Marketing has always been a part of the history of a business. From simple exchanges like barter trades to the establishment of currency, humans have been using the concept of marketing even before its actual guided practice. It is one of those subjects that we actually practice in our daily lives without us really knowing it. We see various ads every day and think to ourselves how we can relate it with our own reactions. We may even be encouraged to buy a product just because of how it was presented in an ad. People participating in this kind of exchange are results of effective marketing and it works very much in favor of the producer. As time flies, however, the dynamics of the market changes. This is why it is important for companies to track these changes so that they could adapt to the changing times.
What Are Ads?
When we talk about ads, most people would think about billboards and signages. There are also classified ads on the newspapers and commercials for television and radio. Some even still employ people to showcase their products and company on the streets (e.g. giving of flyers, testimonials, etc.). These methodologies were once viewed as some of the most effective ways of telling people about a product or company. However, the scope of these methods is quite limited.
Spokespersons can only cover a single street or are even after standing for hours. Billboards are limited to whether they can actually be seen or not. Fliers are considered trash by some people. Radio listening is practically non-existent in urban areas and television trends are dying every year. Some companies are still bewildered as to why these methods often fail, but the answer is actually plain as day.
Welcome to the age of the internet.
It is said before that the internet age started its development during the 90’s (still remember the dial-up?) and this is true. However, its full potential was not reached until the early 2010’s. even In the early 2000’s, people still prefer watching television over the internet because it was considered quite expensive to have a stable internet connection at the time. In this era, however, this is not true anymore. Almost everyone has an internet connection – most bring an internet device in their pockets, even! If we’re seeking new information, it is readily available in search engines like Google and Yahoo. One click and the information is right at your fingers. You do not even need to be home early to watch the news or your favorite TV drama. With the internet, you can watch it later or in some cases (e.g. pre-aired in other countries), even in advance.
Looking for something specific (like new info) is also way easier with an internet connection. You do not even need to view a website in full. Thanks to information schemas, you can see what you need to see right on Google’s first page. Before, advertising agencies use TV shows and news to propagate information about certain companies, but how can they do it now when the TV is on the decline? Not to mention, it is also quite expensive to be on TV. Even a mere 30 second ad could cost millions, and the higher the viewership the higher the costs. (Learn more about TV advertising here.)
As the internet is already reaching its peak, many companies are taking advantage of the situation. Websites get designed and created within a matter of hours and domains can be bought easily through the net. You might think that making your website visually appealing and full of promotional content would ultimately make it successful. Sadly, this is not the case.
The Solution?
This is where Search Engine Optimization (SEO) comes in. This is the process of optimizing your website’s content so that search engines will take notice. If you have ever used search engines like Google, you may notice that if you type in a word there is always a list that appears in relation to that word – ten different websites, to be exact. The top three spots are usually your best bet since it betters your website’s chances of getting good traffic. Sounds easy? Think again. Many websites have similar (or even better content) but they are not even on the first page of a search. This is the battle of the websites for the top spot, and it is one bloody battle. Websites fight for relevancy and practicing SEO can help them make their way to the top.
How Does SEO Do It?
Using relevant keywords and supporting data, SEO professionals choreograph the position of information in a webpage. This is done in order for the website to be considered trustworthy by the search engine. There is a formula to this, but it’s not the same across agencies and it’s certainly a secret they’re reluctant to share.
Thankfully, there are also basic online guides that can help you learn how to optimize your webpage data, sometimes even provided by the search engine themselves. The key to search engine optimization is mastering the use of organic keywords, making the most out of them, and knowing the right placement for them. Factors such as Domain Authority (DA) and Page Authority (PA), website traffic, speed, and backlinks all play a major role as well. But hey, we’re not here to talk about them today. Let’s carefully discuss them one by one some other time.
Once the search engine “senses” that the content you have is relevant and useful, it will move your website up the ranks in the SERPs. This attracts more clients and potential advertising partners thus, increasing your chances of making a good profit. However, it may sound simple but in reality, there are a lot of things to follow. There are many websites that use underhanded techniques like using invisible words that can be read by SE crawlers but not by website viewers. This can lead to confusion of the user because the search results say that the information is relevant but in fact, it is NOT. These websites are usually desperate for clicks and often mislead people into product baits. This anomalous practice has led to many websites getting flagged down by search engine operators due to reports and complaints.
Search engine optimization is very useful especially since many people already have access to the internet. With just a few clicks, you can advertise your company, product, and even your own self. Just make sure that you are doing everything fair and square because anything less can lead to disastrous consequences. There is nothing wrong with following tested and proven methods of SEO. After all, the slow but steady always wins in the end. Learn more about the SEO services that we offer by visiting ChicagoSEO.Company today.