What Are SEO Services? Does Search Engine Optimization Even Matter?

But what SEO services does your company really need to succeed in a competitive online marketplace? Search engine optimization algorithms and protocols are constantly changing, which means staying on top of the latest best practices for success. Relevant, search engine optimized content backed by solid keyword research and tracked through analytics is the timeless approach for success. Find out more about what SEO services should look like to benefit your business today…and in the future.

Beyond the Days of DIY SEO

Companies once used one or two key personnel members to handle SEO. Often these employees were responsible for other administrative and managerial tasks. As the Internet grew by leaps and bounds, SEO protocols became more complex. Then the marketing and tech departments took over SEO, with designated specialists to take care of a variety of rank-boosting tasks. Now marketing departments look to outside SEO services for cutting-edge insights and approaches that get measurable results.

Dedicated SEO services take care of every aspect of optimizing your website and content. Supportive SEO services help a company’s marketing and tech department integrate meaningful suggestions into their current routines and establish new strategies as needed, based on existing data. Either way, trained professionals help companies navigate the unpredictable waters of search engine optimization.

The Black and White of SEO

SEO is the process of boosting a web page’s search engine rankings to get more people to view the content. SEO services can be black hat or white hat. Black hat services use shady tactics to get a web page to the top of the search engines, which can ultimately cause damage to the company’s online presence in the long-term. White hat SEO is thoughtful, well-researched methodologies based on data and future success. Because it requires ongoing research and hard work, white hat SEO services are valid and the type of professionals businesses want to hire. Rather than attempting to manipulate search results, these services review content creation, branding, website functionality, and online promotional strategies to draw targeted visitors to the site.

White hat SEO services focus on dozens of factors that go into page ranking, including a website’s security, speed, schema markup, content quality and length, optimization of web pages, and the backlinks and social signals pointing back to the site. A website analysis is performed to determine the strengths to enhance, the weaknesses to fix, and the missed opportunities to incorporate into future SEO plans. Particular business concerns are addressed, such as the secure checkout process for an online merchant. Analytics is setup to track the results of SEO campaigns and determine which ones are winners based on conversion rates. The site is correctly indexed with a sitemap established for optimum performance.

Eye on Content

Quality SEO services go beyond optimization strategies and into serious analysis of the quality of a site’s content. Visitors expect to find specific information when they search for a topic. The best material answers People Also Ask questions from Google, include relevant keywords, and resonates with readers enough to encourage them to take action. Weak content can be refreshed to improve its performance. Content analysis focuses on poorly ranking content and keywords, getting rid of missing pages, duplicate content issues, and verifying the consistency and accuracy of the name, address, and phone number (NAP) of the business to improve local SEO.

Content is what attracts visitors and transforms them into profitable leads for a business. Refreshing the material provides an opportunity to include relevant long-tail and short-tail keywords in the content, title tags, and metadata. The content can also be updated to include new facts and statistics, making it more useful to readers seeking this specific data. Strong content can get more exposure by being targeted by Google for featured snippets, and answers to People Also Ask questions. Coupled with smart keyword analysis, refined website content is the most influential marketing tool businesses have today.

Branding Efforts

The smartest SEO campaigns go beyond website design and content creation. SEO services work with companies to create a recognizable brand image that appeals to their target audience. SEO professionals review what is going on at external sites such as online directories and review sites. Strategies are initiated to improve relationships, if necessary, and eliminate or minimize the impact of any negative statements.

Plus, the company develops a voice in its content and postings, so readers instantly recognize who is sharing information. A unified approach on all platforms helps establish authority for businesses and gives them a professional appearance. Effective branding can help a company soar past its competitors, based on the perception the target audience has of its online presence. Good branding can help boost organic traffic to the site and increase site rankings over time. Consider organic traffic drives 51 percent of visitors to a website while social media attracts just 5 percent.

One Size Will Never Fit All

Many SEO services take a one-size-fits-all approach to optimization. While this can yield moderate results, a customized plan is what makes sites crawl to the top of the results and stay there. Each company has a unique focus that requires personalized strategies. Emerchants require different updates than informational resources. A qualified SEO professional understands these nuances and considers them when developing a marketing plan.

Types of specialized SEO include enterprise, Amazon, local, and multi-location. Understanding the differences makes an SEO company stand out from the crowd.

• Enterprise SEO takes an adaptive and nuanced approach to optimization, integrating consumer intent, and the buyer journey from initial discovery to the ultimate moment of conversion. These SEO strategies can be used for businesses ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies.
• Amazon SEO is crucial for companies optimizing content for Amazon search to develop compelling geared for the platform, and per Amazon’s continually evolving algorithm, A9.
• Local SEO is ideal for companies looking to expand within a specific neighborhood, region, or area. Often this goes hand-in-hand with mobile-friendly SEO to ensure people searching on-the-go on mobile devices can find the company on the spot. Effective local SEO campaigns improve search rankings for measurable results.
• Multi-location SEO focuses on companies such as hotels, with locations around the globe, or real estate agencies, with agents around the company. Intelligent SEO helps all the sites appear on search engine results and within localized searches.

SEO Tactics That Work

SEO companies promising fast results often use tactics that only work temporarily – and, ultimately, do more harm than good. SEO tactics that work can stand up to the ever-changing Google algorithm and the test of time. There is no replacement for hard work, detailed research, and ongoing attention to SEO updates. With that in mind, SEO services should include several tried-and-tried methods for success.

• Keyword research must be a comprehensive process, based on art and science, as well as current and historical contextual data. Words, terms, and phrases are incorporated into the content and site back-end to drive targeted traffic with the highest probability of converting.
• SEO copywriting must be scalable and include effective keywords naturally infused into original content that reaches out to readers and encourages them to take action, driving organic revenue.
• Content hubs pair qualify SEO content with authoritative linking and strategic support structure to improve search visibility, increase organic traffic, and brand a company as recognizable within the target market.
• Link building is a white-hat process that secures a link to a business’ site at another quality website to boost organic traffic and search engine rankings as well as further brand the company.
• Technical SEO focuses on ensuring a company’s website functions optimally via a detailed audit based on current based practices with a goal to best position the site to attract quality traffic and increase revenue.

Additionally, competent SEO services may also offer WordPress website design and development. WordPress is the leading platform used by companies around the world. A stellar design team understands the back-end and how to use design to showcase SEO efforts properly.

On-Page Focus

Once the initial analysis is performed, and strategies are initiated, SEO services review each page of the site to determine its overall performance and how it can be improved. Various tactics are used to make existing content perform better and develop complementary content to enhance search engine results and reader satisfaction.

• Duplicate content is identified and rewritten or removed, based on relevancy and past performance
• Continued keyword research yield words and phrases that are peppered into existing content to help it rank better
• Attractive landing pages are created or revamped to drive more traffic
• Content with images, videos, and charts performs better with search engines and visitors than articles without these features. Adding relevant imagery can boost content performance significantly.

Getting Off the Page

Optimization continues beyond the business website into the other sites that mention the company. A dedicated SEO service finds opportunities to create links back to the company website from respected online resources. Blogs at other sites that mention the company with a link back to its site help drive new organic traffic. Listings at top directories and review sites with a consistent NAP drive local traffic. Going off-page is a crucial way to get fresh eyes on existing web content and improve conversion rates in the future.

Who Needs SEO Services?

Professional SEO companies work with small businesses, Fortune 500 companies, and other marketing agencies facing challenges helping clients achieve their goals. In-house SEO services work with companies to continually revamp their campaigns for the best results. White label SEO delivers holistic marketing solutions to marketing firms and agencies, so they can assist their clients in achieving and surpassing their expectations.

Every type of organization benefits from the assistance of an SEO expert, including industries such as travel, hotels, and real estate, which often have multiple locations and a sophisticated SEO approach. Attention to detail ensures each location, agent, and entity gets increased organic traffic to drive results. Companies hire SEO professionals for branding, expanded online presence, increased traffic, and improved conversion rates. Analytics reveals the results to ensure a meaningful ROI for SEO services.

Qualities to Look For In an SEO Agency

SEO agencies are as different as each business itself. Finding the right one means understanding the relevance of intelligent optimization methods based on art, science, and analytical research. Agencies promising fast results are often making lofty promises they are unable to fulfill. If they can achieve these results, black hat strategies could bring the site down soon. An SEO service should be honest, communicative, and ready to answer questions about the process.

Ongoing reporting, conference calls, and communication should be established for companies to work hand-in-hand with SEO professionals. The more clients understand about optimization, the better the results will be over time. A slow, steady pace ultimately wins the race and helps keep the company on top of the search results. Choose a company that thoughtfully considers every aspect of SEO and offers transparency about the progress of marketing campaigns.

Is your company ready to take its online presence to the next level, but you’re unsure what it takes to get there? Contact the professional team at Galileo Tech Media to discuss your goals. Our SEO experts come from every industry and background, offering critical insights into important factors such as online presence, web design, content creation, branding, and reputation.

Our intelligent SEO methods have helped respected industry leaders refine their optimization methods to get a more significant share of the target market. Are you ready to soar past the competition and establish your brand as a leader? Talk to us today to find out how!