You might wonder why search engine optimization (SEO) matters when you can promote your business in other ways. Do you really need organic traffic when you can run PPC ads, post on social media, and send marketing emails? Based on the results I’ve seen at Victorious, I have to say yes.
Here’s why: You can reach some of your audience without investing in search engine optimization, but the reality is that 86% of consumers still think search engines are the most effective way to answer their questions. If you’re not popping up in the search engine result pages (SERPs) when they’re comparing products, choosing services, or making purchases, your competitors are — and they’re more than happy to snatch away your leads.
Below, I’ll share more about the importance of SEO and why ignoring organic search can drag your business down when it has the potential to thrive.
1. Getting Lost in the SERPs
The internet is crammed with content — think of it as a digital jungle that’s easy to get lost in. That’s why so many people use search engines to find information. If your site is optimized to rank well, Google can lead users right to your door. Without SEO, you’ll likely tumble down the rankings and out of sight. You might even have pages that Google fails to crawl or get a manual penalty that erases your site right from the SERPs.
To grab your audience’s attention, you need to appear near the top of the search results. According to Search Engine Land, the first three positions in the SERPs capture more than 50% of impressions. Positions 15 to 20 account for about 25% of impressions, while anything in position 30 and lower makes up just 10% of total impressions. When you’re not practicing SEO, you risk languishing in obscurity in the SERPs.
2. Failing To Drive Organic Traffic
One of the biggest downsides to not showing up in SERPs is missing out on organic traffic. High-ranking web pages deliver targeted audiences — people specifically looking for information, products, and services related to your niche. In other words, they’ve turned to search engines because they know what they’re looking for. And if you can deliver, you’ve got a good chance of capturing the lead.
Yes, you can attract audiences through paid ads, but people tend to trust organic search results more. The top organic result on the average Google search results page has a click-through rate (CTR) of 27.6%, according to a study by Backlinko. Meanwhile, the top-paid ad had a CTR of just 2.1%. It’s clear which channel people are more drawn to.
You can also get traffic from social media ads or your subscriber list, but in these situations, you’re not necessarily reaching audiences when they’re looking for your product or service. They may click a link out of curiosity but not be as inclined to convert.
3. Lowered Credibility
A strong online presence demonstrates your reputation and authority. Without SEO, it’s hard to convince customers your business is trustworthy. A company with a sparse website, a handful of reviews from five years ago, and barely any online mentions likely won’t pass muster with a digitally savvy audience.
Businesses that inspire confidence are ranked at the top of the SERPs. They have robust Google Business Profiles, appear in map searches, and have secured online reviews from satisfied customers. Credible businesses are mentioned on different directories, blogs, and websites, and have user-friendly websites that provide comprehensive information.
This kind of brand presence results naturally from quality SEO. When you build backlinks and online citations, develop content pillars, publish top-notch content, and get the technical aspects of your website right, you’re ticking off the boxes that help Google recommend your website. Your search visibility improves, generating a powerful impression of your brand that cultivates trust and drives sales.
4. Falling Behind the Competition
If you’re not dominating the search results pages, then your competitors are. Many of them likely realize the value of SEO and are already restructuring their websites, identifying important keywords, overhauling content, and building backlinks. The problem with letting your competitors sneak ahead is that the more entrenched they are in the SERPs, the harder it is to knock them down. You can’t just hit a switch and appear beside them — you need a comprehensive SEO strategy that takes time to implement.
It’s not too late to start optimizing your website, but you’ll have some catching up to do. The sooner you can lay the groundwork and align your website with best practices, the better.
I should mention at this point that SEO is a long game. You can leapfrog over competitors and claim their keyword rankings, but be careful about your approach. A long-term SEO strategy is a better return on investment because it gives you a solid foundation for maintaining your rankings and growing over time.
5. Reliance on More Expensive Advertising Channels
Without organic traffic, you’ll have to rely on paid channels to send visitors to your site. You can find audiences by advertising on search engines, social networks, and other websites, but the costs can climb quickly, especially if you’re competing for popular, high-volume searches. The other drawback of paid ads is that once you stop running them, your visibility and traffic drop.
That’s why SEO belongs in your toolkit. While you’ll need to partner with an agency or build an in-house team, you’ll be able to reduce your paid advertising cost once you can rank organically for business-critical terms. You’ll also find that SEO takes more time to implement than an ad, but results are much more sustainable.
6. Losing Out on Brand Awareness
There’s another benefit to SEO beyond clicks. Every time someone performs a search, they scan the top results, discovering new websites and brands. Chances are they’ll perform more than one related search as they try to dig up the information they want. Someone might start by searching “shin pain” and “shin splint exercises” before moving on to “physiotherapist in San Francisco.” With a comprehensive keyword strategy, you’ll appear in as many relevant searches as you can to build your brand profile.
This SEO approach has a beautiful domino effect: Users start to recognize your business and gravitate to your content. As long as you provide a great user experience when they land on your site, you can start building loyalty and trust.
7. Fewer Leads
It’s hard to turn potential customers into leads if you’re not visible when they’re searching for a solution. SEO helps with lead generation in a few ways:
- Boosting your visibility in regular searches, featured snippets, rich snippets, maps, and carousels
- Zeroing in on your target audience based on the keywords they use
- Generating qualified traffic by optimizing important landing pages and lead magnets
As your search visibility increases, you’ll send a steady flow of traffic to your site. Not all visitors will convert right away as they’ll be in different stages of the buyer journey. However, as long as you consider their search intent and provide relevant content and calls to action, you can begin building a relationship and pulling leads into your sales funnel.
8. Missed Sales Opportunities
Finally, without SEO, you’ll miss out on immediate sales — those highly coveted audiences who are at a critical point in their journeys and ready to convert. These customers are looking on their mobile phones to find nearby providers or googling to finally buy that item they’ve been considering. Sites that appear high in the search results will benefit from these lucrative searches.
SEO puts your business in the mix by focusing on high-intent keywords. Audiences on the verge of converting tend to use precise long-tail or location-based keywords that help them complete a specific task. An effective SEO strategy ensures you’ve optimized your website for these search terms — instead of just “car repair,” you’re targeting the more specific “affordable transmission repair.” Instead of “ice pack,” you’re ranking for “ice pack with straps for back.” If you aren’t appearing for valuable search terms when your customers are ready to buy, you’re losing out on potential sales.
Time To Get Ahead With a Dedicated SEO Partner
Your business needs to be part of the conversation when customers are looking for solutions. That’s why SEO is so important for business growth. Search engine optimization might seem daunting, but a trusted partner can guide you through the process and tailor strategies to support your overall goals. Schedule a free consultation with one of our experts at Victorious and learn how our proven methods can help you gain search visibility, outshine your competitors, and drive the qualified traffic you need to grow your business.
