Sustainable SEO: Investing in SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is an essential strategy for any business looking to establish a strong, long-lasting online presence and achieve organic results.
A focus on long-term, sustainable on-page SEO and off-page SEO can not only improve search engine rankings but can also deliver tangible benefits to a business’s growth and profitability.
Do you want to start doing it in your company? Let me help you! In this article, I explain why adopting a long-term SEO investment and positioning strategy is crucial and how it can benefit your business.
Why is it important to have a long-term SEO strategy?
There are many reasons why it is essential to have a long-term SEO strategy. Some of the main ones are:
- Google and the web are constantly changing
- SEO demands updates from time to time
- Your competition is doing it
- Results require a long-term view
- SEO success builds on itself
Let’s see some of them in detail so that it is clearer and you can decide to take this important step.
1. Google and the web are constantly changing
Think about it… how has the way you search for things on Google changed over time? Sites and preferences change.
Google has added featured and rich snippets, for those who want concrete and simple answers; maps for local results; etc., in order to respond to user demands.
Each change in Google’s algorithms represents effects on SEO and modifies what it means to do “good SEO”. Therefore, it is important to have a strategy that can be adjusted in the long term to continue obtaining a source of traffic.
2. Your competition is doing it
We all have competitors on the search engines, as we fervently look for new customers and sales and this materializes in the websites that appear in the search results for your keywords.
Therefore, you not only have the challenge of outperforming your direct competitors but many others who are trying to outperform you and are within your industry.
Analysis of your competition includes constant monitoring and updates, which is why it is so important to make a long-term investment in SEO.
All this will help you better reach your potential customers through social networks, better web positioning, and optimized content.
3. Results require a long-term vision
The expectations of success in SEO have to be in several months.
According to Ahrefs, a page that appears at the top of Google results is, on average, 950 days old. Imagine, more than 2 and a half years!
Only 20% of the pages that are in the top 10 results are less than a year old.
If you’re still wondering why a long-term investment in SEO is a good idea, keep in mind that these will be sustainable results, compared to paid traffic, which disappears as soon as you stop investing.
These actions and continuous focus will allow you to maintain a good position in Google and continue receiving results even with content that was made years ago, as long as you update it appropriately.
How sustainable SEO differs from short-term tactics and why it’s better for your business
Sustainable SEO focuses on the creation of quality content and the continuous optimization of the website to provide value to users and search engines.
Unlike short-term tactics like keyword overuse or link buying, sustainable SEO emphasizes the importance of user experience and content relevance.
This can not only result in better search engine rankings but can also lead to higher engagement and retention of website visitors.
Long-term benefits of investing in SEO
We break down a little more about how an investment in SEO can help you in the long term within your company or business.
1. Good positioning lasts and is not ephemeral like SEM:
The organic positioning obtained through long-term SEO investment is more durable than that achieved through search engine marketing (SEM) strategies.
While paid ads in SEM disappear once ad spending stops, organic rankings are sustained for a longer period, as long as good practices are followed and content is updated regularly.
2. Attract the quality audience
It helps to attract a quality public, interested in the products or services that your business offers.
This is because SEO focuses on providing users with relevant and valuable content, which attracts visitors with a high probability of becoming customers.
You just have to focus on knowing what they want to find and provide it to them in the best way.
3. Build user trust
Related to the previous point, by giving users what they want, they place their trust in you and help you gain authority.
Businesses that invest in SEO for the long term have a better chance of building strong, long-lasting relationships with their target audience, which can lead to greater engagement and customer loyalty.
4. Opportunities for local SEO
Investing in long-term SEO also offers opportunities to leverage local SEO, which can be especially beneficial for small businesses and brick-and-mortar businesses.
Local SEO helps businesses appear in geolocated search results, which can increase visibility and attract more local customers.
5. SEO is cheaper and more profitable than paid advertising
Although the initial investment in SEO can be higher than paid advertising, the long-term benefits and profitability are greater.
SEO provides lasting and continuous results, while paid ads only generate traffic for the duration of the investment.
Also, organic traffic obtained through SEO tends to have higher conversion rates than paid traffic.
6. Increase web traffic and sales
This strategy can lead to a sustained increase in web traffic and sales.
As search engine rankings improve, the visibility of your business increases, which attracts more visitors to your website and ultimately opens up the possibility of generating more sales and business leads.
How an SEO agency can help you in this process
Hiring an experienced SEO agency can be beneficial for businesses looking to implement a long-term SEO strategy.
These professionals have the knowledge and skills necessary to optimize your website, create quality content and maintain search engine rankings.
An experienced SEO agency can offer a wide range of services to help businesses achieve their ranking and growth goals:
1. Perform an SEO audit
They can and should perform a thorough SEO audit of your website to identify problems and opportunities for improvement.
This includes analyzing the structure of the site, the quality of the content, the loading speed, and the user experience.
With all this, it will be possible to provide valuable information to create a personalized SEO strategy tailored to your industry and specific needs.
2. Build quality links
Building quality links is paramount to gaining authority online.
It is an essential aspect of SEO, as this helps to significantly improve your search engine rankings.
All this will help to have more visits organically, but for that, several aspects must be evaluated, such as the anchor text of the link, the evolution of the external site with respect to its visits, etc.
3. Create SEO content
It is essential that the agency that helps you do long-term SEO builds content that is focused on your clients and optimized for relevant keywords.
If you focus on the customer, it will be easier for what you build to be useful and attractive, increasing traffic and conversions more likely. In addition, without a doubt, it is key to digital marketing strategies.
4. Website optimization
Working on web optimization is key to improving the performance and speed of your site, which can have a positive impact on user experience and search engine rankings.
Several factors have to be taken into account, such as the load of your pages, the distribution of the texts and modules, the navigation menus, etc.
You have to check what services they offer to avoid misunderstandings.
5. SEO reports
You can provide regular SEO reports to track progress and ensure continuous improvements are made.
This information will allow you to see the impact of long-term SEO strategies on your business and ensure sustained and successful growth.
Success story: Shopify and its SEO strategy
Shopify is an e-commerce platform that enables entrepreneurs and business people to efficiently and quickly create and run online stores.
Despite its value proposition, Shopify initially faced significant challenges in standing out in a highly competitive market dominated by other e-commerce giants like Amazon and eBay.
Let’s take a closer look at this case study.
1. Initial problems
One of the main problems that Shopify faced was the lack of visibility and brand recognition in search engines.
Competition in the e-commerce space was intense and the platform needed to find a way to attract users and gain market share.
2. Actions taken
To address these challenges, Shopify made a long-term investment in SEO, which included the following components:
- Keyword Research: Identified relevant, high-volume keywords that were related to creating and managing online stores.
- Creating quality content: Shopify started producing valuable and educational content, such as guides, tutorials, and case studies, aimed at online business owners and entrepreneurs.
- Technical optimization: The platform has been optimized to ensure a smooth user experience and optimal performance.
- Link Building – Worked on building quality links to your website from relevant and trusted sources.
3. Results
As a result of its long-term focus on SEO, Shopify experienced significant and sustained growth.
The platform managed to rapidly scale and expand globally, attracting millions of users and positioning itself as a leader in the eCommerce space.
Today, Shopify is one of the leading e-commerce solutions, with a market capitalization of over $100 billion (as of September 2021).
Shopify’s SEO Strategy demonstrates how a strong and sustainable investment in SEO can drive growth and success in a competitive marketplace.
Conclusion
Investment in long-term SEO is an essential component for the success and sustainable growth of any online business.
Adopting a sustainable, user-focused SEO strategy can provide numerous benefits, including better search engine rankings, increased web traffic, and attracting a quality audience.
In this sense, collaborating with an experienced SEO agency can be an effective way to optimize your website and boost results, guaranteeing not only a solid online presence but a significant and sustainable return on investment.
Do you want to implement and obtain these results in your company? Do not miss the opportunity! If you have no idea how to start, talk to us! At OMT we have SEO experts and we will be happy to make the results take off in your business.
