Thinking of growing your business?
Search engine optimisation is the ultimate growth hack. It’s been working for businesses for over 20 years and is the most reliable way to get long-term results.
The thing is…
Most businesses are missing out because they are not getting the right SEO services. According to BrightEdge research, 68% of online experiences start with a search engine.
So really, that’s the potential right there. Businesses not serving the needs of that majority of online users?
I don’t know about you, but I see big opportunities for businesses in there.
What’s included in this article:
- Why SEO Services Matter For Business Growth
- The Core SEO Techniques That Drive Results
- How To Build A Winning SEO Strategy
- Common SEO Mistakes To Avoid
Why SEO Services Matter For Business Growth
Businesses want more customers.
The problem is how to find them without spending a huge chunk of the marketing budget on advertising.
This is where SEO comes in.
Quality SEO services help businesses rank higher in search engine results. The first page of Google is where people go to find products and services.
When people search for those products or services, if your business isn’t ranking there, then it is missing out on huge amounts of potential traffic.
How do people shop now?
It’s right there in front of their face (literally). They reach for their phone, type a query into their browser and tap on one of the first three listings. If your business isn’t there, you are completely invisible to that searcher.
The data also proves this point. According to research, those top 3 organic search results on Google get 68.7% of all clicks. If your website isn’t on page 1, you’re pretty much losing out on the vast majority of online users.
SEO services for businesses are no longer a luxury.
They are vital for survival in today’s online world.
The Core SEO Techniques That Drive Results
SEO is a wide topic with many techniques that can help improve a business’ ranking. However, not all techniques are equal. Some work wonders while others are a waste of time.
Let’s look at the tried and true methods first…
On-Page Optimisation
On-page SEO refers to optimising aspects of your website that you have complete control over.
These include:
- Page titles and meta descriptions
- Header tags (H1, H2, etc.)
- Content quality and value
- Internal linking
- Page speed
- Mobile-friendliness
- Optimised images
- Voice search optimisation
- Schema markup (structured data)
Optimising these elements helps search engines understand what your site is about and rank it accordingly.
Off-Page Optimisation
Off-page SEO deals with factors outside your own website that impact your ranking.
The biggest of these is backlinks…
Backlinks. Backlinks are links from other websites that point to yours. Search engines consider backlinks from reputable sites as a signal of trustworthiness.
The more quality backlinks your website has, the higher it will likely rank.
The important thing here is quality over quantity. One high-quality link from a trusted source is worth a lot more than several low-quality links.
Building high-quality backlinks is one of the best things businesses can do for their rankings.
It does require a lot of work, though. As we saw above, with just a few quality links per month, over time, this will build up into a significant amount of authority for your website.
Technical SEO
Technical SEO is about making sure your website can easily be crawled and indexed by search engines. This means:
- Optimising for mobile
- Fixing broken links
- Improving page speed
- Creating an XML sitemap
- Ensuring website security (HTTPS)
Solid technical foundations are important. Otherwise, all your on-page and off-page SEO efforts will fall flat.
How To Build A Winning SEO Strategy
Don’t make SEO complicated.
You can follow a simple process that will yield effective results.
Here’s a basic formula that works for most businesses…
Keyword Research
The first step in every successful SEO strategy is identifying which keywords your potential customers are searching for.
Keyword research involves uncovering the exact search terms and phrases people use in search engines.
The goal is to find keywords that are relevant to your business, have decent search volume, and are not overly competitive.
Look for long-tail keywords (longer, more specific search terms) as they often present less competitive opportunities, especially for newer websites.
Keyword research is the foundation of your content strategy.
Content Creation
Content is still the king of SEO.
Search engines want to provide users with the best possible content for their queries. Businesses that consistently create valuable content will rank higher over time.
This means regularly publishing blog posts, guides, videos, and other resources that genuinely help your target audience.
The content must be comprehensive, well-researched, and better than what your competitors offer.
SEO is not about keyword stuffing or creating thin content. Search engines can detect that now.
Quality, helpful content is what will help your business rank.
Authority Building
Building authority through backlinks is a critical component of SEO.
There are several proven methods for earning quality backlinks, including:
- Guest posting on other websites
- Competitor backlink analysis
- Digital PR (newsworthy content)
- Resource link building (link-worthy resources)
The key here is consistency. A few quality links every month can compound over time into a large amount of authority for your website.
SEO is a marathon, not a sprint.
Tracking And Analysis
SEO is not a “set it and forget it” type of marketing strategy. You must track and measure results to understand what’s working and where to adjust the strategy.
Key metrics to track include:
- Organic traffic
- Keyword rankings
- Backlinks
- Conversions from organic search visitors
Common SEO Mistakes To Avoid
SEO can be a minefield of common mistakes. Recognising and avoiding these can save businesses months of wasted effort…
Expecting immediate results. SEO takes time. 3-6 months is a typical timeframe before seeing significant results from an SEO campaign. Patience is key.
Ignoring mobile search. More than half of all searches happen on mobile devices. If your website is not mobile-friendly, you will have a hard time ranking.
Keyword stuffing. Trying to cram too many keywords unnaturally into content is not only a waste of time. It will also damage your rankings.
Search engines are very good at detecting this now.
Neglecting user experience. High bounce rates, low time-on-site, and poor navigation signal to search engines that your content isn’t meeting user needs.
Forgetting local SEO. For businesses that serve a specific area, local optimisation is key. This includes claiming and optimising local listings like Google Business Profile.
Wrapping It Up
SEO is the ultimate growth hack. It’s the most reliable way to get long-term results for businesses.
Research shows that organic search currently makes up 33% of overall website traffic across most industries. That’s free traffic that businesses keep getting month after month.
The secret is treating SEO as a long-term investment.
The businesses that consistently put effort into optimising their websites see this effort pay off compounding over time.
To quickly summarise what it takes to do well with SEO:
- Optimise both on-page and off-page elements
- Create genuinely helpful content for your audience
- Earn quality backlinks from reputable sources
- Track and measure all your SEO efforts
- Avoid common SEO mistakes
These fundamentals are the same whether you are doing SEO in-house or working with an external agency.
The businesses that truly master SEO are the ones that gain a huge advantage in search results.
And in today’s digital age, that advantage is the difference between growing and stagnating.