SEO has been around for a while now, and it can seem like the debate around SEO has been around for longer. The most common misconception about SEO is that it is a way to enhance visibility, and that social media is now a better tool to increase visibility. But the fact is, good SEO is the nature of visibility itself. So here are a few facts that will help settle the debate and prove that SEO is a phenomenal strategic search tool.
1. 93% of all online experiences are initiated with a search engine
2. Google accounts for 65-70% of search engine market share
3. 70% of the links that users click on while searching are organic
4. 75% of users do not scroll past the first page of search results
5. Search is the prime driver of traffic to content sites, surpassing social media by more than 300%
6. SEO leads have a 14.6% conversion rate, when compared to outbound leads like direct mail or print advertising which have a conversion rate of 1.7%
Are you curious to know, what SEO is all about? Watch the SEO Course Preview!
The Strategic Solution to Drive Organic Searches: Relevance for Businesses
Search engine optimization is a massively popular service in today's digital marketing landscape and almost every business relies on it to stay relevant. In a recent Online Marketing Trends survey conducted by HubShout, nearly 67% of small-to-medium-business respondents cited SEO as their most in-demand marketing service for 2015. There are a number of ways in which SEO empowers businesses:
1. It Helps in Hone Business Visibility and Branding
It is important to understand that organic searches are carried out with different combinations of keywords. If your results appear at the top of search engine listings for different permutations of keywords, then it signals that the brand is strong and reliable to consumers.
2. SEO Lends Your Business Credibility
In today's world, you search engine ranking is synonymous with your professional credibility. It is highly unlikely for a customer to believe in a business that isn't in the race to achieve great search results.
3. SEO Has One of the Best ROI’s in Advertisings
SEO leads have a 14.6% conversion rate, when compared to outbound leads such as direct mail or print advertising which have a conversion rate of 1.7%. Isn't this proof enough that SEO is one of the best tools out there?
4. SEO Provides Unmatched Insight Into the Customers' Mind
Analytics tools can help decipher customer search patterns, preferences, search mediums and even search locations. Apart from enhancing the visibility of the business, SEO helps businesses delve deeper into customers' minds and design customized products and services.
SEO: A Thriving Platform for Opportunities
In the US, SEO is a $70 billion industry that witnessed an 18% increase in the number of SEO jobs in 2015 alone. The average growth for SEO salaries was 17%, with SEO Manager salaries growing by 26%.
Across Asia, SEO is a valuable skill that can promise a salary within the range of 2-4.5 LPA. (Source: Payscale)
Here is a list of some of the most interesting SEO trends that have made it an essential function for companies and businesses:
1. Content marketing is booming and SEO, naturally, will grow alongside it. After all, SEO is the art and science of getting content to be seen across organic channels. You need both for a successful content strategy.
2. Businesses are struggling to fill in-house SEO talent gaps. Businesses report that the main roadblock to SEO success is a severe lack of in-house SEO skills. The rise we see in SEO salaries reflects that burgeoning talent gap.
3. SEO jobs are no longer just about keywords. Surpassing just technical skills, the SEO role has evolved. SEO specialists today are business leaders, strategists, and even internal evangelists. They must manage a range of analytics technology and manage big budgets. They’re also responsible for bringing in revenue and contribute directly to the businesses' growth.
4. Relying primarily on paid media strategies is no longer effective for business. Take, for instance, the recent research around the growing ad blindness on Facebook — that’s just one of the many indicators that consumers are getting better at blocking out ads. More than ever, there’s no substitute for a strong presence on organic channels.
SEO Job Profiles
An SEO professional can purse a career in one of the following performance areas of SEO:
1. Analytics
2. Business Management/Development
3. Link Building
4. Event Management
5. Organic Search Engine Optimization
6. Social Media Analyst
7. Web Development/Programming
8. Web Design
9. Offline Marketing/Advertising
10. Public Relations/Reputation Management
11. Paid Search/PPC Management
12. Writing/Blogging
Here are some specific designations that an SEO specialist can work as within the work areas mentioned above:
1. Content/keyword strategist
2. Link builder
3. SEO Analyst
4. SEO Copywriter
5. SEO marketing director
6. SEO Manager
One way to venture out from the crowd of so many SEO professionals is to dedicate yourself to some specific aspect of that job and then present yourself as a specialist. Apart from the scaling competition, the evolution of Search Engine Optimization as a subject has also made it daunting for a single person to gain knowledge of so many aspects.
One way to stand out from the crowd of SEO professionals is to dedicate yourself to a specific aspect of a job, because the scale of Search Engine Optimization as a subject has made it impossible for a single person to gain an in-depth knowledge of how to use SEO for a particular domain.
According to Forbes, the most popular SEO specialist roles in 2015 were:
1. Blogs SEO specialist
2. Small Business Websites specialist
3. Affiliate Marketing specialist
4. e-Commerce Store specialist
