3 Reasons You Can’t Ignore SEO in 2020

The truth is too many businesses rely solely on social media to grow their business.

Yes it’s glamorous, it’s fun, and it’s easier to spend a day connecting on Facebook than it is updating pages on your website. But if you’re going to withstand the ups and downs of business while various social media platforms fluctuate in popularity, you better make sure that you're getting your website traffic from more than one place.

Traffic from Google is an essential for any business, not to replace social media but to expand on visibility and reach for your business and brand.

Here’s three reasons why you should focus more on getting more website traffic from Google in 2020: 

1. Ad space is getting more expensive

Facebook ads have become so popular over the years to the point today where everyone is doing them. People are even saying ‘Facebook is full'!

The newsfeed simply only has so many ad spaces, and they have more than enough demand to fill them up which means Facebook ad prices are only increasing from here. So be prepared to spend more to reach less customers in the longer term.

This type of supply and demand with ad space has already happened with Google Adwords and it’s not to say that they are no longer effective (they are with the right strategy and product) BUT you just can’t rely on a one-off promotion to be the change. And if you're not willing to invest time and energy into learning how to do them, they simply won't work like they used to. 

Not to mention that ads cost you money as well as that valuable thing called time. They are not set and forget like some would have you believe. So why not invest some of that time into a free source of traffic that will bring potential customers to your website every single day and if done right, will grow over time instead of fluctuate. 

Don’t get me wrong, I love Facebook ads, they are great but it breaks my heart looking at a client's website traffic numbers, and seeing it all crash in a pile when the ads get turned off.

2. Organic traffic is more likely to convert

Traffic that hits your website via a Google search is called ‘organic’ traffic. The reason this type of website traffic is so sought after is because these people have landed on your site due to intent.

The searcher has gone into Google with the intention of finding a solution to an issue or question. They have chosen the most relevant keyword search query to them, and hopefully been given the best response possible to their question by Google. This is Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) at play.

Because they’ve gone out and are actively searching for something, whether that’s for information, education or even to buy a product, they are further along the journey towards purchase. Compare this with someone scrolling the Facebook newsfeed and an unsolicited ad pops up that they possibly have zero interest in!

These people who are hitting your site after a Google search are more likely to become customers faster because they came there with a specific problem or solution in mind. They are halfway sold! 

3. Social media platforms keep changing

With the exploding popularity of TikTok, it's anyone's guess which social platform will be the darling of 2020.

Facebook and Instagram continue with their regular algorithm changes, often leaving business owners scratching their heads at the sudden lack of engagement and decrease in followers.

Updates like this should highlight the importance of making sure that you’re spreading your marketing efforts as much as you can, given the resources you have and not building your business on rented land.

Ask yourself – if Facebook, Instagram or TikTok fell over tomorrow, would your business survive?

If the answer is no, then it’s time to look at protecting your business and finding alternative traffic sources. And a very obvious one that is accessible to everyone is SEO.

It’s time to stop putting SEO in the too-hard basket, or the other one we all love, the procrastination “I'll do it later” basket! 

One of my passions is to help business owners conquer the idea that SEO is hard and out of their reach. The truth is you don't need to hire an expensive SEO agency in 2020. You can learn how to do it yourself and get effective results that serve you and your business for years to come.