The Power of SEO Since most people look online for businesses first, it only makes sense to utilize the tools available. Experts explain why a business could suffer without search engine optimization.
WORDS BY ROSA SOPHIA
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ith millions of other websites and online pages competing for attention, the best that a business can do is think of a search engine as a partner. Rather than trying to conquer the search engine so the website appears on the first page of the listings, consider how best to attract attention and draw in viewers. This is done through search engine optimization, or SEO. For those who are unfamiliar with search engine optimization, the term is simplified by comparing SEO to billboard advertising, according to Michael Irving, co-founder of Intech Together, an IT support and web development company.
44 Mobile Electronics September 2017
“It’s your digital billboard, but not just that, it’s the stuff around the billboard,” Irving said. “Imagine you’re deciding to get a billboard. You’re not going to get one that’s 300 miles away; you’ll get one closer. If your clientele are people who do cars, they modify high-end vehicles, the best place is right next to the high-end dealership. Find and see what is available, what side of the street [is best].” Irving added that SEO is comprised of the details surrounding “the billboard” itself; for example, placement, keywords and key phrases. What are the right words to use? What will draw in the viewer? “How are people searching it? What words do I put into my search to find it?” Irving said. “Those words, phrases, key
phrases, zip codes, these are areas used in order to drive traffic. That’s what SEO is.”
How SEO Works Soundscape Car Audio of Carrollton, Texas relies totally on SEO to drive traffic. Traditional advertising is no longer as effective. “We don't do any print, TV or radio ads, so referrals, Internet and social media are our primary sources of clientele,” said Dan Ungaro, owner of Soundscape. Search engine optimization is therefore an essential tool. Adam Miller, managing director of Web Badger, noted that SEO is all about how a search engine views a website. “Do the Googles, Bings, Yahoos, view a website favorably? If yes, it translates into more calls, and more customers,” he explained.