Detailed infographic explaining how SEO works to enhance website visibility, produced by Salterra SEO Company. Click for a free SEO consultation.

SEO Best Practices for Sustained Business Growth

It’s 2024, and it’s a jungle out there, folks. So please put on your safari attire and strap on the elephant rifle because it’s about to get real….

That is, it’s competitive. Your competition is relentless, consumers are more picky, and the costs of marketing your business are going through the roof.

So, where does search engine optimization fall into this battle scene? Is there even a place to optimize your blog in 2024? To that, we answer a wholehearted YES. Indeed, we’re a bit biased when it comes to SEO, but the numbers don’t lie:

  • 80%+ of consumers still run to Google as the first step in researching a new purchase
  • Online reputation and reviews drive trust factors and conversions
  • Ads are delivering diminishing returns as consumers are becoming “ad-blind” and are unwilling to be “sold” to
  • 70-80%+ of web users AVOID paid ads altogether, clicking ONLY on organic listings
  • Over 55% of purchase transactions can be traced back to sites found through search engines

So, with those numbers in mind, optimizing your site should be priority # 1 in 2024… If it is not or hasn’t been up until now, you’re already falling behind in the pack.

With PPC costs rising out of control and display ads losing effectiveness, SEO can yield a respectable ROI and is still an excellent long-term play dollar for dollar.

While every dollar invested in paid ads yields a 1:1 ratio of “impressions” or views, optimizing your site can generate exponentially more clicks, views, and engagements over time (sometimes for years to come).

Additionally, because SEO’s primary focus is generating high-quality content, others often share your links and brand name organically (and sometimes virally) as people find your content useful or relevant to them and their social or work circles.

One press release submitted for SEO (i.e., backlinks) can go viral across news syndication to 100s of thousands of sites, reaching an audience of millions overnight. This is especially true if your syndication gets picked up by Google News.

Thus, your $125 press release may have yielded an ROI reaching the 1000s% range in the above example.

Can SEO be Effectively Executed on any Budget?

With paid media and ads, your dollar only goes so far. If you have a fixed budget of $500/mo, that $500 comes and goes with the clicks and impressions, never to be seen again.

With search engine optimization, you can allot as little as ZERO dollars (or rather some sweat equity) or as much as your budget will allow.

No matter your organization’s scenario, you can find creative ways to execute an ENTIRE SEO optimization strategy on a shoestring budget while yielding solid results.

The following are a few “low to no cost” suggestions:

  • Offer to conduct and publish interviews of sellers of synergistic products and services on your blog. For example, if you run a fitness blog, you could contact personal trainers or supplement sellers and offer a written or audio interview to be published on your or other sites.
  • Reach out to bloggers and offer a guest post swap. In this swap, they write an article for your blog, and you write one to be posted on theirs.
  • Utilize some “free” press release syndication services online. Sure, you won’t get into Forbes or the Washington Post, but you’ll get good distribution regardless, and hey, it’s free.
  • Reach out to social influencers or admins/moderators of social pages in your niche and ask if you can provide their readers with free content, a coupon, etc., in exchange for a backlink.
  • Reach out to others in your niche but not directly competitive to you who have email lists and ask if they would be willing to email their audience on your behalf (i.e., offer something of value).
  • Optimize your on-page SEO. This is free if you know how to do it yourself, or you can hire an SEO agency to help you with the process. Building backlinks without optimizing your site is like putting a turbo-charger on a Toyota Prius. It might sound fantastic, but it is not going anywhere fast.
  • Hire an SEO firm to help you develop and execute a proper link-building strategy. Just make sure you vet them well, as there are, unfortunately, many scam artists in the industry…and even in 2022, this hasn’t changed.

The above are only a few ways to quickly, efficiently, and cost-effectively launch an optimization campaign that will give your site the visibility it deserves in no time.

SEO Isn’t the Icing on the Cake…It’s a Critical Ingredient for your site

By now, you get that SEO is an essential asset in your marketing channel, but it is much more than that.

Search engine optimization is how you help Google and other search engines appropriately classify, organize, display, and understand your blog and site.

Optimization techniques can help showcase your business on search engines and present it in the best possible light (e.g., meta tags/descriptions = sales headlines for your business).

One of the biggest mistakes we see often is that a business develops a fantastic website with all the bells and whistles but fails to consider optimization along the way.

They end up with a shiny (albeit great-looking) website that is at a severe disadvantage when it comes to gaining visibility in the search engines. Optimization in 2024 needs to be woven into the fabric of your site and should be a key…no, critical…consideration from stage one of site development through to deployment.

If you’re sitting there thinking, “Well, I guess I’m screwed,” hang tight. A good SEO firm can help remediate SOME of the issues with your site in retrospect (and some they can’t). But it will take significantly more effort, time…and, of course, money.

But my CMS is SEO Friendly Already

This is a common misconception in 2024. For example, WordPress used to get ALL the Google love due to its integrated blog system, which enabled even the most technically inept to post fresh content to feed Google easily.

However, as the song says, “…the times they are a-changing.” Many CMSs in 2022 do more harm than good, and WordPress is one of the worst culprits.

Bloated code, slow plugins, and security issues plague WordPress and other CMS platforms, leading to slower load times (a major SEO signal in 2024), poor user experiences equating to fewer page views, higher bounce rates, and more—all of which are negative ranking signals in Google’s massive algorithm. Salterra has mastered the speed and security of WordPress websites, and it is still the most affordable web design option out there.

Frequently Asked Questions About SEO

What is SEO?

SEO stands for “search engine optimization” and focuses on growing visibility from the free, organic (non-paid) search results on search engines such as Google or Bing. SEO uses technical and creative elements that will increase awareness, improve rankings, and drive traffic from search engines. There are so many facets of SEO to learn about, from the keywords on your page to the way other sites link to you. SEO is a sustainable, long-term strategy that will make your site search engine friendly and better for visitors too.

Here at Salterra SEO, we want to make SEO understandable for everyone! If you are committed to improving your rankings and are new to SEO, we recommend reading this guide front-to-back, but feel free to read ahead if you’re an SEO guru.

What is Local SEO?

Local SEO is the process of optimizing your website so that it can be found in an organic search query, as long as the intent of the user is to find local information that matches the content on your website.
These searches will typically include a geographical indicator such as a city or zip code along with the business or product they’re looking for. An example of this search query is “hotels near Saratoga Springs Race Tack”, the search engine would then display websites with content that matches this query.
A consumer can do a search query without a geo-qualifier if they have the location function enabled on their device. This search query would look similar to “car repair shop near me”. Including “near me” helps the search engine determine that you are looking for something that is local to you, as opposed to something irrelevant.

SEO is the gift that keeps on giving. Organic listings are basically free. The majority of traffic comes from major search engines like Google and Bing. With just a bit of effort on your end you will see an increase in awareness and a definite increase in traffic. It’s time to take your site to the next level and get the thousands of visitors you deserve.

Higher visibility means credibility. Plain and simple, Google is the most authoritative search engine and ranking in the top search results will create brand credibility. Search engines are unique from social media-driven traffic because they provide targeted traffic, meaning people are seeking what you offer. If search engines don’t “see” your site that means you are missing out on potential viewers/customers.

SEO is gaining ground. Your competitors are realizing the benefits of SEO and are already taking advantage of them. Even though you might be offering better content or services, your competitors that use SEO are higher up in the ranks. Let us help you get noticed!

Access to data. Access to that keyword data and seeing what your visitors are searching for means you can discover new ways to expand. Use this to your advantage because this data has the potential to bring you thousands of visitors or sales.

Permanent Results. Remember, SEO is sustainable and its effects are permanent. With regular site maintenance and keeping your visitors engaged with great content and strong site structure, you should be well on your way to that top spot!

Why do search engines not understand my site without SEO?

Simply put, if the major search engines can’t easily crawl your website then you are unlikely to rank. Your site needs to be easy for search engine bots to understand and the key ingredient to search engines efficiently crawling your site is good site architecture. For a more in-depth explanation of this, read our article about On-Page SEO. Good website structure means that all of your most important pages are viewable within a couple of clicks from the homepage. This makes your content easily accessible to not only search engines but visitors too.

Can I do my own SEO?

Of course! With guides like ours and a strong desire to learn about SEO, you are soon to become an SEO guru! We provide a Basic SEO Report Card so that you can begin to climb the ranks yourself. Each section of our SEO guide will provide you with the most efficient ways to harness the full power of Search Engine Optimization! Of course, we would love to partner with you on your SEO project. Salterra can advise or take on the whole project, leaving you to run your business.

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Why Trust Salterra Digital Services

Salterra Digital Services  is a leading digital marketing agency specializing in a full suite of services designed to elevate your brand and grow your business. With a laser focus on delivering exceptional results, Salterra has cultivated a reputation for excellence in the field.

Meet the Founders: Terry and Elisabeth Samuels

Terry and Elisabeth Samuels, the founders of Salterra, have over two decades of combined experience in the digital marketing landscape. Their passion for helping businesses succeed fuels the constant innovation and top-notch service that Salterra is known for.

Terry Samuels leads Salterra’s Digital Marketing Division with sons Skyler and Brandon Samuels and a carefully curated staff of SEO Specialists. Elisabeth Samuels leads the Salterra Design and Development Division with her daughter Moraelin Bundy and her staff of project managers, designers, and full-stack developers.

Salterra’s Core Services:

  • Search Engine Optimization: Mastering the art of search engine visibility to put your brand in the spotlight.
  • PPC Advertising: Strategically leveraging paid advertising for optimal reach and ROI.
  • Email Marketing: Crafting compelling email campaigns that foster engagement and drive conversions.
  • Brand Building: Cultivating your brand’s voice, look, and feel for a cohesive and memorable presence.
  • Content Strategy: Creating and distributing relevant content to attract a clearly defined audience.
  • Social Media Branding: Engaging your community through tailored social media strategies.
  • Web Design & Development: Crafting a strong UX/UI website that converts visitors into customers.
  • Reputation Management: Safeguarding your brand’s reputation through active monitoring and positive engagement.
  • SEO University: Teaching Agencies, Free Lancers, and Small Businesses Foundational Search Engine Optimization
  • SEO Spring Training Conference: Salterra is the host of an annual training conference and multiple masterminds around the world.

Location:

Worldwide Reach from Tempe, AZ: Though based in the vibrant city of Tempe, Arizona, Salterra serves a global clientele, extending its world-class services to businesses worldwide.

Connect With Us:

Phone: 602-641-9797
Email: [email protected]
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