Depending on where you live, you're on about day 68 of a stay-at-home order from your state's government. You're just itching to get back to whatever the new normal holds, and even more eager to push your business out of "the great pause" and into the class of companies that are victorious over COVID. You want to not just survive but thrive. You want to tell your grandchildren how you and only a few others grew your business when others were closing down. You want to hire, not lay off. With a focus as intense as Ross when he screams, "PIVOT" you want to do just that- pivot your business into the new era where, shameless plug here, organic SEO services are more important than ever.
Though COVID-19 is unprecedented (in our lifetime), the things that will keep your business afloat are not. What your business needs to survive in this new era is what it needed three months ago, except now you need it even more. Your business requires robust, high-quality organic SEO services. It's the gift that keeps giving long after you pay the bills, unlike ads that stop working when you stop paying. Organic SEO services are the strong fortress-like-foundation your business needs, and we're going to tell why.
It was only six months ago that there were a few businesses that could get away without organic SEO services. Whether it's because the industry isn't competitive, or they're a well known local business that thrived on decades of in-person relationship building- not everyone needed to spend money on SEO services. Some companies could float with just a nice website, even if it was built back in 2004 and isn't mobile-friendly. Well, in a hot second, that all changed, and the companies with a good SEO campaign need to watch out. Here's why.
One thing we see a lot of is businesses that already had an SEO campaign going, and therefore their site was ranking well, pause their SEO services. The foundation is strong, and their website isn't going just to drop a million positions, but their incredibly eager competitors are seeing (and seizing) opportunities.
That's right. While you pause or even (gasp!) cancel your SEO services, the smaller, quiet, yet innovative underdogs are ramping up intense SEO campaigns at unbelievable prices. When our great American economy turns back on, and President Trump's prediction of the economy surging back up happens, your competitors and underdogs are going to be in a better position than you.
Never before have we given a second look at someone with a sniffly nose. Is it allergies? The common cold? Or is it COVID, and are we all going to be on ventilators in precisely 14 days? Although we know someday social-distancing recommendations will ease up, and we might even be able to hug friends again- we're in for the long haul.
Schools are talking about keeping kids 6-feet apart during recess, and businesses are mass-producing blocks and lines exactly 6-feet apart, so customers know where safety is. And, probably most important but less noticeable- people are just not going out as much and won't, even as we ease restrictions.
The comfort of social distancing is pushing more people online. It's crucial to make sure your business can be found and, once found, stands out among the rest. Having those robust organic SEO services will keep your business running and thriving.
While some businesses have canceled or paused their organic SEO services, the trend we're seeing is many, dare we say all, of those businesses, will start them back up. Great news, right? Well, no. Three months ago, not everyone had an SEO campaign. Soon, everybody will be doing it.
When everyone and their brother has some sort of organic SEO service, it means:
Much like we mentioned above, getting ahead will pay off, so if you're an underdog strike while the iron is hot. If you're the leader in your industry, they're coming for your spot.
One of the ways we explain SEO and your business's website is it's like digital real estate. Stay with us.
Your URL (www.businessname.com) and website are your digital storefront. It's the face of your business.
Google, and the SERPs (search engine results page), is digital real estate.
Page 1 of Google (and the map pack) is prime digital real estate. It's the Times Square.
And every industry, in every market (local or national), has a Times Square.
Where do you want your digital storefront to be? Times Square or the Moon?
Organic SEO services put your business in that prime digital real estate, and guess what? It's still the wild west and a relatively free market-it's time to claim your land while prices are low and stay there.
Now that we've done an excellent job explaining why organic SEO services are more critical than ever, let's go over what they are- and how to pick a good team.
To understand organic SEO services, you need to understand SEO. You can go here if you're not sure what Search Engine Optimization is. While SEO and organic SEO are pretty much the same things- we prefer the term because it implies that we're focused on consumers being able to find your business organically- meaning without having to pay for ads.
The downside of paying for ads is that once you stop paying, the ads stop working. Sure- there's a time and place for ads, but it never should be your long-term digital marketing strategy.
Organic SEO services are strategies that put your website in prime digital real estate to increase the number of website visitors to your website and also increase the quality of those visitors.
These strategies are a combination of:
Now, as you probably know, there are a million and one so-called SEO agencies out there. From well-known agencies with a solid reputation (and a price tag that shows it) to the dude in his grandma's basement- how do you pick the right one?
Honestly- we've found that the dude in his grandma's basement is more skilled than the agencies with huge buildings and ads running all the time, which feels backward. So don't' let where they do business sway you. And there are also a lot of different strategies that aren't inherently bad or the best- all that matters is they work and are ethical.
So how do you choose a company to offer you organic SEO services? Well, we're glad you asked. There's one topic/skill that, in our opinion, is not up for negotiation. And how an agency approaches this strategy says it all.
When you're shopping around for organic SEO services, ask the contenders, "what is your keyword strategy?"
If they say any of the following comments, it's a hard pass and time to keep looking:
If those are any of the responses you get, run far away. You're going to end up spending way too much money on backlinks, directories, and poorly written content. Although those things might help you jump to page one quickly, it's a weak foundation.
How ALYKY does keyword research, and how we approach SEO as a whole is what sets us apart from all the other SEO agencies out there. Every SEO guru we know (personally or not) preaches to their students to not get lost in keyword research and not to geek out over data and numbers. So, their students listen, and thus you have thousands of SEO professionals with very little skill or understanding of SEO.
But guess what? We don't listen to the masses.
We totally and completely geek out over the data and numbers.
Data drives us. If data doesn't support something, we don't do it- no matter how bad our client says we should.
Just a few of the metrics we look at when picking the keywords for your website & blogs are:
All those metrics and phases have to perfectly line up for us to even use the keyword. And there are many reasons for this. Let's go deep about search volume so you can see how we look at all the metrics.
A high search volume does not equate a perfect keyword.
Case in point: "how old is Trump?"
If you look at the data for that keyword, you'll see there are 1,100 searches for that a month. Which, on the surface, looks great. Now, look at the clicks.
Womp womp womp. Why are the clicks so low? Because when you search for that in Google, the answer just pops up. You don't NEED to click on anything. See below.
We want to avoid these types of keywords. It's very competitive, which means more expensive, and people don't even need to click on anything to get the answer.
Run, don't walk. Now, more than ever, organic SEO services are vital to the overall success of your business. If you want your business to thrive, or at the very least, not lose its prime digital real estate, you have to be leaps and bounds ahead of your competitors. And, moving forward, picking an SEO agency that stands out and takes keyword research seriously will prove to be one of the best investments you make for your business.
In the ever-evolving Search Engine Optimization (SEO) landscape, one term that frequently surfaces is 'SERP Volatility.' But what exactly does it mean, and why should businesses and SEO professionals care? This blog’ll dive deep into SERP Volatility, its impact on SEO strategies, and how firms like ALYKY can navigate these turbulent waters. What Does SERP […]
The digital era has brought about a radical shift in how businesses interact with their customers. Now, more than ever, a company's website plays a vital role in forming impressions and fostering relationships. At the heart of a successful website lies good User Experience (UX) design, an often overlooked, but profoundly impactful aspect of web […]
In the era of digital dominance, a robust online presence is no longer optional; it's a necessity. While social media profiles and online listings are a good start, they cannot replace the comprehensive experience a dedicated website offers. Here are compelling reasons why every business needs a website. Why Every Business Needs a Website Understanding […]
