As we head into another year, if there is one thing we’ve all learned is that things can change in a heartbeat. And, unfortunately, the most socialization that we have been able to have in 2020 is social media. But that isn’t all bad, especially for your business.
Although all might have seemed lost for some small businesses when the pandemic dug in its heels, what many learned is if you adapt and find new ways to market, advertise, and offer your product or services in the face of adversity, it is possible to not only survive but to thrive. If you aren’t yet convinced that SEO is critical to your overall bottom line, read these hard and true statistics!
It Takes In-Depth Content to Rank Highly
It used to be that a solid content page on Google for ranking purposes was somewhere around 500 to 700 pages. According to Google, the average length is now 1,890 for top ranking web pages. How are you keeping up? And it isn’t just about word count; you don’t need to drive people to your website, you need them to stay! People want to absorb useful information broken up into sections that are easy to peruse.
It is All About the Reviews!
According to Forbes Magazine, 80-90% of all online shoppers read the reviews before making their purchasing decisions. Online reviews are the key to building brand credibility. That’s why making it easier for your customers to add comments can really help your bottom line. Put in the time to follow up with customers to make sure not only that they had a pleasurable experience, but also ask if they’re willing to share.
Make Every Impression Count
The average time a person will spend on an internet search per item is about one minute long. That isn’t much time to captivate them, which is why you have to make your impression count! Finding information has become so liberal that most of us take for granted the wealth that we can consume in just one minute. That also means as a business that your time is ticking. Whatever you have on the internet has to grab attention and do so quickly.
Blogs are Essential
Inside Views reports that business-to-business marketing gains 67% more leads if they use blogs in their campaign. Blogs used to be a way that people expressed their opinions and ideas for the reader. Blogs have a dual purpose now. They not only are meant to engage the reader and provide value-added, they are a signal to Google about the credibility of your site. If you have blogs that readers find useful, it can do incredible things for your ranking and internet traffic. If you don’t, then you are telling Google that you really don’t have much to offer. Blogs are essential, but the quality and relativity of them is even more so.
Long-Tailed Keywords are Getting Longer
Wordstream found that 50%, or half, of all search queries, use four or more words. Tyson Media reports that If you don’t have a mobile-friendly website, 40% of internet users will skip you and search again. Long-tailed keywords were gaining popularity years ago. Now, statistics say that more and more people are using voice recognition to do their internet searches. Since it is much easier to say what you want to find, people are using more words than ever before to better pinpoint what they are trying to find. So the more you can incorporate more detailed and target keywords into your content, titles, and meta descriptions, the better.
Google Updates Daily, and you Need to too
Hubspot counted that Google works to change its algorithms about 500-600 times annually. So what worked yesterday, likely isn’t working today. Just when you think you’ve got the rules figured out, the game changes. Google is constantly changing how they classify websites and webpages to remain relative. So watching for new trends and simple algorithms upgrades are essential.
Company Names That Include Strong Keywords get Noticed Locally
Businesses that use a strong keyword contained in their company name are spotted 1.5 times more in search engine results according to the Local SEO Guide. Local SEO differs from national, and it is all about location and keywords. Never before is it more important to use strong keywords in your company name. In previous generations it was all about finding words that come first in the alphabet because companies were listed alphabetically, those days are long, long gone.
YouTube Giving Google a run for its Money
Google might be a mainstay, but new data released by Mushroom Networks indicates that YouTube is now a close second for search engines around the globe. More and more people are choosing video streams over content. That doesn’t mean that you don’t need quality content on your site, but it does mean that you have to have a healthy mix between the two. YouTube is where you captivate your audience; your website is where you drive them.
Don’t Underestimate Facebook
Merkle found that there are over 2,000,000,000 search queries on Facebook on any given day. Facebook might be the elderly social media platform on the block, but don’t underestimate it. Although most people downplay how often and how much they rely on Facebook – the stats tell us differently. Keep your presence strong by using the right keywords when you are posting to social media.
Click-Throughs Matter!
19.3% of organic search click-throughs go to the top listings. Ranking highly on an organic Google search is still critical, but getting there isn’t as easy. It takes a good mix of ads with the right content and campaign to get the most click-throughs possible.
Organic Searches are Still a Priority
Marketers say that 60% of their efforts are focused on enhancing their SEO and organic presence on the internet. After decades of things changing on the internet, there is one thing that remains the same – organic search efforts are still a number one priority. It takes approaching your SEO and SEM marketing from many fronts to push your website higher on an internet search.
Content Remains King
55% of marketing experts believe that quality content creation is their number one priority. People are looking for information that hasn’t been cut and pasted. They want something outside the obvious, which is why pages that have 1,890 words or more are leading the charge. The more people get, the more they want. Content isn’t just what drives your organic traffic it is what converts them to become a customer.
People pretty much lived on the internet pre-COVID, now that is where we all live, play, and shop. As we head into a new year, hopefully, full of prosperity and health, now is an excellent time to revamp your website and social media presence. The numbers don’t lie – you can do some amazing things with very little effort if you know the facts.
At Fu Dog Media, we stay ahead of the changing internet tide to consistently provide targeted and effective means to get your company noticed. Contact us today to discuss how we can take your business to the next level and have you dominating the web!
