impact on bottom line - revenue generated by the site increased tenfold!
Would your business benefit from a large increase in visits from qualified visitors? Remember, SEO doesn’t just bring more traffic, it attracts to your website the people that are actively seeking your products/services. These are obviously more likely to convert to leads and sales; and there’s a good chance they wouldn’t have known of your brand otherwise. No doubt you're starting to see the power of SEO to drive more business through your website!
In following articles, I'll explain many of the concepts that form the basis of good SEO.
Why SEO is essential for small businesses - To learn more about this author, visit Justin Cook's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
Do you remember what it was like starting up your business (perhaps you're still in the start-up phase now)? Recall planning the storefront where you would showcase your products, or sell your services. You wanted business, and there was plenty to be had!
However, imagine that you had established your storefront in the middle of a huge forest. You didn't bother putting up a sign. In fact, there weren't even any decent roads to get to your store! How much business would you realistically expect? Perhaps a few people whom you’ve pitched to personally will call you to order your services. Over time, they may even refer someone else. But if your direct competitor is situated on a busy intersection, I can guarantee that he’s getting far more new business than you!
This illustration aptly depicts most small to medium sized businesses that have had a website developed. They expected that by building a website and placing upon it their sales pitch, enormous amounts of traffic and business will just pour in, (the Internet is global after all)! However, what they don’t realize is that without proper SEO, they may as well be building their store in the middle of a forest, because the many millions of internet users have a small chance of finding it amidst the forest of other sites out there.
SEO is short for Search Engine Optimization. It may seem complicated, but it's really these three basic steps:
1. Definition - Who are your target customers? What keyword phrases do they search for to find what they need?
2. Optimization - Does your website contain the needed content & structure to qualify (rank highly) for those search queries? Is there something that perhaps needs to change?
3. Promotion - Get the word out. Acquire links back to your site from authoritative, relevant websites, informing search engines that you truly provide what you claim to.
To emphasize the impact of proper SEO, I’ve dug up example. I consulted on a website dedicated to a specific pet-related niche. On average, the website accumulated about 30-40 visitors per day, it wasn’t all that profitable. After only 6 months of solid SEO, the site now ranks in the top 3 search results for a number of related terms. The result is that the site now receives over 800 visitors daily! Of course, the most important result is impact on bottom line - revenue generated by the site increased tenfold!
Would your business benefit from a large increase in visits from qualified visitors? Remember, SEO doesn’t just bring more traffic, it attracts to your website the people that are actively seeking your products/services. These are obviously more likely to convert to leads and sales; and there’s a good chance they wouldn’t have known of your brand otherwise. No doubt you're starting to see the power of SEO to drive more business through your website!
In following articles, I'll explain many of the concepts that form the basis of good SEO.
Why SEO is essential for small businesses - To learn more about this author, visit Justin Cook's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
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John BrennanJohn Brennan Ed.D. Dr. Brennan is President of Interpersonal Development, LLC, a training and development firm. Interpersonal Development has provided sales training and coaching to more than 3,000 sales reps from over 100 companies. A native of Australia, Dr. Brennan received his doctorate from the University of Rochester. His dissertation researched the effectiveness of Behavioral Modeling Technology in training people in interpersonal skills. While he has spent most of his career designing or delivering training, he was also a Vice-President of Sales of a training and development franchise with operations in 25 markets. Dr. Brennan has designed and delivered sales training in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. He has been a guest speaker at numerous national and regional professional conferences. When Microsoft wanted Best Practices articles on sales for their web site, they called Dr. Brennan. The results are at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011387391033.aspx His firm’s clients have included Volvo, The Prudential, Merrill Lynch, Eastman Kodak, Gannett, Equifax Europe, the Economist Group and countless small businesses. - Visit John Brennan's Website |
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Staging DivaDebra Gould, aka The Staging Diva®, is President of Six Elements Inc., an internationally recognized home staging company. Inspired by many requests from aspiring home stagers wanting to start similar businesses, Gould created the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program. Gould has trained over 1000 Staging Diva Graduates worldwide to start staging businesses. Buying decorating and selling six of her own homes in four years lead to an interest in real estate staging which she turned into a career with the launch of sixelements.com in 2002. Since then she has staged hundreds of homes in addition to teaching home staging training. Gould is the author of several home staging resources including a series of popular ebooks made up of a Design Guide, Color Guide and Portfolio Guide. For more information about Debra Gould visit stagingdiva.com. - Visit Staging Diva's Website |
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Casey GollanCasey Gollan, Business Coaching & Mentoring Programs. Add $1 Million to $10 Million in the next 1 to 3 years. Since 1996 Casey has to added hundreds of millions of dollars to businesses. Watch a free video see client results Business Coaching website. - Visit Casey Gollan's Website |
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Anne BarrAnne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
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John AlexanderJohn has taught keyword research and SEO skills to small groups of business owners and Webmasters from over 80 different countries world wide since 2002. John is also the Director of Search Engine Academy ; Co-director of Training at Search Engine Workshops offering live, SEO Workshops with his partner SEO educator Robin Nobles, author of the very first comprehensive online search engine marketing courses at SEO Training Online and the SEO Workshop Resource Center. I look forward to hearing from you! - Visit John Alexander's Website |
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Cheryl MatthynssensCheryl is a life skills coach, licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and a 20 year entrepreneur. Cheryl's dedication to achieving a life of balance led to her expanding her teaching from the simple managing of life's daily challenges to adding financial well being as well. A direct marketer with DrinkACT, she is gaining ground in the online community with her concepts of making sure business owners, entreprenuers and employees have well rounded life styles. She opened up a small affiliate site - The Balance Guide- to help others find resources for mental and emotional well being. Visit Cheryl's blog to see more of the diversity beyond business she has began offering online at www.thebalanceguide.blogspot.com - Visit Cheryl Matthynssens's Website |
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Jeff FosterWebBizIdeas.com is a Minneapolis website design company founded to help people start an internet business by providing them with website, business, and internet resources that help foster the growth of successful online businesses and develop innovative Internet business ideas. We specialize in internet consulting & internet marketing. - Visit Jeff Foster's Website |
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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