Whats Is SEO and How Does It Affect My Business?

Every single day millions of people turn to Google for information. This may be for a wide range of reasons, including to answer a specific question, to learn about a topic, or even to find local businesses that sell products or offer services these individuals are interested in. On average, there is somewhere around 3.5 billion Google searches made on a day to day basis. 

So, how do business owners direct traffic from those 3.5 billion searches to their own business? Surely, out of the billion searches conducted every day more than a handful of these individuals are from your local area and looking for the services your company provides.

This is what makes SEO such a powerful tool for business owners looking to increase their audience and expand their reach online. 

So, what is SEO?

SEO is a term that is gaining popularity as more businesses begin to see the benefits of digital marketing. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. It’s a digital marketing practice that has grown rapidly in the last decade. To simplify, SEO is the practice of utilizing search engines like Google to market your business and get your brand attention. By identifying specific terms and keywords that are relevant to the services you offer, in the service areas you serve, you are able to gain exposure to online users who have an organic interest in your products and services.  

Many people believe that paid advertising on platforms like Google is the only method to effectively get to the top of search results, however, this is not the case at all. In fact, more users will select to visit a website from the organic search results than from paid advertisements at the top of results. The only way to get to the top of organic search results, and increase the traffic on your site organically is to utilize SEO principles. Strong SEO rarely happens by accident. This is because the standard for SEO is forever evolving and requires constant attention in order to raise your position and also in order to maintain it.  

At Houston Small Business Marketing, our digital media experts offer comprehensive online marketing in order to provide you with the best results for your business. While effective SEO is a powerhouse tool that can be the difference between a business rising to the top or closing shop, it is only one aspect of a strong and resilient digital marketing strategy. In order to get the most out of your online presence, you will want to utilize multiple different digital marketing techniques to have a strong and fully developed online presence. Listed below are some of the main areas of focus your business should invest resources into, in order to outrank your competitors and engage with your audience:

Dynamic Social Media Presence: A dynamic social media presence not only helps to enhance the SEO value of your brand, it also helps to engage with your current customers and open the door to engaging with potential customers. When online users find a brand with a dynamic social media presence that takes the time to respond to their comments, communicate changes with the brand, and share information about products and services they provide, they are more likely to trust the brand. Trusting a brand goes a long way to dividing to work with a brand. Make sure you are taking advantage of all social media opportunities by presenting an impressive brand focused on communicating and sharing with your audience.

Email Marketing: Email marketing is an effective way for many businesses to communicate with a large audience at one time. Sharing a singular message to a massive group can help to ensure you are spreading brand awareness, updating your clientele, and softly reminding individuals you exist. Email marketing can also be extremely effective when it comes to selling products or advertising services your business provides. If you want to share information about a new service or a sale you are running, email marketing can help you to do this. The team at Houston Small Business Marketing can help you find innovative ways to increase the amount of email contacts you have, as well as develop successful email marketing campaigns, to get information out that is important to you. 

Google Business Listing Optimization: Does your business show up on Google-Maps? If so, are you showing up in the top three results on the Google 3-Pack? If not, you are missing out on a great opportunity to increase the traffic to your website, which directly translates to direct sales for your company. In order to optimize your Google Business Listing, you will need to do a lot more than just claim your company online, however, that is the first step. Our team can help to keep your Google listing relevant, by updating it regularly with fresh content and new photos. Doing this will help Google to recognize your business as legitimate and current, making them more inclined to recommend your business to those who are searching for the services you offer locally. This can be a huge game-changer for small businesses who are trying to succeed in saturated markets where the competition is steep. 

SEO marketing is more effective than other forms of marketing for 2 huge reasons:

1. SEO Marketing is cost-effective
2. SEO targets individual who already are looking for the services your business provides

If you buy ads on social media platforms or on Google, you may yield results, but you are not guaranteed to connect with someone who is online with an interest to purchase a product or hire a business for a service. Even when you utilize social media alone, you are running the risk of making a post that people see as they are passively scrolling through hundreds of other photos of friends. Your post may catch their attention, but it might not.

However, whenever an online user is specifically looking for a service or product online, and then are linked to your website, this is the product of successful SEO marketing. This is known as the SEO effect. The point of SEO is for businesses to connect to individuals looking to purchase products or hire a company for a service, by providing a solution for businesses with minimum effort from the user. At Houston Small Business Marketing, our goal is to put your business at the top of Google Search Results for all relevant keywords and common searches that pertain to your business and service area. 

How Many People Use Social Media?

The most popular social networks are usually available in multiple languages and enable users to connect with friends or people across geographical, political, or economic borders. Social networking sites are now estimated to have 3.6 billion users and these figures are still expected to grow as mobile device usage and mobile social networks increasingly gain traction in previously underserved markets.

According to Data Reportal’s website:

“More than half of all the people on Earth now use social media. 

Our latest data show that 4.14 billion people across the planet are using social media in October 2020, equating to 53 percent of the total global population.

Social media user numbers have surged in the past 12 months, with Kepios analysis showing that more than 450 million people started using social media for the first time since October 2019.

That equates to annualised growth of more than 12 percent, or an average 14 new users every second.

However, recent figures suggest that social media growth may even be accelerating.

More than 180 million people started using social media between July and September 2020, equating to an average of almost 2 million new users every day.

It’s also worth noting that the 53 percent penetration figure under-reports the real extent of social media use, because most social media companies restrict use of their platforms to people aged 13 and above.

If we compare the number of social media users to eligible population figures, the latest data indicate that more than two-thirds (68 percent) of those people who can use social media already do.

The typical user has an account on more than 8 different social media platforms, and spends an average of close to 2½ hours using social media each day. 

Assuming that people sleep for between 7 and 8 hours per day, these latest figures suggest that people spend roughly 15 percent of their waking lives using social media.

Added together, the world spends more than 10 billion hours using social platforms each day, which is the equivalent of more than 1 million years of human existence.”

How Does SEO Impact My Business?

The problem with passive SEO marketing is that if you are not actively working to enhance your brand’s SEO value, you are handing over potential customers to your competitors. Every day there are opportunities to connect with and engage potential customers who have organic interests in the products and services you provide. Ranking high on search engines gives you the opportunity to connect with a larger audience than ever before. You could be generating thousands of additional visitors to your website each month. If your site is good at converting traffic into leads, you could have hundreds more leads each month. That’s how SEO impacts your business. The SEO effect is huge.

At Houston Small Business Marketing, our team of digital marketing experts understand that for most business owners, running their company is already a full-time job! Keeping up with the forever evolving online marketing trends and finding new ways to incorporate them effectively for your own website and online resources can be too time-consuming. Unfortunately, for many small businesses in Houston, the industry they work in is highly competitive. By failing to stay on top of online marketing trends, you run the risk of losing business to your competitors who are actively working to market their company online. Do not let a business with an inferior product or service outrank you online. Instead, contact Houston Small Business Marketing today! Our team will work with you every step of the way to ensure your business is standing out online and reaching new customers. We pride ourselves on your success and make customized marketing strategies that fit your specific business needs. 

Don’t settle for less than the best! Take steps to make your quality services and products visible so that they are seen online by individuals interested in your services. When you work with the SEO professionals at HOUSBM we help you to dominate search results to become industry leaders. Our team understands how important connecting to your current customers and new customers are, this is why we put a strong focus on developing user-friendly websites, with plenty of informative content to help increase your chances of converting online users into actual customers. If you would like to improve your company’s website and expand your reach online, contact us today. Our team of Houston SEO professionals can help to answer any questions you may have and explain in depth the services we provide to small and medium-sized businesses, designed to help your company reach new levels of success.  

SEO Marketing Experts in Houston

Stop missing out on potential customers and become a force within your industry! From excellent web design and social media management to Google Business Listing optimization and a weekly-updated blog, the team at Houston Small Business Marketing is here to help you get to the next level. Grow your business when you expand your reach online. If you are tired of giving away potential customers to your competitors, contact us today! We dedicate ourselves to working closely with business owners to come up with a marketing plan that helps them succeed. We provide each customer with a free consultation for your website and social media to let you know how you can improve your placement online and grow your engagement with local potential customers looking for your services. Contact us today to learn more about the services we offer. 

Houston Small Business Marketing 
713-492-0025
1415 North Loop West #950 
Houston, TX 77008 
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When small and medium-sized businesses embark on their journey to establish an online presence, they often place a high priority on finding cost-effective ways to attract customers through internet marketing. This involves a mix of various online strategies, such as local search engine optimization (SEO), Google Maps marketing, pay-per-click (PPC) management, reputation management, content marketing, social media marketing, and web design. However, the implementation of these strategies can be both expensive and time-consuming. Small and medium-sized businesses frequently grapple with common challenges, including cash flow problems, the need for significant capital expenditures, and a lack of in-depth knowledge in the field of internet marketing. These challenges are part of their daily operations. For these businesses, finding a viable and affordable alternative for internet marketing in the specific locale of Houston can be quite challenging. This is where Houston Small Business Marketing steps in. As a company specializing in internet marketing services tailored for small and medium-sized businesses in the Houston area, we offer solutions to help mitigate the costs associated with online marketing. Our primary focus is on assisting smaller businesses in Houston, and we excel at collaborating closely with them to develop customized internet marketing strategies. By partnering with us, you can benefit from reduced costs for your Houston-based internet marketing efforts. If you are seeking personalized strategies to enhance your online presence and attract more customers in the Houston area, do not hesitate to get in touch with our office. We are here to help you achieve your internet marketing goals affordably and effectively.

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Whether you aim to increase website traffic, enable clients to book appointments through an online portal, improve local search result rankings, or enhance your social media presence, we have the solutions you need. At Houston Small Business Marketing, we understand that a robust marketing plan begins with a well-designed and mobile-responsive website that attracts customers. The design of your website also significantly influences SEO and overall online ranking. We can assess your website to identify factors that may hinder higher online rankings. A poorly designed website can discourage potential customers and hinder your online visibility. When you collaborate with our meticulous web developers, you can be sure your website makes a strong first impression online. For businesses in competitive industries, focusing on online visibility can provide solutions for success. Developing a successful and enduring brand requires various elements, but without visibility, building a customer base becomes a challenge. Online marketing enhances your businesses visibility, connecting you with real-world customers who genuinely need the services your brand offers. Online marketing allows you to target a specific audience with the intent of engaging with a business in your industry. At Houston Small Business Marketing, we work with your brand to showcase your services and highlight what makes your company unique compared to competitors. A broad spectrum of businesses can benefit from our services, whether you are a service-based company, a top attorney at a legal firm, or a medical group looking to attract more patients. Our online marketing services are designed to help your business achieve its goals. If you are eager to expand your business, our team can create a customized digital strategy that aligns with your specific requirements. Whether you want to dominate local areas on Google Maps, generate more appointments through your website, or gain an edge over your online competitors, we have the expertise to assist you. Houston Small Business Marketing employs digital marketing specialists with hands-on experience in online marketing, including those who have launched their own businesses. This means we can develop a Houston internet marketing plan tailored to your specific industry and needs.

In the realm of local SEO, businesses can pursue a variety of objectives that significantly shape their strategic approach. Among the primary aims for many businesses is the quest to enhance their visibility, a feat often achieved by optimizing their Google Map Listing. The importance of achieving high visibility on Google Map Listings in local search and business directories cannot be overstated, as it translates to more direct customer contact and increased foot traffic, complementing the benefits of website visits. Our dedicated team collaborates closely with your company to facilitate your inclusion in the coveted Google local pack or 3-pack. This refers to the first three business listings that prominently feature within the Google Map section when users search for businesses in their vicinity. Local businesses, upon securing a spot in this select group, experience a surge in website traffic, heightened phone inquiries, and a substantial increase in the conversion rate, effectively turning online users into real-world customers. To paint a comprehensive picture, it is crucial to acknowledge that individuals employ various search engines when scouting for local businesses. Platforms like Google, Bing, Yelp, and Apple Maps come into play. To assemble the data required for local search results, search engines rely on a diverse range of signals. These include local blog content, social profile pages, internal links, and accurate and up-to-date citations. By incorporating these elements, search engines can provide users with the most pertinent and relevant local search results. If you are eager to delve deeper into the intricacies of Houston Local SEO, we invite you to reach out to our team today. We are here to demystify the world of local search optimization and help your business thrive in the digital landscape.