Does your business really need to be on Google search?
The answer to the question as to whether or not it really matters to land on Google’s front page is very simple – yes. It does. According to research the first result on Google gets 33% of all search traffic and page 1 search results get 92% of the overall traffic.
Let’s just leave that there for a second.
That means only 5% of people click past the first page to see what the second has in store. As the old internet joke goes – the best place to hide a dead body is on page 2 of Google’s search results.
Your business isn’t a dead body so why should it float with the flotsam?
Today your customers don’t go online, they live online. Your business needs to invest time and money into tools that will take your website from the back page to the front page. You’ve laboured over a new website, chosen the right copywriter, built the entire space too look fantastic, so it makes sense you someone to find it.
Also, if you’re not visible, it is likely that your competitors are.
With the complexity of terminology that surrounds building an online presence, it’s easy to understand why companies are loathe to dip their toes in the waters of keywords, SEO, rankings, htxt and spiders.
It’s like an entirely new language has suddenly been thrown onto the table and now you’re supposed to make decisions about how to use the language and where to put it. Like a blindfold crossword.
These are the downsides of setting out to create a relevant online presence – complexity, confusion, charlatans and cost.
Fortunately, there is also one very important benefit – online levels the corporate playing field. The small business can stand alongside the giant and grab the attention of customers with exactly the same finesse. The small business can use a smaller budget and still yield tangible return on investment. All they need is a clear strategy and a reliable service provider.
We mentioned charlatans earlier. This is an important point.
There are plenty of people who claim to be able to make magic happen with their SEO and keywords and online digital talent. Many use dodgy practices that will have quick results, but can potentially leave a long-lasting stain on your business.
To really get the most from an online strategy and push your business beyond the bodies on the second page, here are some solid steps to success:
- Hire a reputable agency that has had great reviews
- Allocate the budget and stick to it, phasing it across different marketing channels and timelines
- Do research into the different marketing channels that are available so you make the best use of your budget
- Be patient – it takes time to build a presence, but once it’s there you will see the benefits
Written by: Richard Bensted
Richard Bensted is the COO of iShack Innovation Consultancy. As an online marketing company based in South Africa, iShack is able to offer digital strategists to businesses, agencies and digital specialists Google Ad Words, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), social media advertising, & digital strategies.