When was the last time you performed an online search for something? We’d venture to say – perhaps it was a few minutes ago, and you found this blog? Or maybe you searched a few hours ago? The truth is, people are constantly searching online for solutions, engaging information, and opportunities to help improve their quality of life. Fortunately, SEO (search engine optimization) is how they locate the information they’re looking for in products or services. This fact, however, raises an important question. Is SEO primarily about products and services appearing on a results page or is it about how people search for them?
Some businesses still think SEO is about their particular product or service and strategizing to help potential buyers find them online. But SEO isn’t just about that; it’s more-so about how people find services and products through search behaviors. This article discusses how business owners can learn to set up better SEO strategies to match searches and make real connections with their target audience. Ready to dig in? Watch Jason’s video first, then read on.
The most significant thing business owners need to know about SEO has nothing to do with their product or service.
We believe the first and single most important thing about mastering SEO for your business is understanding search behaviors. How do people find solutions, information, and opportunities online? Do you know how your target audience is finding you online, that is IF they are finding you at all? What are their search behaviors and the buying journey they take to find your company’s product or service as an essential solution, opportunity, or source of information? Most companies don’t fully understand search behaviors, and that’s okay because owners have more important things to consider when running their business.
Whether your business offers B2B or B2C products and services, you must realize that people are most likely not looking online for your particular product or service name. Instead, they’re typing keywords and phrases that will link them to solutions. So, if your product or service has keywords related to their search, you’ve set up your SEO correctly. Even more, you’ve positioned your business to be found by your ideal audience. Before we talk more about how SEO helps bring prospects to your website through lead generation and how you should engage them when they find you, let’s discuss the top problem businesses experience.
Many businesses, unfortunately, make this grave mistake when it comes to SEO.
Let’s say a cosmetic company offers a procedure and supplemental products for men with thinning hair or hair loss. We’ll call the procedure the ‘Vitta-Grow Hair Implant Solution,’ and the supplements are ‘Vitta-Grow Haircare’ products. This business’ website has keywords like ‘implants,’ ‘men’s hair,’ the ‘Vitta-grow’ name, as well as the company name. However, there are no matching keywords that directly connect a searcher’s problem or concern on hair loss to their website.
Unfortunately, this is where missed opportunities occur in that visitors cannot effectively find this particular solution to their thinning hair and loss issues. But, keywords like ‘hair loss,’ ‘thinning hair for men,’ ‘male pattern baldness,’ and ‘hair implants for men’ would have been more relevant to search behaviors. Even cosmetic retailers looking for products to sell for men could also find similar product solutions. However, the Vitta-Grow company would have had to apply the right keywords and SEO strategies.
Does this scenario make you curious about your SEO status? If so, click the link below to learn how you could get an SEO score rating on your website.
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Here are a few things we want you to know and understand about search behaviors and why people visit sites.
1. We know about how many times people search online each day.
If you’re like most people, you search for products, services, or information online at least three times a day. And according to HubSpot, Google processes nearly six billion online searches per day worldwide! However, since the COVID-19 pandemic, these numbers have increased substantially as online marketing search behaviors and frequency have changed.
2. People prefer SEO snippets and some descriptive information in their search results.
Search results with featured snippets have close to 3% higher click-through rates than those without snippet descriptions. This means the average visitor is more likely to click on a featured result when descriptive information and keywords match their search.
3. SEO keywords and phrases are “key” to every search.
Over 75% of online search volume comes from people using top keywords or keyword phrases to connect to product or service needs. Often, if a keyword is extremely broad or popular, people will use long-tail phrases with more specifics to pinpoint their search.
Just about 25% of search volume actually occurs outside of those top million popular keywords. Yet still, words that pertain to particular problems and solutions bring about the search behavior people will invoke to find specific business offerings.
4. Some people still ask questions during their search.
In fact, nearly eight percent of Google search queries usually pertain to ‘what,’ ‘why,’ ‘how,’ ‘where,’ and ‘when’ questions. So, what’s the best way to find an answer? Ask a question. Google loves it, and the engine is already keen on providing people with the best search results possible.
5. People tend to click more when they get great SEO results on a page!
Here’s another interesting fact on search behaviors – Over 20% of online searches lead to multiple clicks on the results page.
Source: Teknicks- Marketing Research Survey: Google Search Behaviors
FYI: SEO is all about capturing and connecting your business with your target audience’s search behaviors.
There are multiple reasons why people conduct searches. Most times, they’re looking for information, be it locations, service and product ratings, and solutions to problems. According to Google, some online researchers find preparation and curating for an upcoming experience emotionally rewarding, so much so that they use search to optimize life. Furthermore, when people find what they’re looking for online, it helps reduce anxiety.
Overall, potential customer research provides a greater sense of control. For example, people learn what to expect and have more confidence in understanding how they can best benefit from a product, service, or experience.
Online searching does the following:
- Helps online visitors create the best experience – they know what to expect and which selections to make ahead of time.
- Gets researchers excited about their experience with a particular product or service
- Increases the power of conversion through easy purchasing and access to needed products and services
- Offers convenience – saving time and money for consumers
- Online research helps consumers feel more confident and less anxious.
Again, when a company sets up their website SEO to make vital connections to their target audience, they help make the consumer’s search experience exceptional.
So, how’s your website functioning in 2021? Is it generating the leads you want? If you don’t know, it’s time to find out!
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Below are some things your business can do to tailor SEO, get found online, and help customers find the solutions they need.
Setting up on-site SEO strategies on your website pages and applying best practices is crucial to online searchers finding your products and services. Do you need to drive more traffic to your website and help guide online visitors and prospects in their search? The following provides information on a few things you can do.
Boost your SEO locally
Consider online directories like Google My Business to claim your page, as well as making sure other online business listings, like YELP and YP, are all up-to-date with accurate NAP citations. For instance, your company name, address, and phone number are equally vital to helping potential customers and businesses find you online.
Use SEO keywords efficiently
Be sure to diversify them, utilize keywords in your headers, and tag them to your images. Remember, relevant keywords are the most effective way for researchers to find you online.
Apply and develop your content strategy
Always provide relevant and engaging content for your visitors. Effective content marketing is the only way to “nail it” when connecting with your audience. If your content is engaging and interactive on every platform, you increase your chances of converting visitors to loyal customers.
Remember to add SEO snippets and meta-descriptions to all your web pages
When your site pages show up on search results, you’ll want to have a snippet description that includes keywords to help offer relevant information.
Develop your product and/or service pages around keyword intent
When your company sets up its website pages, you’ll also want to base SEO and content on the consumer’s searched keywords.
Figuring out how to set up SEO is something no business owner should attempt to do alone.
If you’re wondering about your website’s status and how your SEO is currently set up, give us a call at 281-203-0529. We’re always excited about conducting FREE website and SEO analyses for companies curious about how well their sites are performing.
At BUILDINGBLOCKS, we make it easy to connect with us. Whether you’re looking for more information, or if you’re a veteran-owned marketing company, freely connect directly with us online. We look forward to chatting and hearing more about your business marketing needs!
