How important is SEO to the success of my business?

I think we can all agree that getting more leads and more people noticing your brand are good things for building a business. That is exactly what
SEO can provide for your business.

Maybe I am biased, though, seeing as Firestarter SEO is a
top-rated SEO company based in Denver, and I have seen the amazing impact SEO can have on a business’s bottom line. I have watched companies grow from small teams into large fleets, largely thanks to increased website conversions sourced from organic search.

Google’s Impact on Business

Every day, hundreds of people in your local area are searching for products and services. Think about how many times per week—or even per day—you search for a product, service, or piece of information through Google.

The data behind this behavior is staggering. On average, Google processes roughly 70,000 search queries every second. If one of the primary goals of marketing is to expand the audience you reach, there is no channel that offers broader visibility.

Even more compelling, 88% of searches for a local business result in a call or visit within 24 hours.

Why Is It Important to Be at the Top of the Search Results?

If you want searchers to click on your website instead of a competitor’s, ranking at the top is critical. Studies show that 92% of users who click choose businesses that appear on the
first page of local search results.

According to Internet Marketing Ninjas, the website ranking in the number one position receives approximately 21% of all clicks. The second position drops to around 10%, while the remaining results receive between 7% and 3% of clicks.

Everyone else either finds the information they need directly in a Google snippet or abandons the search altogether. Getting your website to the top of the search results maximizes exposure—and once you reach the top, maintaining visibility becomes much easier.

How Do I Get to the Top of a Google Search Results Page?

Google’s primary mission is to deliver searchers to the most relevant result as quickly as possible. That makes it unlikely your website will rank highly if Google can’t clearly understand what your business offers.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving how Google interprets your website and determines which users should be guided to it. While the core principles of SEO are straightforward, executing an effective strategy requires time, tracking tools, competitive analysis, and experience.

If you want a custom strategy built around your business goals, you can request a proposal from Firestarter SEO to see what a focused SEO campaign could look like for your company.

Local Listings

Fifty-six percent of local businesses still have not verified their Google Business Profile. That means more than half of your competitors may be ignoring one of the most impactful—and free—tools available for local visibility.

Google Business Profile is often the single most important component of a local company’s online presence. It allows Google to verify your address, phone number, and hours of operation while also giving customers a place to leave reviews—something Google heavily factors into local rankings.

Because local listings are so influential, Google also considers proximity to the searcher, review quality, and your website’s organic performance when deciding which businesses to show. Once your service area is verified, your business may appear ahead of competitors simply because it is more relevant to the searcher’s location.

Time invested in setting up a Google Business Profile and getting listed in free local directories can pay dividends for years.

Conclusion

When a business is just getting started, SEO may not feel as urgent as building core operations. But proper SEO takes time, and the sooner best practices and link building efforts begin, the sooner results follow.

Think about how much each salesperson costs your business. Now compare that to a website that markets your services 24 hours a day. With 46% of product searches starting on Google, organic search remains one of the most powerful growth channels available.

If you want to learn how Firestarter SEO can help your website rise to the top of Google search results, request a proposal today. It’s completely free—and at worst, you’ll spend 45 minutes learning how industry experts approach digital growth.