Beginners guide to SEO for your small business

Your website is the hub of your business, which means it needs to be seen!

Did you know that 15% of all searches have never been searched before on Google? These days, Google receives over 99,000 searches per second and an average person conducts 3-4 searches every single day, so that's a pretty crazy feat. However, that 15% is only going to get smaller, and your website needs to be up in those search results no matter the search.

Your website is your hub

What is (SEO)?

  • Organic ranking gives a business credibility.
  • Understand how your customers are looking for solutions online.
  • Fresh content is what Google LOVES!

SEO stands for ‘Search Engine Optimisation'.  SEO improves the online visibility of a website in a web search engine's unpaid results — referred as "natural", "organic",  or "earned" results.  The primary goal of SEO is to be on the first page and then move into the top three rankings for specific keywords.

Advantages of SEO

  • SEO pulls-in quality traffic
  • SEO traffic is more likely to convert
  • Top SEO rankings provide 24/7 promotion
  • SEO builds trust and credibility
  • SEO is a long term strategy
  • SEO will increase your social media followers
  • SEO will increase your blog traffic
  • SEO is the smartest marketing investment
  • SEO improves the user experience of a website

What are the important elements in SEO?

  • Keywords
  • Backlinks
  • Blogging
  • Google My Business & reviews
  • Naming images correctly

ORGANIC SEO

Did you know? 

  • 93% of online experiences begin with a search engine 
  • The top 3 results get 75% of the clicks
  • 70% of the links search users click on are organic
  • Organic search drives more than 50% of a website traffic, more than paid and social combined!

Check out these other 2024 SEO statistics by clicking here.

PAID ADS

Did you know?

  • Mobile devices amount to 52% of PPC clicks
  • The top paid ads get 40% more clicks
  • Higher click thru rate means lowers cost per click
  • PPC advertisements increases business enquiries

Google Ads is a paid advertising platform that falls under a marketing channel known as pay-per-click (PPC), where you (the advertiser) pays per click or per impression (CPM) on an ad.

Check out some more fascinating PPC statistics for 2024 by clicking here.

ORGANIC SEO VS. PAID GOOGLE ADS

Organic SEO vs Paid Google Ads

Advantages of advertising

  • Get on the first page of Google fast
  • At the end of 2023, the average CPC (cost-per-click) for a paid search ad was $4.22
  • You only pay when a user actually reaches your website
  • Measurable results
  • Reach the right audience
  • You'll see the impact of your PPC efforts almost immediately
Top searched showing all sponsored posts (Google Ads)

What about AI?

When we are considering and researching anything these days, we have to factor in AI, and for Google's SEO, AI is becoming a big topic.

This year, Google has made some huge artificial intelligence updates, reshaping SEO and organic traffic. Google has brought AI into it's search engine, now known as the 'AI Overview' feature which summarises information so users no longer have to click on websites. This is slowly turning Google from a search engine and into an answer engine, sparking fear of reduced traffic and the need for AI optimsation (AIO) over SEO. 

But you know what? We needn't fear. While new features will continue to develop over time, SEO is still crucial to our business, and it's the long game. Having a great SEO strategy is vital for your business, and even if Google becomes exclusively an answer engine, SEO back work is still important. We'll keep you updated in the latest happenings in the world of SEO, Ai and everything else for your online marketing strategy. Join our Facebook group here! 

The best thing you can do for your business is work on both. You've got all the information you need above to start you off with SEO, but try to prioritise AIO as well. As of right now, this includes:

For more information on how to use AI to benefit your business, check out this blog post. 

 

SUMMARY

Google ads

  • Paid search provides immediate top-of-the-page listings and greater click-through rates, i.e., sales when consumers are ready to purchase.
  • Understand that scaling paid traffic campaigns involves more than just increasing your budget
  • Test new hooks for your ad copy
  • Create new funnels and entry point offers (lead magnet)
  • Find new targeting options
  • Change the way you describe and research your target market
  • Put more thought into your creatives
  • Invest in great graphics and video
  • Test test and test some more!

Organic SEO

  • Organic traffic is not dead.
  • Like, know and trust.
  • Eliminate keyword stuffing.
  • Do more of what is working.
  • Do less or tweak what is not.
  • Look at number of comments.
  • FB profile stories (without being spammy)
  • AMAZING.
  • When you share one platform to another platform, that ability to connect is gone.
  • Fresh content on each stories if you’re wanting to connect.

Google AI

  • Use AI as a tool, not a threat.
  • Combine with SEO for best long and short-term results.
  • Prove your expertise.
  • Increase user-friendly structure of ALL aspects of your website.
  • Be concise.
  • Always do your best to stay informed.
  • Be flexible and open to change.

 Keep in touch via our Facebook group, ask questions, and stay up to date!

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