Whether your business is just starting out, or you’ve been in the game for some time, getting organic SEO right is key for your business’s online success!
Quick breakdown:
Let’s get started.
Organic search engine optimization (SEO) refers to unpaid, algorithm-driven methods used to help online content rank high in search results.
Unlike the text ads in search results which are paid and served based on their bid, content that gets served organically earned that spot in the search results based on the relevancy of its content to the query.
You can tell text ads and organic results apart by looking for the "Ad" symbol at the top left corner of the search result. On search engines, text ads will be in the first few spots and will be followed by several organic results.
Organic SEO matters for a few reasons.
1.) Online searchers rarely click past the first 10 results.
The more optimized your online content, the better chance it has at being served high in search results. Since online users typically just review the first few search results, content that hasn't been optimized may be missed on the subsequent pages!
Making sure your online content appeals to popular searches and meets the latest search engine algorithm triggers is key to showing up on the first page of search results.
2.) Organic results are determined by the quality and relevancy of the content, so users have high trust in organic results.
Sometimes, the ads at the top of a search engine’s results aren’t exactly what a user is looking for. A keyword or product mention might have triggered the ad, but it’s possible that the ad's bid got the content its ranking over its relevancy to the query.
Content that’s optimized and served organically is most likely triggered by specific keywords, questions and phrases used in the search and has earned it’s place in the rankings because the algorithm thought it would best answer the query.
Because there’s no money or bidding involved with organically served content, users often trust those non-ad sources more when researching online.
3.) Optimizing your business’s content for organic rankings is free and budget friendly.
The competition for the first few spots in search results is high and can get expensive quickly.
By using organic methods to optimize your business’s online content, you’re saving money while still setting up your business to rank highly and earn conversions.
1.) Keep up on the search engine algorithm updates.
Because you’re not paying search engines to serve your content for certain queries, it’s vital to stay on top of what algorithms deem trustworthy and relevant.
For example, “keyword stuffing” was a phenomenon that came about because search engines valued content that matched keywords in queries. Copywriters began to create content that triggered with many keywords, but the actual information wasn’t always quality or useful.
Algorithms have become more specific in what they look for in content before they serve it in the search results.
Now, “keyword stuffing” is a red flag for the algorithms!
Today, trustworthy and reputable sources offer truly valuable information, link to other reputable sources, have those sources link to them and have content that answers specific queries.
2.) Create content that meets high volume queries.
Before creating content, always research what keywords and queries are popular for your business’s niche!
Remember, any content on your business’s website should have the goal of answering relevant queries and filling the top of your sales funnel! If your business consistently offers valuable information to online users, your brand will be top of mind when those users need the services or products that your business offers.
Creating content that’s in high demand gives your business the best chance at being organically served and chosen!
3.) Link to other reputable online sources and find ways to get those sources to link to your site.
This practice is called backlinking. Whenever a search happens, the search engines crawl related content and look for signs that indicate whether or not the piece is reputable and relevant.
Links from your business’s content to other established online sources is a plus for the algorithms! Similarly, if the crawlers see that your business linked in other reputable online sources, that increases your business’s trustworthiness and helps it be served for relevant queries.
The best way to get other sources to link to your site is to become an authority in your business’s space. This requires regularly posting content online in a blog, webpages or video platforms, time and consistency.
4.) Showcase reviews!
Businesses with reviews posted directly onto search engines can outperform businesses who don't.
For example, you can showcase reviews on your Google Business Profile to make it easy for users to get an idea of what to expect when doing business with your company.
Regularly posted reviews also signal to the algorithms that your business is trustworthy and legitimate which can help your business be served higher in the results!
5.) Consistently post content.
A blog can be a great asset to your business for a number of reasons. One of those reasons is search engine algorithms love to see webpages that are active and regularly refreshed.
Even if you can't sustain a blog for your business, updating your business's web pages with new information or products is a great help! You can also make posts directly to Google through your Google Business Profile.
When the algorithms register the consistent updates, your business gains credibility online!
Final thoughts…
Organic SEO is an important piece to get right for your business’s online presence. Without it, your business is missing out on a free and effective avenue to build trust with potential customers and establish authority in your market space.
RevLocal specializes in creating personalized digital marketing plans for small businesses and multi-location brands. If you want to learn more about our services, contact us or check out our other resources!
Taylor Rice, Blog Contributor
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