Not sure if your business should invest in search engine optimization (SEO)?

As a core digital marketing strategy, there are plenty of reasons to invest in SEO — and even an SEO agency — to boost brand awareness, reach more customers, and earn more revenue online.

That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the 15 biggest SEO benefits, from boosting your credibility to maximizing your advertising strategy. Keep reading to discover the full list of benefits that come with an SEO strategy!

1. SEO improves your digital marketing ROI

 

When you invest in digital marketing strategies, you want to earn the highest return on investment (ROI) possible. With a smart and competitive SEO strategy, you can expect an impressive ROI.

Why?

When it comes to search engines, they offer a close rate of almost 15 percent for new leads. That doesn’t seem like a lot, but when you compare it to traditional marketing — which is less than two percent — it’s massive. That means you can increase your lead conversion rate by almost 13 percent.

To put that in perspective, imagine that your average lead is worth about $800 and that you sign about 20 new leads a month. With digital marketing, plus SEO, you’ll now sign 23 new leads a month — that translates to an additional $2,400 a month, which means $28,000 in additional revenue a year.

For many businesses, that revenue increase is one of the biggest benefits of SEO.

That additional revenue from search, however, depends on SEO. If your website ranks at the bottom of search results on page two, three, or four, users won’t find your business. They’ll stick to the first page of results, which means you won’t generate leads from Google or any other search engine.

It also means you won’t see that additional $28,000 in revenue, either.

2. SEO boosts your credibility

A key benefit of SEO that many companies overlook is how it improves your credibility among consumers. Ranking on the first page of search results signals to users that Google — or another search engine, like Bing — trusts your website.

That’s one reason why 75 percent of users stick to the first page of search results. They trust search engines to filter results for them, eliminating spammy websites. Google, as well as other search engines, understand this, which is why they use on-page and off-page signals to rank websites.

These signals, which can range from the content you create to your website’s speed, demonstrate that your website is safe and credible. They also emphasize that your webpage answers a user’s query, such as, “how to clean an inside AC unit.”

Another way SEO can boost your credibility?

By optimizing your Google My Business listing. This listing, which appears in local searches and specific searches for your business, provides users with details about your company. It can also feature reviews from Google users.

These reviews are critical to building credibility, as well as driving sales.

Shoppers place a lot of trust in reviews, which is why 80 percent of consumers say that online reviews have changed their mind about purchasing a product. That’s immense, and with SEO you can maximize the impact of your company’s reviews.

3. SEO drives high-quality traffic to your website

SEO also helps you earn more high-quality traffic to your website. Unlike traditional marketing, digital marketing offers hyper-targeted tools. Instead of paying for a billboard and hoping that your target audience sees it, you know they’ll see your website in search results.

Plus, you’re reaching your target audience at a prime time. They’re looking for you — not driving to work or watching the TV — which means you have their full attention. It also means they’re more likely to act on your calls-to-action (CTAs), whether it’s an invite to call your team or like your Facebook page.

That difference in user intent is one reason why 89 percent of marketers say SEO is a successful strategy.

4. SEO measures your success with real numbers

It’s critical to understand the impact of your investment, whether it’s in advertising or marketing. That’s why it’s a massive perk of not only digital marketing but also SEO that you can monitor the success of your strategies.

The best part is that you can access your digital marketing analytics in real-time.

With Google Analytics, as well as other web analytics tools, it’s easy to assess the performance of your SEO strategies. A few metrics to monitor include your website traffic, bounce rate, conversions, and time on site.

Marketing software, like MarketingCloudFX, can make monitoring your SEO strategy easier. It can also measure your digital marketing ROI, as well as provide actionable insights into your campaign — both of which enhance your approach to SEO.

5. SEO promotes your company all day, every day

Depending on your business, you may offer 24/7 service. If consumers can’t find your ecommerce website online, however, that doesn’t help. That’s where another key benefit of SEO comes into use — it can promote your business 24/7.

That’s critical, especially when you consider that Google processes more than 60,000 searches a second.

It also reinforces digital marketing’s ability to connect with users on their terms. You’re not trying to reach consumers with a billboard that they spot when leaving town for the weekend — you’re reaching them when they’re looking for you.

That enhances the value of your website to users, as you’re providing an answer to their problem. From that perspective, the benefit of SEO is that you’re promoting your company to consumers, but in a non-promotional way.

6. SEO targets every stage of your buying funnel

The rise of content marketing makes SEO even more valuable to businesses. With content marketing, which includes a range of content types, from infographics to guides to blog posts, you connect with consumers in every stage of your marketing funnel.

While users reading top of the funnel (TOFU) or middle of the funnel (MOFU) content, such as a blog post about the costs of an AC unit, won’t convert right away, they will eventually. That’s why content marketing — which depends on SEO — earns 54 percent more leads than traditional marketing.

The best part is that consumers love this approach. More than 60 percent of consumers prefer companies that create original content for them, which can also help build their brand awareness and loyalty for your business.

This benefit of search engine optimization is a win-win for consumers, as well as companies.

7. SEO increases brand awareness among high-value shoppers

What is another benefit of SEO?

A better level of brand awareness among your most valuable shoppers. As consumers move through the buying funnel, they conduct a lot of different searches. If your company continues to appear in their search results, it increases their brand awareness for your business.

Even better, it builds their trust in your company.

With your content marketing and SEO strategy, you’re demonstrating to consumers that you’re more than a product or service provider. You’re also a valuable resource for industry information, which increases your value to audiences.

If you invest in video marketing, you can also supercharge your brand awareness efforts. Why? When users watch a video, their brand association increases by almost 140 percent — to make sure users see your videos, however, you need to optimize them for search.

With SEO, you can do that.

8. SEO generates more leads, sales, and market share for your business

One of the most mentioned benefits of SEO is the increased sales, leads, and market share that companies see. This perk is also something you notice in your day-to-day operations. You see the shoppers coming into your store or the product orders shipping out of your warehouse.

These increases happen because of your rank in search results. By appearing on the first page of search results for high-value keywords used by your target audience, you’re earning clicks and visits from the consumers that matter most to you.

To put the value of ranking on the first page into perspective, consider that the first listing in search results earns 33 percent of all search traffic. If you target the keyword, “central air conditioner installation,” which has a search volume of 1300 a month, you’d earn more than 400 visits a month.

Not all those visits will lead to sales, but you can trust that some will.

9. SEO maximizes the success of your PPC campaigns

If you’re incorporating digital marketing into your business strategy, it’s likely that you’ll invest in PPC advertising at some point. While PPC is a paid strategy and SEO is a non-paid strategy, they work well together — which is why you should think about partnering the two.

How does SEO help your PPC campaigns, though?

One, with SEO and PPC, you’re reinforcing your presence in search engines. Not only does your website appear at the top of paid search results but also organic ones too. That provides users with two opportunities to visit your website, plus emphasizes your brand.

Another advantage of SEO is that you can apply your SEO data to your PPC campaigns. A webpage that leads in conversions, for example, may rise in value if you incorporate it into your PPC campaign. Even better, that landing page may target a keyword with a low cost-per-click (CPC).

10. SEO helps you outrank your toughest competitors

With 80 percent of users relying on the Internet for researching a product purchase, expect your competitors to invest in SEO, as well as other digital marketing strategies. That’s why, if you skip on SEO, you can expect your sales and overall market share to decrease.

When users search for queries related to your services or industry, your website won’t appear — and if it does, it likely ranks on the second, third, or fourth page. Only 25 percent of users go past the first page of search results, however, which cuts into your potential profits and leads.

That’s why, if you want to compete against your competitors, SEO is essential. Invest in SEO, as well as develop a smart strategy, and you can outrank your toughest competitors. Even if businesses in your industry aren’t using SEO, it’s a massive advantage to your company if you’re the first.

11. SEO makes your digital marketing strategy stronger

If you’re investing in digital marketing, SEO is probably a part of your strategy. It strengthens your overall campaign in multiple ways, however. Plus, it enhances additional digital marketing focuses, like content marketing, video marketing, and social media marketing.

By building a comprehensive, as well as a durable digital marketing strategy, you’re increasing your competitiveness in the online marketplace. That can serve as a significant advantage when competing in a tough market or against competitors with more resources than your company.

Plus, a stronger digital marketing strategy means a bigger ROI.

With a better return on your digital marketing efforts, you can reinvest in your company’s success. Whether you decide to improve your SEO strategy, expand your in-house team, or increase your company resources, you can use those funds to make your business even better for consumers.

12. SEO reaches every member of your target audience

A key benefit of SEO is that it not only reaches audiences in every stage of the buying funnel but also connects with every type of target audience. Depending on your company, you may have a few different target audiences.

If you’re a lawncare company, for instance, you may offer commercial and residential services. Those services encompass two separate audiences — homeowners and business owners. While these audiences both want lawncare services, their journey through the buying funnel is likely different.

For example, a business owner probably has a different set of questions than a homeowner when it comes to lawncare and lawncare services. A business owner may even want a set of services not available to homeowners, like maintaining a sizeable pond.

With SEO, you can reach each of these audiences by targeting keywords specific to their intents. A quick example is creating a service page that targets the keyword, “commercial landscaping services,” and another service page for the keyword, “residential landscaping services.”

13. SEO decreases your advertising costs

SEO also benefits your business by lowering your advertising costs — and even your marketing expenses. With a well-planned SEO strategy, your company can rank on the first page of search results for high-value keywords.

That offers your business the option to decrease your advertising spend, as well as reinvest it elsewhere. For example, instead of running five PPC campaigns, you may opt to run two and then use your savings to expand your content marketing strategy.

SEO can decrease not only your digital advertising spend but also your traditional advertising costs. Many businesses discover, often within the first year of investing in SEO, that it’s more cost-effective than traditional advertising and marketing.

Plus, it delivers even better results.

14. SEO grows your local marketing efforts

Even if you’re a local business that depends on offline transactions, SEO benefits your company. As more consumers become smartphone owners, local search rises in popularity. The value of local search is immense too, as 80 percent of local searches convert, which means more business for your store.

If you’re not investing in local SEO, you’re excluding yourself from shoppers that are ready to buy. For your competitors, that makes it easy for them to gain market share, as well as build their popularity in the area.

Don’t make it that easy for them. Instead, give your business a competitive edge with local SEO.

15. SEO drives your long-term success

Unlike a lot of traditional marketing efforts, SEO is an ongoing strategy. That means your company continues to see the benefits of SEO, years after you invested in it — to see those results, however, it’s critical to view SEO as a long-term investment.

That means that it’s something your business invests in each year. To maintain your rankings, as well as evolve with search algorithm updates and user search habits, you continue to include SEO in your marketing budget.

By making a long-term commitment to SEO, as well as digital marketing, you’re maximizing your ROI. Even better, you’re building on the benefits of SEO. That can mean even better brand awareness, audience targeting, lead generation, and more.