All roads lead back to the search engine. Google is the first place many of us go when we have a question, when we’re looking for a new product, or when we want to settle an argument on who won the 1991 NBA Championship. (It was the Bulls, obviously. Who is that argument even with?)
It’s no surprise that Google is often the first place your target audience discovers your brand too. And first impressions are everything! That’s where SEO comes in.
Defining and Understanding SEO
Let’s start with the basics – what is SEO? SEO stands for search engine optimization, and it does exactly what it sounds like – it optimizes where and how your brand information appears on a search engine. Google has a ranking system that prioritizes websites with strong SEO, which means that users who search will see the websites with the best SEO first, right below paid search ads, when they search for specific keywords.
So, why should you spend the time to work on building your SEO? Our team here at Celtic has put together a list of the top three reasons we recommend clients invest in a solid SEO strategy, especially for long-term projects and branded content.
1. Achieving Sky-High ROI
It takes time and effort to build an effective SEO strategy and to maintain it. The online landscape is constantly shifting, and it’s crucial that your brand evolves with it. Our team is here to help you navigate that shifting landscape. And once you have an SEO strategy in place, it’s all organic from there. This isn’t a “pay to play” situation. SEO is a cost-effective, direct way to hit the exact audience you’re looking for, the ones who are intentionally searching for your keywords.
2. Securing Prime Real Estate
You want a top spot in a customer’s Google search, and you want to stay in that top spot. Think about it – do you typically visit websites on Page 4 of your search results? Or do you choose an option on Page 1? That’s why developing and maintaining a strong SEO strategy is crucial to brand success. The first page of results is the oceanfront property of Google, but you don’t need to be a millionaire to get there!
3. Generating Quality Leads
An effective SEO program will inevitably lead to increased purchases, better results, and more leads. Organic traffic is high quality traffic. When a potential customer sits down to do a Google search for your product or service, it’s because they need it – either right now, or pretty soon in the future. That means they’ll be spending more time on your page, learning more about your brand, and take that last step toward making a purchase.
Don’t sleep on SEO. Our digital team here at Celtic are pros who can perform an SEO audit and help you build an optimization strategy. Send us an email at info@celticchicago.com and say you’re ready to SEO.
