SEO is NOT dead.

Let me say this loud and clear one last time, SEO is NOT dead. SEO has changed, for sure, but it is still very often going to give you the best bang for your online marketing buck. Think about it.…  there are an average of over 40,000 search queries on Google every SECOND. That’s 1.2 TRILLION searches annually. (source www.internetlivestats.com) Some percentage of those people are searching for YOUR business. You just need to get in front of them and convert them into customers. It’s just that simple.

Jayson Demers, a contributor to Entrepreneur Magazine, apparently agrees. Jason says that there are five reasons you need to invest in an SEO campaign right now. I concur.

1. Return On Investment.

SEO does require a financial investment and that stops many businesses right in their tracks. The key is to not to only look at what you will spend but what you will get in return. Your company will receive a range of benefits from brand visibility to actual sales. If an SEO program is executed effectively you will find that the longer you invest, the greater return you will see and, ultimately, the greater the sales.

2. The Age of UX

There’s no more “black hat” manipulation of the search engines. Those days are long gone. This is a time of true SEO, what we call Search Experience Optimization. Giving users the information and experience they are searching for is what it’s all about. What a great opportunity for businesses! As the search engines improve their ability to meet the needs of users, our job in executing an SEO program is to provide the best content and user experience. Remember, no longer are users just sitting at their desktops. Today’s users are on the go and a good Search Experience Optimization program MUST include tactics for optimizing mobile content.

3. The ROI Snowball

We see the work we do in our Search Experience Optimization program ultimately having amplified returns. The more we build, structure and layer our content, the more we link, the more we build the social presence of our clients, the more they benefit in the end. Their domain authority grows, their brand visibility increases and we see traffic and social following multiply as a result. It’s like a snowball rolling down a big hill, growing both in size and speed!

4. If You Are Not Moving Forward You Are Moving Backward

Competition is competition. You need to be where the customers are. Don’t wait to implement an Search Experience Optimization program while your competitors implement SEO strategies and scoop up the sales. Every day between now and when you get started with your SEO program is another day for your competitor’s brand to get visibility and their site to get ranked for high volume keywords.

5. Just Go

This is not a case of “go big or go home”, just go. It is costing you more money every day you think about implementing an SEO program then it would if you just identified a budget you can live with and got in the game. Starting small is just fine but do start. As you see results, you can expand the program for deeper penetration, to encompass a larger basket of related keywords or go after a wider geographic area.

While some people shop for headstones to bury SEO, our team is getting even more aggressive. We see nothing but opportunity with Search Experience Optimization. In the end, businesses NEED to be where the customers are. Customers are online. Customers are searching. It’s time to roll up your sleeves, implement a digital marketing strategy and compete. Long live SEO… Search Experience Optimization!