Attention, digital business owners and startups! How many customers have been knocking on your digital storefront lately?

That’s right. You still have to think of your business storefront — the digital one, that is. 

In today’s world, a thriving online presence is essential for businesses of all shapes and sizes. As most consumers turn to the Internet to research and purchase products and services, it has become more critical than ever for startups and business owners to step up their SEO game.

If you’re new to the game, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) refers to the process of optimizing a website to improve its visibility and ranking on search engines such as Google.

In this article, we will dive into the importance of businesses prioritizing SEO as part of your digital marketing strategy, the benefits of SEO for digital businesses, and effective tactics to utilize SEO for your online brand.

Top Business Benefits of SEO

Listed below are only some among the many ways online online businesses can benefit from the proper use of SEO:

• Increased Online Visibility
  SEO can help businesses improve their online visibility by ranking higher on search engines, making it easier for potential customers to find their website.
  
• Higher Website Traffic
  Businesses can drive more organic website traffic, leading to increased brand exposure, awareness and, ultimately, more sales! This can also cut advertising costs because you won’t have to rely on paid ads when you are successfully generating organic traffic.
  
• Improved User Experience
  SEO is not just about traffic; it’s also about creating a user-friendly website that people enjoy visiting. It enhances the user experience and increases engagement with your website.
  
• Cost-Effective
  Compared to other digital marketing strategies, SEO is cost-effective and can yield long-term results. With the right techniques and tools, businesses can improve their website’s SEO without spending a fortune.

5 Traffic-generating SEO Tactics 

We curated five tested-and-proven SEO tips that will generate organic traffic for your digital storefront:

1. Post Quality Content Consistently
   
   When a search engine crawls a website, it’s looking for fresh content. Regularly publishing high-quality content increases a website’s crawl rate, which can then improve its search engine visibility. Quality content that’s relevant, informative, and engaging can keep visitors on a website longer, reduce bounce rates, and improve the website’s overall user engagement metrics.
   
   “Consistently producing valuable content is how we gained visibility for our betta fish blog. Everything you need to know about the beautiful betta fish, you can find on our website. So, while ours might be a highly specific niche, we were still able to attract the right audience and make them stay because of our quality content about betta fish,” shared Wesley Oaks, Founder of Betta Fish Bay.
   
2. Mobile Optimization
   
   At this point in time, it is essential to ensure that your website is mobile-friendly to provide a good user experience. If your website is not optimized for mobile devices, users may find it difficult to navigate, read, or interact with your website, which can result in a high bounce rate and lower rankings.
   
   “Make sure your website is responsive and loads quickly on mobile devices. Don’t underestimate the power of mobile devices as a channel, as mobile searches are becoming more prevalent these days,” said Sam Tabak, Board Member of Rabbi Meir Baal Haness Charities. 

Google’s mobile-first indexing means that the mobile version of your website is used as the primary source for indexing and ranking. This means that having a mobile-friendly website is more important than ever before. Otherwise, it may not be indexed or ranked by Google.

3. Create a Google My Business Profile
   
   A Google Business Profile, also known as a Google My Business listing, can have a significant impact on a business’s SEO. Google Business Profiles are optimized for local search, making it easier for potential customers to find your business when searching for products or services in your area. Appearing in the local pack, which is the section of the search results that showcases local businesses, increases the visibility of your business to potential customers.
   
   “Having a Google Business Profile signals to Google that your business is legitimate and trustworthy, which boosts your search rankings,” explained Garrett Smith, head of local SEO at GMB Gorilla. “Customers are more likely to trust and engage with businesses that have a complete and verified GMB profile. There’s transparency and convenience when they can see essential information such as your business address, phone number, website, hours of operation, and reviews,” Smith added.
   
4. Optimize Website Structure
   
   A well-structured website improves the user experience by making it easy for visitors to navigate and find the information they need. When users can easily find what they are looking for, they are more likely to stay on your website and engage with your content. This can lead to lower bounce rates, longer visit durations, and higher conversions.
   
   “Create a clear hierarchy of pages. Use descriptive page titles and meta descriptions. Make sure your website is mobile-friendly. Your website’s structure should be clear, concise, and easy to navigate,” advised blogger and entrepreneur Peter Hoopis.
   
5. Use Relevant Links
   
   Linking to relevant, authoritative websites, communicates to search engines that your content is trustworthy and valuable. Incorporating internal and external links into your content to provide more information to your readers and establish credibility. This helps search engines understand the relevance of your content.
   
   “Relevant links improve the user experience by providing additional information and context for your content. This is why we make sure to link relevant resources of soundproofing across our blogs. For example, we link recommendations of trusted soundproof brands and sound reduction devices. It provides valuable, supplemental information to our readers, encouraging them to explore our website further,” said Ludovic Chung-sao, Founder of Zen Soundproof.

Conclusion

SEO is a tested-and-proven tool for a robust online presence for businesses. It’s a sure-fire strategy for companies to improve their website’s visibility, drive more organic traffic, and enhance the user experience of their website. Implementing one or two (or all!) of these tips can improve your website’s visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs) and drive more traffic to your website.

So, get your SEO game on, and watch your business grow!