SEO is the most viable and cost-effective way to both understand and reach customers in key moments that matter.

Many brands and businesses know (or think they know) that they need SEO for their digital properties, and the benefits they will get from the SEO work being implemented on their behalf.

SEO will certainly improve a website’s overall search ability and visibility, but what other real value does it offer?

1.  Organic Search is Most Often the Primary Source of Website Traffic

Organic search is a massive part of most businesses’ website performance and a critical component of the buyer funnel and ultimately getting users to complete a conversion or engagement.

As marketers know, Google owns a significantly larger portion of the search market than competitors like Yahoo, Bing, Baidu, Yandex, DuckDuckGo, and many, many others.

That’s not to say that all search engines don’t contribute to a brand’s visibility – they do. It’s just that Google owns a considerable portion of the overall search market.

Nevertheless, it’s a clear-cut leader, and thus its guidelines are important to follow.

But the remaining part of the market owned by other engines is valuable to brands, too. This is especially true for brands in niche verticals where voice, visual and vertical search engines play an essential role.

Google, being the most visited website in the world (and specifically in the United States), also happens to be the most popular email provider globally with more than 1 billion users.

YouTube is the second biggest search engine and over 2 billion people access it at least once a month.

We know that a clear majority of the world with access to the internet is visiting Google at least once a day to get information.

Being highly visible as a trusted resource by Google and other search engines will always work in a brand’s favor. Quality SEO and a high-quality website take brands there.

2.  SEO Builds Trust & Credibility

The goal of any experienced SEO is to establish a strong foundation for a beautiful website with a clean, effective user experience that is easily discoverable in search, thanks to the trust and credibility of the brand and its digital properties.

Many elements go into establishing authority regarding search engines like Google.

In addition to the factors mentioned above, authority is accrued over time as a result of aspects like:

• Natural links.
• Positive user behavior.
• Machine-learning signals.
• Optimized on-page elements and content.

But establishing that authority will do more for a brand than most, if not all, other digital optimizations.

The problem is, it’s impossible to build trust and credibility overnight – just like in real life. Authority is earned and built over time.

Following Google’s E-A-T guidelines is critical to ensure successful results.

Establishing a brand as an authority takes patience, effort, and commitment and relies on offering a valuable, quality product or service that allows customers to trust a brand.

3.  SEO is the Best Way to Understand the Voice of the Consumer

From understanding macro market shifts to understanding consumer intent in granular detail, SEO tells us what customers want and need.

SEO data and formats – spoken or word – gives us clear signals of intent and user behavior.

It does this in many ways:

• Search query data.
• SERP analysis.
• Analytics data and AI insights.

4.  Good SEO Also Means a Better User Experience

User experience has become every marketer’s number one priority. Everyone wants better organic rankings and maximum visibility. However, few realize that optimal user experience is a big part of getting there.

Google has learned how to interpret a good or unfavorable user experience, and a positive user experience has become a pivotal element to a website’s success.

Google’s Page Experience Update is something that marketers in all industries will need to adhere to and is part of their longstanding focus on the customer experience.

A clear example of building a solid user experience is how Google has become more and more of an answer engine offering the sought-after data directly on the SERPs (search engine results pages).

The intention is to offer users the information they are looking for in fewer clicks, quickly and easily.

Quality SEO incorporates a positive user experience, leveraging it to work in a brand’s favor.

5.  Local SEO Means Increased Engagement, Traffic & Conversions

With the rise and growing domination of mobile traffic, local search has become a fundamental part of small- and medium-sized businesses’ success.

Local SEO aims at optimizing your digital properties for a specific vicinity, so people can find you quickly and easily, putting them one step closer to a transaction.

Local optimizations focus on specific neighborhoods, towns, cities, regions, and even states to establish a viable medium for a brand’s messaging on a local level.

SEO pros do this by optimizing the brand’s website and its content, including local citations and backlinks, as well as regional listings relevant to the location and business sector a brand belongs to.

To promote engagement locally, SEO pros should optimize a brand’s Knowledge Graph panel, its Google My Business listing, and its social media profiles as a start.

There should also be a strong emphasis on user reviews on Google, as well as other reviews sites like Yelp, Home Advisor, and Angie’s List (among others), depending on the industry.