5 Key Signs Your Business Needs An SEO Specialist

Do I really need Search Engine Optimisation (or even an SEO specialist) for my business to grow online?

The short answer is no.

You don’t need SEO to be a functional business online. In fact there are a number of ways you can grow online without using an SEO specialist or an SEO campaign (think: PPC, Social and Content Marketing).

Wait! Before you click off this blog, away from this site and forget SEO forever..

The problem is not Search Engine Optimisation, it’s the question. A better question would be: “Is SEO an ultra effective way to grow my business (and generate leads and profit) online?” or “Is SEO crucial to helping me and my business succeed online?”

The answers to these is: Yes.

.

So, how do I know if my business needs SEO?

Well, while every single business that wants to grow online can benefit from adding SEO into the marketing mix, there a few key signs that we use at Summit Web to assess if SEO is crucial to your online development strategy.

And here the top 6 are:

1. You have to chase every single one of your clients.

Working tirelessly to gain each and every client and sale is a very common sign that there is a major problem with your SEO (and in fact your marketing in general). Apart from the stress of wondering where the next meal is coming from, the worst part of a constant client chasing is you end up spending your time and energy searching, rather than developing strategies to really boost your business.

And that’s why you need SEO.

By helping your business climb Google rankings, a well run Perth SEO campaign ensures that your business is being put in front of potential customers. The higher you climb, the more new customers you’ll attract – without so much as a phone call.

Basically, a high ranking on Google is like having the ultimate referral service working for you, 24/7.

People trust Google, in fact 78% of people use a search engine to research before they purchase or call online.

This means phone calls, click throughs and sign ups – all while you free up your time and energy to concentrate on the big picture.

2. You’re competition is growing, but you’re not…

Have you been watching your competitors grow without you?

While it’s hard to admit and a bitter pill to swallow; don’t worry, it’s not all bad news. In fact quite the contrary: it means that there is definitely a market for your product service.

The bad news is that you’re not part of it.

And that’s almost certainly something to do with how you rank on search engines. As I mentioned above 78% of people use search engines to make purchases. What’s even more interesting is that 90% of people use search engines for business research before buying – meaning that pretty much all of your customers are using the internet to find buying options.

And that’s why you could be left behind.

Without SEO your customers can’t find you online. And if you’re not online you’re actually competing for just 10% of all your total market potential.

OUR TIP: Check out the businesses that are growing: Are they easily found through a Google search?

3. Your Website Has NO Traffic (at all)..

Does your business have a website? If not, it’s best that you stop reading this article and talk to a dedicated and SEO knowledgeable Perth Web Design Agency.

But for those businesses owners that do:

When was the last time you checked your sites traffic numbers?

If the answer is “quite a while ago” or “ummm, not sure” or even “I don’t know how to do that” then it’s very important that you a) learn and b) start tracking this metric it today.

You see traffic is imperative to a successful website. Obviously. The entire point of a business website is for customers to visit and take action.

If either of these points are not working, you’ve got a problem.

A site struggling to gain traffic is a sure symptom of poor performance on search engines. As 70% of all Google users click on the results shown only on the first page, low traffic numbers are a result of not ranking. And so, SEO is definitely needed.

But I checked and my traffic is high!

This could be true and you could still be doing poorly in the rankings. And that’s because it depends what kind of traffic your measuring…

3. You have to pay for all your traffic

When I was talking about website traffic above, what I was actually referencing was ‘Organic Traffic’ – i.e. the number of visitors that you are not paying for.

And that’s where a lot of business can fall into a trap.

You’re business could be doing extremely well online but you could still be in desperate need of an SEO specialist.

What!? If I’m doing well, why do I need SEO?

Because the chances are that you’re paying for your success – usually through Pay Per Click Advertising (like Google AdWords or Facebook Ads).

And don’t get me wrong, these are both invaluable digital marketing tools BUT they have one fatal flaw: They only last as long as you can pay.

And that’s why SEO is such an important (and often ignored) part of any successful online growth strategy. By getting your business to rank higher organically it’s far more likely that you will stay on the first page for longer.

Doubling down on the bonuses: 70 – 80% of searchers ignore Ads on a results page completely and head straight to organic results – which means you’re way more like to get clicks from potential customers when you’re found organically (hello SEO)

5. You’ve tried Social Media but it doesn’t seem to be getting any return?

Okay the last giveaway that you need SEO is that your social media marketing is not resulting in the returns that you were either hoping for or promised.

While social remains a key factor in brand awareness, community building and content marketing (which I outlined in this guide to sharing your content for maximum results), for a lot of businesses it simply can’t deliver the tangible returns that they need.

But If you’re social media marketing isn’t delivering don’t worry!

It’s not a complete waste of time – and good social can still garner massive returns. However, what watery result may reveal is that your time and money would be better spent investing in a more direct way of generating leads and sales.

And again, that’s where SEO comes into play. It’s whole purpose is to get your business in front of people actively searching for your good or service.

Do any of these signs apply to your business?

If you’ve read this quick list and think your business could benefit from a little SEO love give the SEO specialists at Summit Web a call today. We’re a Perth business, just like you, and we love helping business reach their full potential online. So whether it’s a query about SEO or just a chat about how we can increase your leads and sales, the door’s always open.

Of course if you’ve seen any other signs feel free to comment below. As always, if you think this post could help anyone you know, share it!