What Can Digital Agencies Actually Do For Your SEO?

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By Richard

For many small business owners, the eCommerce side of things can sometimes be somewhat confusing or even daunting. The importance of having a website may be evident, and maintaining a social media presence is necessary. But, things such as website maintenance and optimization can be something of a mystery to many individuals.

You may well have heard of SEO or search engine optimization. Still, you may not understand precisely what it means or how it could positively, or in some cases, negatively affect your business.

It is estimated that around $80 billion is spent yearly on SEO services in the US. This is only one facet of digital agencies’ services now, but it is crucial. While it is clear that this is a serious industry, is it something your business needs to worry about? What exactly would you gain if you had an SEO overhaul?

How important is SEO today?

Statistics vary, but it is said that SEO can help to increase web traffic by 150%. Some case studies have proven that this figure can go much higher when SEO is performed correctly and with a proper understanding.

Any real-world SEO case study will show how a website was audited and optimized to improve performance and traffic. Typically the steps taken will look similar to this:

1 Determinate the problem

2 Build an SEO strategy

3 Execute the strategy

4 Review the results

It is estimated that 93% of internet users start with a search engine rather than visiting a website directly. Good SEO is vital for businesses to emerge on the first page of SERPs. SEO can also mean more conversions.

It has been shown that while traditional advertising has a conversion rate of just 1.7%, organic searches can result in an average of 14.6% conversions.

What improvements to SEO will a digital agency make, and how will they help?

There are several different areas to SEO, which is partly why laymen find it challenging to understand and perform their improvements.

The areas covered are:

  • On-page SEO
  • Off-page SEO
  • Content SEO
  • Technical SEO
  • Local SEO
  • eCommerce SEO
  • Mobile SEO

A digital agency will conduct a site audit and look at all aspects of your SEO and where it can be improved. They will look at underperforming areas and where drop-offs are occurring – or where users leave your site.

These areas below are just some of the SEO aspects that will be examined and the benefits you can gain.

Local SEO

For a business involved in pizza delivery, for instance, global domination may not be at the forefront of the owner’s mind. However, they might like to take a bigger slice (no pun intended) of the local market.

Google’s data has shown that searches for ‘where to buy’ and ‘near me’ have increased by 200% in recent years. Data such as this shows the importance of local SEO for those firms reliant on businesses in a fixed radius.

Local SEO can help a business become the first choice for consumers in a particular area and make them appear 1st on SERPs.

Improved content

SEO can help show what content has worked and what should be discarded. Out-of-date information can be updated; in some cases, old content can be freshened up. Studies have shown that repurposed content can help boost organic traffic by 106%. Reviewing existing content can also help to identify broken or irrelevant links.

You will appear more credible

Whether it is correct or not, the companies that appear on the first page of search results are generally regarded highly by internet users. The herd or hive mentality works here.

For example, if two identical videos appear during a YouTube search, the one with the most hits will attract more clicks due to its perceived credibility. SEO helps your business appear more credible by increasing its visibility on search results.

This is why it is a good idea for marketers to learn SEO basics to understand why this area should never be ignored.

Keyword research vs. competitors

Part of SEO will include keyword research, and competitor analysis can help spot gaps you can utilize. Competitor comparison can give your website the edge over your rivals and appear ahead of them in search results.

You can also use SEO to determine user intent when they search. You can gain insights into user intent through proper analysis of search results and keywords. This can be used to create content that users desire and, in turn, improve conversion rates.

Your consumers will have a better experience

SEO will help your website to perform better and give your users a better experience. SEO can help improve bounce rates, make the site more mobile-friendly, and speed up loading times. Even a 1-second delay on the website can reduce conversions by 7%. Attention spans are minimal on the net today.

Improved social media presence

As part of its blended approach, a digital agency may get involved with your social media presence. The comparison between SEO and social media is worth considering, and while the latter may not directly affect SEO, it can help.

Using calls to action, posting exciting content that gets shared, and audience growth on social media can help to drive traffic which can then help with SERPs. This is especially true if quality backlinks are created through content being shared.

Summary

There is no doubt that SEO is necessary to run a successful website for a small business. While companies like Nike might not need to worry about where they will appear on Google searches, smaller companies must work hard at all aspects of SEO.

Of course, if you have the time, you can conduct your SEO audit and do the necessary work. But, for most small business owners, bringing in outside professional help is likely more productive.

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