If you own a small business, you may have been told that you need to use search engine optimization strategies in order to get noticed on the internet. This is especially true if customers are unable to find your website, or if your competitors appear higher in searches than you do. Yet many business owners aren’t quite sure what search engine optimization, or SEO, really is, and with running a business, they don’t exactly have the time to figure it out for themselves.

The good news is that there are companies out there that offer SEO services for small businesses just like yours. This saves you time having to learn about different advertising strategies, so you can focus on doing what you do best. Approximately 93% of all internet experiences will begin with the use of a search engine, and in 65 to 70% of all cases, that means using Google. Because most people (about 75%) don’t scroll past the first page of search results, getting your business to one of those top spots is crucial in staying ahead of the competition.

Why work with a professional SEO company to increase your presence on the internet? Here are three of the most vital internet marketing services that an SEO company can provide:

• SEO and PPC Marketing: The first step in developing your online marketing campaign is to determine which keywords your business can rank on in an internet search. A professional SEO company will use this research to determine which keywords should go into your website’s content and which ones can be used as anchor text for links. When internet users go to search for these keywords (e.g. something like \”NYC pizza\” for New York City pizza parlors or \”Phoenix bakeries\” to find a bakery in Phoenix, AZ), then they should have a better chance of finding your website. As for PPC, or pay-per-click, advertising, these ads will also run on specific keyword searches, so users will see your relevant website before they see actual search results.
• Optimized Website Design: One of the next steps in an internet marketing campaign is to develop a website that is optimized for both search engines and people. Not only does this include using the keyword research from the previous step, but it also makes sure that your website has crucial info like business hours, location, and product or service information. Website design may not sound like such an important factor, but consider this: businesses only have mere seconds to make an impression with people who visit their website. Yet if customers can’t find the information they’re looking for right away, or if they encounter cluttered and poor quality design, then they’re more likely to hit the back button and do business elsewhere.
• Diversified Marketing Strategies: Pay-per-click ads and web design shouldn’t be the only things that your professional SEO company offers your business. Other services may include content marketing, which adds features like blogs, infographics, videos, and more to your website; email marketing, which helps connect with your customers directly by giving them important news surrounding your business; and social media campaigns to interact with internet users and grow your audience.

If you have more questions about how an SEO company can help your business, make sure to give one a call. Have other questions or suggestions? Leave a comment in the space provided.