According to Ahrefs’ Blog General SEO there are two main questions one should be asking before deciding to invest the appropriate time and money into an optimization campaign. Question one asks if there are potential customers searching for what you sell and do. Certain business types like physical stores should say yes to this while other online business or ecommerce sites maybe shouldn’t. Specifically for local businesses, websites could be missing out on ranking for relevant keywords like “near me” and showing up for local queries. According to google 4 in 5 consumers use search engines to find local information and there is other data suggesting that searches for local business translate to instore appearances. For businesses that entirely online like an E-commerce, or online small business site, especially one selling a new or niche product, it may not be as important to optimize. Ahfers’ Blog suggests that one should use a keyword research tool to help answer this question. If there is little to no search volume for a keyword optimization is less important, but question two will help further substantiate the need to optimize. Question two asks if potential customers are searching for solutions to problems that your business helps solve. Use a keyword research tool to answer this question. If this is the case than SEO is worthwhile because you are creating value for the customer and tying the value to your product or service.
3 Responses
This post is very helpful in recognizing the actual decision processes that go into launching an SEO campaign. The costs and benefits associated with optimization are important to know prior to implementation. Likewise, the distinction you made between physical stores vs. ecommerce sites was a good comprehensive example of this type of situation.
The “near me” keyword is an excellent avenue to drive traffic and conversions. Just think of how many people search for “restaurants near me” or “pizza near me” and immediately look at restaurants’ websites to determine where they want to eat. At that point, it is so important to work on your content to increase conversions.
this is a great blog post! The information from Ahrefs’ Blog on General SEO is truly incredible. I completely agree with the two main questions that businesses should ask themselves before investing in an optimization campaign. As you mentioned, understanding the search behavior of potential customers is crucial in determining whether or not SEO is a worthwhile investment.