Over the past few years, it’s no secret that Google has made dramatic changes to their algorithm in an attempt to provide the highest quality search results for their users. In turn, small businesses have become discouraged that getting ranked high in the search engines is an impossible feat. Not to mention, apart from these never-ending major updates that have caused businesses to fear Google more than ever, there are thousands of tiny changes that are happening all the time. With the overpowering rise of mobile domination in SEO and the threats of social media outlets like Facebook, Google is constantly covering their tracks to ensure they stay on top.
If you haven’t feared Google yet, or have sworn off adopting SEO marketing strategies, now’s the time to rethink your mindset! According to a media forecaster, Borrell Associates, SEO spending from small businesses will be just over $65 billion this year. However, that number is expected to grow to $80 billion come 2020.
So, why the SEO increase?
Whether you choose to believe it or not, the landscape of marketing for your business has forever changed. In the past, marketing was centered on an immediate response. If you produce enough content that consistently screams the same deal or include a “Hurry! Act Now!” offer to as many people as you can, you’re bound to have a few people convert, right? Maybe this was the case a decade ago, but today, businesses have hit a wall with their traditional efforts and are only force feeding potential customers information they aren’t interested in hearing.
Use yourself as an example; can you vouch that you’ve become numb to junk mail, commercials and other types of print advertising? Do you resort to watching shows on Netflix or On Demand to avoid the commercials you’ve programmed yourself not to pay attention to? Same goes for your customers! People no longer want to be told what they should or shouldn’t buy. They want to do this on their own terms and actively go out to look for it. And when that time comes to actively go looking, a majority of the time, their first stop is usually Google search. They might be searching things such as “Best pizza near me”, or “Car Dealers in my area” or even “How to knit a scarf.” The one thing these search terms all have in common is they are people with a question looking for an answer.
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