How much traffic do the major search engines, most importantly Google, send to your website? For which short-tail keywords, does your website rank in the top 3 results of Google? Well, the search industry is very much alive even today. It’s only the approach to search engine optimization (SEO) that has changed. If you’re keeping up with the latest trends, you’ll notice that SEO has expanded to include many other elements under its ambit. The modern-day SEO has moved ahead of mere money keywords, with multiple strategic changes which if embraced are sure to lead you to incremental wins. Key SEO trends to watch out for include – > Latest semantic indexing > Focus on knowledge graph integration and schema > Use of social media in regard to brand citations > Fragmentation of search across a range of platforms and channels > Optimization for user intent and mobile SEO Since traditional push marketing tactics are being fast substituted with multiple inbound marketing strategies, you can never afford to underestimate the significance of SEO. Here are seven key statistics that emphasize the need for SEO –
#1. Around 75% Online Users Focus on Organic Results
Online searches (whether via Google or Bing) serve users with both organic and paid results. But it’s interesting to note that a higher percentage of online users tend to ignore paid ads. According to a survey conducted by User Centric, as much as 70% – 80% users turn a blind eye to paid ads while checking out the organic search results for their queries.
It only reiterates the fact that SEO must be included in your overall digital campaigns so that you can gain an extra marketing edge over the competition and achieve business growth.
#2. 51% of External Traffic Comes from Search Engines
For content-based websites, the biggest source of online traffic is still SEO provided the content is appropriately optimized for the major search engines. The best thing about traffic generated via search engines is that it’s quality traffic with higher reader engagement. According to a study conducted by BrightEdge, 51% of external traffic to content sites comes from search engines.
If you too have a content-based website, it’s important to make sure that you pay adequate attention to optimizing every piece of content for better search rankings before it goes live.
#3. 91% Users Find Information via Search Engines
It’s hard to imagine our lives without the use of search engines. Whenever people want to find information about a particular topic or product, they head straight to search engines. According to a report by Pew Internet on the usage of search engines, a whopping 91% of users turn to search engines for information. They believe that information from search engines is trustworthy, unbiased and better.
Therefore, make sure your website is visible in search engines when people search for a product or service you offer.
#4. 75% Users Never Scroll Past the 1st Page of Search Results
With search engine results getting better and better, users rarely need to go beyond the first page of search results for the information they’re looking for. According to a report by HubSpot, 75% users won’t go past the first page of search results.
That’s exactly why ranking your website at the top of search engine results (most probably in the top 3) becomes extremely important.
#5. 100 Billion Google Searches are Conducted Every Month
Google still captures the biggest search share percentage. Users conduct around 100 billion searches on Google every month which means there are 3.3 billion Google searches per day.
If your website manages to appear in the top results on Google at least a couple of times every day, you can imagine the impact on your business growth and revenues.
#6. 44% Online Shoppers Begin by Using a Search Engine
Faster deliveries, easier return policies and free shopping have attracted a lot of people to online shopping. The number of online shoppers is growing at a tremendous rate. However, it’s interesting to note that 44% of all online shoppers begin by using search engines.
#7. SEO Leads Have a 14.6% Close Rate Compared to Outbound Leads That Have 1.7% Close Rate
Since the traffic that comes from search engines is of high quality, the leads generated are also more qualified. According to Search Engine Journal, an SEO lead has a close rate of 14.6% compared to an outbound lead like direct mail or print advertising which has a close rate of only 1.7%.
It means that a lead generated from search engines has 8.5 times higher chances of conversion than an outbound lead.
It’s about time you paid serious attention to the SEO of your website while embracing the latest trends and adhering to the industry best practices. If you haven’t hired an SEO consultant for your start-up or business yet, you should go ahead and take an expert on board. SEO, combined with social media and content marketing, can quickly give you the winning edge.
