Search engine optimization (SEO) helps brands develop better relationships with their audiences by optimizing business websites for searchability. By employing SEO tactics, you can boost your reach, establish your authority in your niche, and gain more potential sales through increased searches.
As a small business owner, a solid SEO strategy should be one of your main priorities. There are several statistics that prove SEO matters, and we share five that do just that.
What you should know about SEO in 2021
Small and medium businesses in particular will benefit from SEO as it allows them to be more easily found in a sea of online content. These statistics about SEO reiterate why you should consider developing an effective SEO strategy this 2021, and give you an idea what it can achieve for your business.
- The first page matters the most
While ranking on the second page of search engine results pages (SERPs) may seem close enough to first and therefore good enough, it’s not. In fact, only 0.78% of users on Google will browse through the second page, as users will very often find what they need on the first page or, if they don’t, simply do another search.
- The top five results receive more than half the clicks
The first five organic sites on top of the first page of a SERP receive the most traffic. They receive as much as 67.6% of all the clicks from users on a search page.
- Higher bounce rates rank you lower
Pages that take more than a few seconds to load will usually make users click away, resulting in a higher bounce rate. The bounce rate for your site tends to increase by 123% the longer it takes for a page to load. This matters because a high bounce rate hurts your site’s SEO by making search engines prioritize your site less.
- Your site speed directly affects conversion rates
While a high bounce rate makes it more likely for customers to leave your page, the first five seconds it takes for your page to load have a high impact on your site’s conversion rates. Generally, the less time it takes for the page to load, the higher the conversion rates become.
- Optimizing for local search is key
Small business owners can more effectively reach potential customers by focusing on local searches. In 2019, Google experienced an increase of roughly 350 times more searches for local businesses.
Make SEO work to your advantage
While you can develop your own SEO strategy in-house and manage it, it can be easier for you to outsource SEO and let professional strategists handle it.
Hello SEO is an SEO company that provides affordable SEO services for business owners. They scan your website for any SEO issues, and then implement the best SEO practices to help improve your website. With Hello SEO, you get to improve customer experience and rank higher on search engines to reach and convert more customers. Check out their packages today to see how they can best optimize your website.
