As a marketing professional specializing in technology, I am frequently asked, “What is SEO?” Several A/E/C professionals know that SEO is important in their website and professional services content marketing strategy but don’t understand how it relates to their Return On Marketing Investment (ROMI). This article aims to define Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and discuss how SEO can meet A/E/C business goals.
WHAT IS SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEO)?
Search engine optimization (SEO) increases the odds of your website ranking higher in search engine list results. Higher-ranked sites that frequently appear in search engine list results receive more visitors. Optimizing a website involves refining content to increase its ability to be found through high-frequency keyword searches.
Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is a term used to describe marketing strategies for promoting and driving traffic to a site. Strategies include backlinks, inbound links, and paid searches. Paid searches appear in search engine lists but in a priority location on the page.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO BE “FOUND” BY SEARCH ENGINES?
Every second of the day, people search for information. Estimates for Google, Yahoo, and Bing show the volume of searches by second:
Google: 34,000 searches per second
Yahoo: 3,200 searches per second
Bing: 927 searches per second
If your website is not indexed on these search engines, you are not taking advantage of the tremendous opportunity to be a resource for people looking for your specific services. Prospective clients and project stakeholders will not visit your website, discover your project portfolio, review your services, or initiate a conversation. Simply put, they will not know you exist. What is the point of having a website if you are still looking for it?
HOW CAN SEO MEET A/E/C BUSINESS GOALS?
Users conduct searches to find resources. When developing your specific SEO professional services marketing strategy, developing a plan for the entire website and each specific webpage is a good practice. Incorporating your business development goals and objectives for the homepage, service offering pages, project portfolio pages, and blog are essential. Once you have crafted the SEO strategy in your immediate control, it is time to incorporate inbound links to increase your rank and frequency of being found in a search result.
Download a checklist to Strike Up the Conversation to discover key content components for your SEO strategy and plan!
