Search engine optimization (SEO) is a strategy that marketers use to improve website rankings in search engine results. The process of SEO includes identifying phrases and keywords your target audience uses when searching for services or products similar to yours, and consistently adjusting your approach to rank well for those searches. There’s much more to it, but that’s a basic way to describe SEO. Now more than ever, SEO is a crucial part of digital marketing. Here are a few main reasons why SEO is so important.

1. No Ad Space Required

Notice the top of Google search results and see the ads? With effective SEO, your site can be just a little bit further down the page — for free. That’s the result of effective SEO, resulting in high “organic search” rankings. Traditional online ads have a start and end time. If your site is a high ranker, there’s no time limit for that top-level exposure.

2. Your Target Audience Can Find You

If you have a thriving business, you also have a set of ideal customers that align with a target online audience. SEO can help your target audience find you easily as they’re searching for products and services. These days, a majority of them search online. And at least half of them visit a business’s online home first before ever making contact. Your site needs to show up in results for keywords having to do with what you offer.

3. Your Traffic Stats Increase

High search engine rankings lead to attracting more traffic — all the better for converting traffic into leads and customers. Investing time and resources into SEO is a crucial long-term strategy for increasing your reach.

4. Your Authority and Credibility Increase

The “know, like, and trust” factor is a big part of SEO. Having high-quality content on your website improves rankings. Then, a prospective customer will be more likely to find and peruse your content and sign up for your email list. Each time they come into contact with you afterward, there’s another opportunity for you to build a trusting relationship. It’s a slow process, but it generates a positive customer experience over time — and sales. And as a brand, you carve out a niche that no one else can occupy.

Having a viable, robust SEO plan is imperative for the success of your business. Keep these considerations in mind as you craft your strategy.