What is search engine optimization and why is it important?

The basics

Search engine optimization (SEO) has been around for quite some time, but only recently have marketers begun to realize how important it is for a website, and the benefits of doing so.

SEO is basically a practice used to get your web site to show up higher in search engine results (the big search engines are Google, Yahoo, and MSN). Some of the tactics of SEO are technical, behind-the-scenes changes, and some involve rewriting copy and getting other sites to link to yours. Since 90% of new traffic to sites is coming from search engines, it has become increasingly important that your site show up in search results. How can you sell a product or service, if no one can find you online?

The goal of SEO is to drive targeted traffic to your site. If you aren’t on the first page of results, the odds of anyone finding you are extremely slim. They get even slimmer if you appear on the 2nd page, more on the third page, 4th, 5th (you get where this is going).

When we do SEO for a site, we take a bunch of things into consideration. The main question we ask is, “What words do we want people to search, and then find you?” Once we know the answer to this, we can tailor the website to show up high in the search results for that key word or phrase.

Once we make those changes, people can start finding you online. This will then lead to more and more traffic, which will ultimately turn into customers.

How it helps your business

If you don’t know how SEO can help your business, here’s a scenario:

You’re the Marketing Director for The Great Stay Hotel in Newburyport, Massachusetts, and it’s almost the end of the quarter. You’re looking through your financials, and you see that you’re a little bit under plan. The economy is in a little bit of trouble right now, so every dollar counts. You know that just one more room, booked for the weekend, will put you over the mark and make the whole management team extremely happy.

It’s a good thing you optimized your site a few months ago, and it’s about to pay off.

Bob is at his home in Waltham, poking around online. He’s been putting off booking a hotel for him and his wife’s anniversary, and it’s finally caught up with him. His anniversary is in two days and he still hasn’t booked a room. He’s frantically trying to find a hotel, but all those vacation sites are no help.

He opens up Google and does a search for “luxury hotels in Massachusetts”. The first two results aren’t what he’s looking for, and then he comes across The Great Stay Hotel, the third listing on the page, and clicks through to your site. After spending a few minutes on your site, Bob likes what he sees, checks the availability (you have vacancy), and quickly books a room for the weekend.

After staying the weekend, Bob not only help put you over plan with the room he paid for, but since he purchased a nice “romance” package and ordered room service a few times, he more than doubled what you needed to close the quarter successfully. He’s also an extremely satisfied customer, likely to return again down the road (Your hotel may even be him and his wife’s new getaway).

And to think, all this happened by making a few changes to your site.

So…

Whether you are marketing a hotel, a restaurant, a consulting service, or any variety of consumer products, remember the story about Bob. Understanding the value and usefulness of SEO can help bring in business, just like it did for your fake hotel.

And on top of all that, it’s really easy. A few small changes to your site could be the difference between a positive and negative quarter.

--Matt


Sign a contract for SEO services from Pirata Media before November 24, 2008 and get a free Thanksgiving turkey*

*You must mention this offer when discussing a Search Engine Optimization contract with Pirata Media. Offer must be redeemed by November 24, 2008 in order to guarantee Thanksgiving delivery. Free turkey offer is not applicable with any other contracts. Pirata Media is not responsible for stuffing the turkey, cooking it, carving it or serving it. Pirata Media is also not responsible for the quality of stories told around the Thanksgiving table, or the length of time spent sleeping after consumption. Gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce not included. A 10% discount off your total SEO project may be redeemed in lieu of the turkey.".