SEO has been one of the best ways to generate website traffic for over a decade. Evaluating the impact of SEO in 2020 shows that it continues to be a highly cost-effective marketing strategy and one of the least expensive, yet effective ways to increase revenue. With constant changes to search engine algorithms, some people question whether SEO should be top of mind. The answer is yes. In 2020, SEO is as important as ever to increase organic website traffic and brand awareness. Here’s why:
People Are Clicking on Organic Results More Than Paid Ads
The strength of SEO in 2020 is apparent when compared to other methods of driving traffic. According to research done by BrightEdge, organic search drives 53% of all website traffic, whereas paid advertising is responsible for only 15% of traffic. Yet, most companies still spend a majority of their advertising budget on paid ads. Seeing as how over half of all traffic comes from organic search results (this is in comparison to every other form of traffic share including organic social media, paid social ads, direct traffic and all paid ads), leveraging SEO should not only be a part of your marketing strategy – it should be a top priority.
Increased Long-Term Website Traffic
There are several aspects involved in creating a strong SEO foundation of a website. Unlike paid ads where traffic is only driven to a website when a campaign is active and dollars are being spent, ensuring your website is search engine optimized increases traffic long-term. With that in mind, it’s good to know the investment in initial optimization of a site and SEO maintenance increases website traffic even when you’re not investing in paid advertising.
Less Expensive [Than Paid Ads] but Highly Effective
Focusing on SEO in 2020 can help provide a company with a substantial ROI in the future, at a much lower cost than other marketing channels. While it does take some time to reap the rewards of this tactic, it is well worth it. Search engines recognize when a website is engaging with a customer and providing valuable content so the only actual SEO expenses are generating quality content. Engaging content is not only valued by search engines, but appreciated by users as well – so your audience is more likely to keep interacting with your website and engaging with your brand.
Important SEO Tactics to Focus on in 2020
1. Quality content
Understanding what customers are looking for when they make a search is an important part of creating high-quality content in 2020. Although keywords are still important, the top priority should be understanding the solutions that people want to solve. Having the goal of making the best content for a particular topic is one of the best ways to create value and build trust. Quality content is content that resonates with your audience. Updating your site with quality content ensures more traffic and more engagement.
2. Live streams
Keeping in contact with current customers and generating interest from potential customers (especially now that we are in the midst of a pandemic) can be done by live streaming on social media platforms. It’s a great way to let users know real-time updates on your business and drives more engagement than uploaded posts. This tactic also helps build trust in the long run by forming a connection with your audience. It can provide a perfect opportunity for company reps to get in front of an audience and create value for customers.
3. Technical SEO
The experience a user feels when visiting a website is essential. Ensuring that a customer has a great overall experience makes the technical aspects of SEO just as important as the content. Site speed is a crucial technical factor taken into consideration by Google when deciding how to rank websites. For example, if site pages aren’t loading fast enough or your site is not secure, Google can penalize your site by placing it beneath your competitors on search engines. Enabling HTTPS and checking the speed report in Google Search Console is a must to ensure you are delivering the best user experience possible.
4. Update Google My Business listing
For some users, the information for a company’s local listing is the only data they look at when conducting a branded search on Google. Providing accurate information can help safeguard a company from missing out on sales. Users may want to see if a business is open or limiting their hours (such as in current times, with the current COVID-19 crisis impacting business hours). It’s essential to have the correct business hours as well as a business description, which explains any current changes and ensures your audience that you place importance on keeping them updated.
5. Create COVID-19-specific content in relation to your brand
Businesses selling non essential items are more likely to get less traffic during a pandemic. It’s a good idea for a company to monitor search traffic via the Google Search Console to see if users are still searching for their brand. Answering questions related to search topics will help provide solutions for customers. Creating blog content or homepage banners that explain updates on your company’s status or how your company is trying to reduce the impact of COVID-19 are good ways to provide answers for your customers.
The apparent changes and uncertainty brought forth in 2020 should also bring changes to your digital marketing strategy. With the rise of organic search, SEO should not be placed on the back burner. Ensuring you are not only investing in SEO, but that you are also leveraging the right SEO tactics, is more important than ever.
Learn more about why SEO is important for businesses.
