What is SEO and Does My Business Need It?

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is improving your website’s visibility on search engines like Google and Bing. By optimising your site, you can increase the chances of ranking higher in search results, driving more organic traffic to your business. Whether you’re a small local tradesman or a large online store, SEO is crucial for standing out in today’s digital world. In this article, we’ll give a simple breakdown of what SEO is, how it works, and why it’s essential for your business’s growth and online success.

What is Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)?

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation. It’s basically how you get more free traffic from search engines such as Google and Bing. The goal of SEO is to be on the first page for keywords related to your business or content and to get more visitors to your site. By ranking higher on search engines you get more people interested in what you have to offer.

SEO isn’t just for search engines, it’s also for social media platforms like YouTube and TikTok where content optimisation can get you more visibility and engagement. If it sounds complicated then bare with us, we like to keep things simple.

Why Use SEO for Your Business

Does my business need SEO is the questions we get asked a lot. SEO reaches more people so ultimately you get more customers. When done correctly it drives real results and is the most powerful marketing tool for businesses of all sizes.

It’s key to digital success! As more people search online for products and services, SEO is vital to stay ahead, so remember even if you’re not big on technology yourself it’s not about you…it’s about how your customers find you and a lot of the time it will be through a Google search.

SEO is going to keep growing so it’s important for future business. SEO gets you found by customers in a crowded market and gives you the opportunity to really take advantage of all the demand for your services. Read our simple SEO guide to learn the small, practical steps that can make a big impact on your marketing results this year.

Of course, the most important reason of all is to generate more leads and sales for your business! A well-designed website helps turn visits into enquiries, it’s part of what makes SEO work well. Remember though, that getting to the top of Google searches is only phase 1, once you’re there you’ll have a bullseye on your back, so you need to keep this up.

If you’re still on the fence, this guide https://www.searchenginejournal.com/why-seo-is-important-for-business/248101/ from Search Engine Journal explains exactly why SEO is so important for businesses of all sizes. It covers everything from brand visibility to long-term growth, and it’s well worth a read if you want to get a better handle on how SEO can help your business thrive.

How Do Search Engines Work?

When someone in Stockport does a Bing or Google search for SEO Stockport or Stockport SEO they are doing it to find information or services relation to those keywords. “Boring Alert” the search engine algorithms analyse the search query and return the most relevant results. For a search like Stockport SEO the algorithm will prioritise local SEO services or businesses that offer SEO in the Stockport area.

Google search engines use crawlers to crawl websites and gather information which is then stored in an index. This index is what search engines would use to quickly return the best results for search queries like Stockport Plumber or Plumber Stockport.

How to Get More Website Traffic and Quality Leads

To get more website traffic you need to improve your search engine ranking. The higher you rank on Google the more likely users are to click on your website. Think of it this way, when was the last time you went past the top 5 organic listings? Or have you ever even gone past page 1 when looking for what you need? You can see why search engine marketing is key to visibility and traffic.

Another way to boost your traffic and get quality leads is to optimise for featured snippets. Featured snippets appear above the first ranked URL and give you extra exposure and a huge boost to your click through rate. By targeting the right keywords and structuring your content to appear in featured snippets you can get more targeted visitors who are more likely to convert into leads.

Building Trust and Credibility With Customers

Trust is key to any online business. Customers will engage and buy from sites they perceive as trustworthy and reliable. SEO helps build that trust by getting your site visible and in the right organic search results so potential customers see your site is reputable and informative.

By optimising your site with SEO you create a seamless user experience that makes it easy for visitors to navigate, find information and engage with your content. An optimised site not only improves your rankings but also builds your business’s credibility and customer loyalty and conversions. If your website isn’t bringing in enough customers, this blog breaks down the common reasons why and how better optimisation can turn things around.

Reviews are always a great way to build trust, if you are looking to use a service and you can see somebody has taken the time to give a good review then you know they must have been happy with the service they received.

SEO Techniques and Best Practices

We try to make this as simple as possible…it’s not the most exciting topic! A good SEO strategy has a few key elements, keyword research, on page optimisation, technical optimisation and link building. Keyword research is about finding out what your audience is searching for, on page optimisation is about making sure your content is clear and relevant. Technical SEO covers the behind-the-scenes fixes that help your site load fast and show up correctly on Google, link building is about getting backlinks from other trusted sources.

It’s a constantly moving target and you need to keep up, that’s where we rely on our expert team of technical SEO wizards!

Keyword Research and Optimisation

Keyword research is the backbone of SEO. It’s about finding out what keywords your website is currently ranking for on search engines, what keywords your competitors are targeting and what keywords your customers are searching for. By understanding these you can find opportunities to improve your website’s ranking and attract the right audience.

Long tail keywords are more specific phrases, usually longer than single keywords and less competitive. These keywords are more effective at capturing targeted traffic as they match the search intent. By targeting long tail keywords, such as SEO company Stockport, businesses can drive more relevant traffic to their site and higher conversion rates and user engagement.

Content Marketing and Creation

Content (such as this blog) is the key to SEO because it’s how you connect with and engage with your audience. High quality content improves search engine rankings by providing value, user interaction and organic traffic.

Knowing your angle and creating content that meets your audience’s needs is crucial to success. The goal is to create content that’s educational, relevant and engaging. When content is both informative and shareable it increases the chances of visitors returning, staying longer on your site or sharing your pages. This not only increases your site’s credibility but also your SEO and traffic over time.

Link Building & Off-Page Optimisation

Link building is a big part of off-page SEO which is about getting backlinks, which are links from other websites to your site. Backlinks help increase your sites authority and ranking in search engine results pages (commonly known as SERPs).

High quality backlinks from relevant and authoritative sites are super valuable. They tell search engines your content is trustworthy and worth ranking higher. The more quality backlinks you have, the better your chances of improving your search engine rankings and getting more targeted traffic to your site. Link building is an ongoing process and getting these valuable links is a big part of increasing your sites visibility and credibility. These are always a key part of our strategy.

On-Page Optimisation and Site Structure

On-page optimisation is about making your website content understandable to both search engines and humans. That means optimising elements like title tags, meta descriptions, headings and internal links to make the site user friendly and search engine friendly.

Site structure is also important in on-page optimisation. A well structured website helps search engines to crawl and index content faster. A good site structure means pages are easy to navigate which improves user experience and SEO performance.

Technical SEO is about the technical bits of a website that affects its ranking, site speed, mobile and crawl errors. Don’t worry about grasping all of this, if you choose the right SEO company (cough cough) then as you go along on the journey they will explain as much you want to know and it is easy to pick up.

Key Metrics to Measure

To measure your SEO success you need to track key metrics. Website traffic is one of the most important, as it shows how many people are visiting your site. More traffic means your SEO is driving more people to your pages which is a good sign of success.

Search engine rankings are another key metric, where your website sits in search engine results pages (SERPs) for specific keywords. Higher rankings means more visibility and more organic traffic. Tracking your rankings will show you how your content is performing in search engines.

And conversion rates which is the percentage of people who take a desired action, like buy or fill out a form. Higher conversion rates means your website is meeting user needs and turning traffic into action. These will give you a clear picture of your SEO.

Setting Objectives for SEO Strategy

Setting clear, actionable objectives is essential for a successful SEO strategy. These goals should be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This structure helps keep your SEO efforts focused and aligned with your business needs. For example, setting a goal to increase website traffic by 20% over the next three months provides a clear target to work towards. Remember to make sure these are realistic…we’ve had some eyebrow raising ones.

Having well-defined objectives allows you to track progress, make data-driven adjustments, and identify areas for improvement. Whether focusing on improving search engine rankings, enhancing user experience, or boosting conversions, setting clear goals ensures your SEO strategy stays on course and delivers measurable results.

Examples of SEO Objectives for Different Types of Businesses

For transactional businesses, SEO objectives are all about increasing conversions and sales. A typical goal might be to increase online sales by 20% in the next 6 months. This would involve optimising product pages, targeting high intent keywords and improving the overall user experience to encourage purchases. SEO efforts would focus on driving traffic that’s more likely to convert into paying customers.

For informational businesses, the goal is to attract a bigger audience and establish authority in their sector. An SEO objective for an informational business could be to increase website traffic by 50% in the next 3 months. This would involve optimising for long tail keywords, improving content quality and using on-page SEO to get the website to rank higher on search engine result pages (SERPs).

Both types of businesses can benefit from a bespoke SEO strategy that’s tailored to their goals and audience.

Choosing an SEO Provider or Specialist

When choosing an SEO provider or specialist you need to research and ask the right questions. Start by checking their reputation and past client results. Be wary of any emails offering “guaranteed” results or claiming to have a “special relationship” with Google, these are usually red flags as you simply can’t do/have either.

A good SEO provider will be transparent about their methods. If you don’t understand something, don’t be afraid to ask for more info. Avoid providers who mention link popularity schemes or submitting your site to numerous search engines, these are outdated tactics that can harm your site’s credibility. A good SEO specialist will focus on ethical methods that produce long term results.

At Rank Kings we strongly believe in meetings to talk through progress/results rather than hiding behind emails with spreadsheets on, don’t be afraid to ask for this. Remember if you’re paying for a service you’ve got a right to know what you’re getting.

Questions to Ask When Choosing an SEO Service

When choosing an SEO service, you need to know what experience they have and especially in your industry. Make sure you ask “What is your experience with SEO?” This will give you an idea of their expertise and if they have worked with businesses like yours before. A company with a portfolio they are proud of will be able to give you valuable insights and a customized approach to your business.

Another question to ask is, “What is your approach to SEO?” This will give you an idea how they will make your website visible. A good provider will use ethical techniques such as keyword research, content optimisation and high quality link building to get long term results without using shady tactics. You’ve picked up an understanding by reading this blog so drop a few terms in the conversation.

Last question we’d advise you to ask, “What are your fees and what’s included?” SEO pricing can be different from one provider to another. Make sure you know what you’re paying for, keyword tracking, site audit, content creation or ongoing support.

Local and E-commerce Businesses

For local SEO you need to optimise for local search. This means your business’s name, address and phone number (NAP) need to be consistent across all relevant platforms, including your website, Google My Business and local directories. Local SEO will get your business to show up in search when people are looking for products or services in your area. Also get local backlinks and encourage customer reviews to increase your visibility in the local organic search results.

For e-commerce SEO it’s all about optimising product pages to drive sales. This means detailed product descriptions, keyword optimised, relevant content, prices and customer reviews for social proof. A well optimised e-commerce site must be easy to navigate, fast load times and a user friendly design to help both search engines and potential customers navigate your site effectively and to improve rankings and conversions.

Conclusion

SEO is a part of digital marketing that requires ongoing work for long term results. By using good SEO you can increase your online visibility, get more organic traffic and more leads and sales. Whether you’re focusing on local SEO to target customers in your area or optimising your e-commerce website for product visibility, you need to tailor your approach to your business. Learn more about the key differences between international and local SEO to see which strategy fits your business goals best.

Get in touch for a quote if you want to improve your SEO and online presence. We don’t hide behind fancy tech talk to make us sound clever, we keep things as simple as possible as all we want is to help businesses succeed.