If there’s one online trend you can expect to continue indefinitely, it’s the ever-growing importance of search engine optimization (SEO). Every year, the power of SEO becomes increasingly clear to businesses who are looking to expand their potential audience and boost their visibility online. However, not everybody has heard the news. If your superiors aren’t persuaded that SEO ought to be a top priority for your business, you may be faced with the challenge of making a case for developing a more effective online strategy. Here are some tips for getting your boss to recognize the inherent value of organic search and smart optimization.

Address the Most Common SEO Misconceptions

Illustration of a SPAM can that says SEO.

Before you can explain what SEO is, you need to explain what it isn’t. Many people associate SEO with spam or other types of poor-quality content, while others assume that the changing nature of search engines has rendered all forms of SEO strategy obsolete. In fact, SEO is entirely compatible with first-rate content—after all, that’s the entire purpose of inbound marketing. While SEO strategy does need to change up its approach from time to time in order to keep up with evolving norms, the fundamental principles behind SEO and strong content remain sound from year to year.

Explain How SEO Awareness Can Protect You from Penalties

Illustration of an umbrella with a search icon providing protection from penalties.

One of the most important reasons to invest a significant amount of your time and energy in the creation of a working SEO strategy is that it can help your business steer clear of being penalized by search engines. Today’s search engine algorithms are alert to the tricks that some businesses use to artificially inflate their search rankings—which, if you don’t know them, you could wind up inadvertently stumbling into. Staying informed about today’s search engine guidelines will help to ensure that you always abide by them.

Show the Difference that SEO Can Make on Your Profits

Illustration of a piggy bank with search-branded coins.

When your boss looks at your online presence, he or she is most likely to be wondering about the difference it is making for your business’s income. That’s why it can be valuable to show your boss how many of your customers are coming to your company from search results pages. Explain how putting greater effort into your organic search optimization could help to draw more visitors to your website, which in turn could potentially lead to more conversions. SEO might seem esoteric at first, but it can actually be crucial to developing a stronger connection with your most likely audience.

Think About What Your Competitors Are Doing

Illustration of three search rankings.

Every smart business owner knows how important it is to keep a close eye on the competition, and that goes for organic search as much as any other field. If your rivals are devoting more resources and attention to SEO than you are, it’s going to show in their results. There are online tools you can use to measure the level of traffic a competitor is getting as a result of their search engine optimization efforts. When you have that data in front of you, you’ll be better equipped to explain to your superiors just why SEO is such a crucial investment to make.

Talk About the Potential of Growth Over Time

Illustration of a wooden search icon with growth rings.

If there’s something that many marketing approaches share, it’s the fact that they are limited in scope. That is, they only provide your business with leads temporarily, and then you have to go back to the drawing board. With SEO, the story couldn’t be more different. When your search engine rankings improve, you won’t just benefit from that development for a limited time—you’ll benefit for as long as your rankings stay good. As you sharpen and shore up your SEO strategy, you’re likely to see your rankings get even better. In other words, SEO is an investment that can lead to significant returns in the long run.

Emphasize the Continuing Benefits of SEO

Illustration of a magnifying glass over increased growth.

One of the defining characteristics of SEO is that it doesn’t just have value for today—it has value for tomorrow. Every primary aspect of SEO has the potential to improve your overall marketing efforts. When you do keyword research, you’re also doing valuable research into your market. When you build links, you’re promoting your business’s brand. When you improve your search engine rankings, you’re helping to build a better corporate reputation. No matter where your priorities lie, SEO should be central to the way you think about your online presence.

Every strategy has to begin somewhere, and there’s no better place to start planning a better approach to your online presence than Pennington Creative. Our skilled content creation team brings years of collective experience to every project, and we’ll be happy to work with you to develop a unique, customized bundle of our best marketing services. If you’d like to find out more about how we can help you, send us a message via our website today!

About the Author

Justyn - Digital Marketing Manager, Special Projects
Justyn Dillingham

Digital Marketing Manager, Special Projects

Justyn - Digital Marketing Manager, Special Projects
Adrienne Lobl

Digital Marketing Specialist, Graphic Design Onboarding Services