What is search engine optimization (SEO)?
It's important to understand how search engines work, which is precisely the goal of search engine optimization. Usually shortened to SEO, this is the process of crafting your digital footprint to match the needs of search engines.
The vast majority of people use search engines when looking for something they need. Most people click on something within the first page of search engine results pages (SERP).
Therefore, you have to make sure you land at the top of the SERP if you want people to find your website and learn about your products and services. That's why SEO is one of the most essential types of marketing.
There are multiple types of SEO, and they're broken up into on-page SEO and off-page SEO. On-page SEO refers to everything you can do on your website to help you improve your ranking on search engines. This includes posting content regularly, using the right words and phrases, and incorporating images and videos.
Off-page SEO refers to the steps you can take to improve your ranking without altering your website's content. This may include increasing your hosting speed or orchestrating a strong backlink campaign to increase your domain authority.
Because there are so many different types of search engine optimization, including local SEO, it might be beneficial to reach out to an expert who can help you.
Before starting your digital marketing strategy, you should consider the benefits and drawbacks of SEO. That said, here are a few pros and cons to keep in mind.
Benefits of SEO
Builds organic traffic. SEO enables you to build more organic traffic, which refers to the number of people who find your website using a search engine.
Less expensive long term. SEO isn't as expensive in the long run since you don't have to pay every time someone clicks on your website.
Improves trust and credibility. SEO can improve your trust and credibility since potential customers won't see a sponsored tag next to your meta title on the SERP.
More sustainable for long-term growth. SEO can be more sustainable because your traffic will continue to increase even if you stop updating the page.
Drawbacks of SEO
Results aren't immediate. It can take a long time before you land on the first page, let alone at the very top of the SERP.
Competitive keywords. Some of the keywords you want to target are probably very competitive. This means that many people are vying for the same terms, which can make it difficult for you to stand out from the crowd.
Constant search engine algorithm updates. Search engine algorithms are constantly changing, making it hard for you to stay at the top of the page.
Tedious and time-consuming. You need to spend a long time figuring out what type of content you want to share and how you want to structure it. Plus, learning the ropes of SEO can be a tedious task.