{"id":159140,"date":"2023-05-16T00:00:20","date_gmt":"2023-05-16T05:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/?p=159140"},"modified":"2024-10-17T11:17:57","modified_gmt":"2024-10-17T16:17:57","slug":"why-seo-is-important","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/why-seo-is-important\/","title":{"rendered":"Why SEO Is Important: 8 Reasons (And How to Get Started)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"intro-txt\">Did you know there are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.internetlivestats.com\/google-search-statistics\/\">3.5 billion searches<\/a> performed every day on Google?<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>No matter your line of work, people <strong>are <\/strong>searching for your business online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s look at a few reasons why search engine optimization (SEO) is important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"intro-tok\" id=\"intro_tok\" style=\"display:none;\"><div class=\"intro-title\">Contents<\/div><a href=\"#\" class=\"expand-dots\"><span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Reason 1. Organic search is the primary driver of website traffic\" data-section=\"organic-search-primary-driver\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reason 1. Organic search is the primary driver of website traffic<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Look at these <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-statistics\/\">SEO stats<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>53.3% of all website traffic comes from organic search.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>92.96% of global traffic comes from Google Search, Google Images, and Google Maps.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>SEO drives 1,000%+ more traffic than organic social media.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want more traffic coming to your website, you need to <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/how-to-rank-higher-on-google\/\">rank high on Google<\/a>. To do that, you need&nbsp;SEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Reason 2. Most pages get no traffic from Google\" data-section=\"most-pages-get-no-traffic-from-google\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reason 2. Most pages get no traffic from Google<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Did you know that <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/search-traffic-study\/\">90.63% of pages<\/a> get zero traffic from Google?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1474\" height=\"1999\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image6-4-1.jpg\" alt=\"90.63% of pages gets zero traffic from Google, according to an Ahrefs study\" class=\"wp-image-159181\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image6-4-1.jpg 1474w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image6-4-1-313x425.jpg 313w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image6-4-1-768x1042.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image6-4-1-1133x1536.jpg 1133w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1474px) 100vw, 1474px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This likely happens because these&nbsp;pages:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Have no backlinks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Are not targeting topics with search traffic potential.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Are not matching search intent.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Are not indexed by Google.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>To fix them, you need&nbsp;to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Get your pages indexed by Google.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Target topics with search traffic potential.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Align your content with search intent.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Earn or build backlinks.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Guess what? These are all <strong>crucial<\/strong> aspects of SEO. That\u2019s why SEO is important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Reason 3. Organic search is the solution to the flatline of nope\" data-section=\"organic-search-is-the-solution-to-the-flatline-of-nope\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reason 3. Organic search is the solution to the flatline of&nbsp;nope<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>When you <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/content-promotion\/\">promote your content<\/a>, you\u2019ll get a short burst of traffic. But this doesn\u2019t last.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1060\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/why-seo-is-important_1.png\" alt=\"A line graph showing a spike in initial traffic, then a flatline \" class=\"wp-image-159176\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/why-seo-is-important_1.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/why-seo-is-important_1-642x425.png 642w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/why-seo-is-important_1-768x509.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/why-seo-is-important_1-1536x1018.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>However, if your content ranks high on Google, you can get consistent traffic month after&nbsp;month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1060\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/why-seo-is-important_2.png\" alt=\"A line graph showing a spike in initial traffic, then a consistent flow of traffic\" class=\"wp-image-159178\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/why-seo-is-important_2.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/why-seo-is-important_2-642x425.png 642w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/why-seo-is-important_2-768x509.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/why-seo-is-important_2-1536x1018.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, take a look at the organic traffic coming to our <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\/link-building\" data-ahr=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/link-building\/\">link building guide<\/a>. It was first published in 2016, and traffic has only continued to&nbsp;grow:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1454\" height=\"776\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image5-5.png\" alt=\"Organic traffic coming to Ahrefs' link building guide, via Ahrefs' Site Explorer\" class=\"wp-image-159183\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image5-5.png 1454w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image5-5-680x363.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image5-5-768x410.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1454px) 100vw, 1454px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Reason 4. SEO lets you nurture and convert leads at specific stages of the buying cycle\" data-section=\"seo-lets-you-nurture-and-convert-leads-at-specific-stages-of-the-buying-cycle\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reason 4. SEO lets you nurture and convert leads at specific stages of the buying cycle<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Your potential customers almost certainly turn to Google when they have a problem. Depending on where they are in the <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/buyers-journey\/\">buyer\u2019s journey<\/a>, the way they search and the queries they use will be different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1328\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/why-seo-is-important_3.png\" alt=\"The buyer's journey: awareness, consideration, and decision\" class=\"wp-image-159179\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/why-seo-is-important_3.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/why-seo-is-important_3-512x425.png 512w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/why-seo-is-important_3-768x637.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/why-seo-is-important_3-1536x1275.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, if you have a product that helps businesses with outbound sales emailing, a naive prospect may use search to figure out their problem, with queries like&nbsp;these:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Why do emails from me end up in&nbsp;spam<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sales email subject lines<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How to check if email was opened<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Later on, this same searcher may learn about sales automation and realize that products that help them send deliverable emails and check open rates&nbsp;exist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They\u2019ve now moved into a different stage of the buyer\u2019s journey, searching terms like \u201cbest sales outreach tools\u201d or even for brand names and specific technical features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At each stage, there\u2019s an opportunity to create and rank content that addresses a wide array of questions and concerns:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1454\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image14-4.png\" alt=\"How the marketing funnel works\" class=\"wp-image-159184\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image14-4.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image14-4-468x425.png 468w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image14-4-768x698.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image14-4-1536x1396.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you can rank strategically for content that answers the queries your customers have and search for, then it\u2019s as if you magically show up every step of the way and cement your brand into your prospects\u2019 minds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll be top of mind when it comes time to&nbsp;buy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Reason 5. If you\u2019re not doing it, your competitors are\" data-section=\"if-youre-not-doing-it-your-competitors-are\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reason 5. If you\u2019re not doing it, your competitors are<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-statistics\/\">Only 0.63% of Google searchers<\/a> click on results from the second page. If you\u2019re not ranking for your niche\u2019s top keywords, then someone else&nbsp;is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It can be a brutal competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"877\" height=\"489\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image1-8.jpg\" alt=\"&quot;This is a competition&quot; meme\" class=\"wp-image-159185\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image1-8.jpg 877w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image1-8-680x379.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image1-8-768x428.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 877px) 100vw, 877px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>And SEO is the price of&nbsp;entry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Reason 6. SEO is more cost effective in the long term\" data-section=\"seo-is-more-cost-effective-in-the-long-term\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reason 6. SEO is more cost effective in the long&nbsp;term<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The Ahrefs Blog gets an estimated 380,000 monthly search visits:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1356\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image8-5.png\" alt=\"Organic traffic coming to Ahrefs' blog, via Ahrefs' Site Explorer\" class=\"wp-image-159186\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image8-5.png 1356w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image8-5-680x251.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image8-5-768x283.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1356px) 100vw, 1356px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If we had to acquire this traffic from <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/academy\/ahrefs-youtube\/link-building-google-ads\">Google Ads<\/a>, we would have to pay an estimated $860,000 per&nbsp;month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But we\u2019re paying nowhere near that amount for our content marketing efforts, so it\u2019s reasonable to say SEO is more cost effective in the long&nbsp;run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Reason 7. SEO allows you to appear on places like Google Maps\" data-section=\"seo-allows-you-to-appear-on-more-places-like-Google-Maps\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reason 7. SEO allows you to appear on places like Google Maps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re a local business or your business has a physical presence, you\u2019ll want to appear on Google Maps when someone searches for your business or related keywords:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1932\" height=\"1816\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image3-5.jpg\" alt=\"Korean restaurants on Google Maps\" class=\"wp-image-159188\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image3-5.jpg 1932w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image3-5-452x425.jpg 452w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image3-5-768x722.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image3-5-1536x1444.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1932px) 100vw, 1932px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>To do this, you\u2019ll need to create a Google Business Profile\u2014which is part of doing <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\/local-seo\" data-ahr=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/local-seo\/\">local SEO<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Setting up a Google Business Profile is straightforward:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Claim your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/business\/\">business profile<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Add your business hours and details&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Manage your profile, share any business updates, and respond to customer reviews<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/google-my-business\/\">How to Optimize Your Google My Business Listing in 30 Minutes<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Reason 8. Ranking high on Google builds trust with your customers\" data-section=\"ranking-high-on-google-builds-trust-with-your-customers\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reason 8. Ranking high on Google builds trust with your customers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>SEO <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/lilyraynyc\">Lily Ray<\/a> ran a <a href=\"https:\/\/moz.com\/blog\/2020-google-search-survey\">survey of 1,100 respondents<\/a> and found the majority of them trust the information they find on Google\u2014both in terms of the results themselves, as well as the content they find within SERP features (e.g., featured snippets).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That means if your website or your content appears at the top of the results whenever your potential customers search on Google, it shows you\u2019re trustworthy and an authority in your industry.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When it\u2019s time for them to buy, your brand will be top of&nbsp;mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"How to get started with SEO\" data-section=\"how-to-get-started-with-seo\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to get started with&nbsp;SEO<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Convinced that you need to start doing SEO? Here\u2019s how you can get started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Run a technical audit of your website<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If search engines cannot find, crawl, or index your website, then you can\u2019t rank your website for any important keywords. So the first and most important step is to make sure there aren\u2019t any <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-issues\/\">technical SEO issues<\/a> hindering you from ranking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To do this, audit your website by signing up for our free <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/webmaster-tools\">Ahrefs Webmaster Tools<\/a> and running a crawl using <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/site-audit\">Site Audit<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When the crawl is done, you\u2019ll see all the top issues for your site. Click on the number in the <strong>Crawled <\/strong>column to see the affected URLs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1950\" height=\"958\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image13-4.png\" alt=\"Top technical SEO issues, via Ahrefs' Site Audit\" class=\"wp-image-159190\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image13-4.png 1950w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image13-4-680x334.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image13-4-768x377.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image13-4-1536x755.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1950px) 100vw, 1950px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>You can also click on the \u201c?\u201d to see why it\u2019s an issue and how to fix&nbsp;it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"826\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image11-4.png\" alt=\"A technical SEO issue and how to fix it\" class=\"wp-image-159191\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image11-4.png 1920w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image11-4-680x293.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image11-4-768x330.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image11-4-1536x661.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\/technical-seo\" data-ahr=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/technical-seo\/\">The Beginner\u2019s Guide to Technical SEO<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-audit\/\">A Simple (But Effective) 14-Step SEO Audit &amp; Checklist<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/technical-seo-audit\/\">How to Complete a Technical SEO Audit in 8&nbsp;Steps<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Target topics with search traffic potential<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want search traffic coming to your website, you need to target topics that people are <em>actually <\/em>searching for. You can find these topics by doing <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\/keyword-research\" data-ahr=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/keyword-research\/\">keyword research<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One way to get started is to see what topics your competitors are already ranking for. Here\u2019s how:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Go to Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/site-explorer\">Site Explorer<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Enter a competitor\u2019s domain<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Go to the <strong>Top pages <\/strong>report<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Toggle <strong>SERP titles<\/strong> on<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1302\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image12-3.png\" alt=\"Top pages report, via Ahrefs' Site Explorer\" class=\"wp-image-159193\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image12-3.png 1999w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image12-3-653x425.png 653w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image12-3-768x500.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image12-3-1536x1000.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Here, you\u2019ll see the pages sending the most search traffic to your competitor\u2019s website.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Look through the report and pick out the keywords that are relevant to your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\/keyword-research\" data-ahr=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/keyword-research\/\">Keyword Research: The Beginner\u2019s Guide by Ahrefs<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Create content that&nbsp;ranks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you have a list of keywords you want to target, you\u2019ll have to create pages that are optimized for&nbsp;them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By optimization, I don\u2019t mean \u201cmention the keywords as many times as possible.\u201d Keyword stuffing no longer works. Google today can understand synonyms and semantically related words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What should you do then? Here are the best practices:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Align your content with <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/search-intent\/\"><strong>search intent<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 This is the reason behind why someone is searching. You\u2019ll want to look at the <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/serps\/\">SERPs<\/a> for your target keyword and see what kind of pages are ranking. For example, are they mostly category pages, product pages, landing pages, or blog posts? If they\u2019re blog posts, what <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/types-of-blog-posts\/\">type of blog posts<\/a> are&nbsp;they?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cover important subtopics<\/strong> \u2013 If the top-ranking pages mostly talk about similar things, it may mean that searchers are looking for them. So you\u2019ll want to include these subtopics in your content. Look at the subheadings for the top-ranking pages or run a <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/content-gap-analysis\/\">content gap analysis<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Make your content unique<\/strong> \u2013 Ultimately, your content needs to stand out so people will click through from the SERPs. (Being unique also helps with earning links.) Find an angle or include original tidbits that the top-ranking pages don\u2019t have. These could come from your personal experience, expertise, data, interviews, and&nbsp;more.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ensure your content is simple to read<\/strong> \u2013 People are busy. They don\u2019t want to read more than what\u2019s necessary. Keep your words simple, use formatting like bullets, and insert plenty of images, videos, GIFs, and&nbsp;more.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sprinkle on your on-page SEO<\/strong> \u2013 This is the \u201cicing\u201d on the cake that makes it extra clear to Google and searchers that your page is relevant. Follow the best practices in <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\/on-page-seo\" data-ahr=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/on-page-seo\/\">our on-page SEO guide<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\/seo-content\" data-ahr=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-content\/\">SEO Content: The Beginner\u2019s Guide<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/how-to-optimize-blog-posts-for-seo\/\">11 Easy-to-Follow Tips to Optimize Your Blog Posts for&nbsp;SEO<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/website-content\/\">How to Write Website Content That Ranks (And People Want to Read)<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/relevant-content\/\">How to Create Relevant Content That Ranks<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Promote your content<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Links are an important <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/google-ranking-factors\/\">Google ranking factor<\/a>. In fact, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/now-know-googles-top-three-search-ranking-factors-245882\">Google\u2019s Andrey Lipattsev<\/a>, links are one of the top three ranking signals:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1484\" height=\"502\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image9-4.png\" alt=\"Links are one of the top three ranking factors\" class=\"wp-image-159194\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image9-4.png 1484w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image9-4-680x230.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image9-4-768x260.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image9-4-650x220.png 650w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1484px) 100vw, 1484px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>But links can\u2019t appear out of nowhere. Even if your content is valuable, people need to know it exists before they can link to it. That\u2019s why you need to promote your content and build awareness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are some tips on promoting your content:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Share it with your audience on email and social media<\/strong> \u2013 If you don\u2019t have an audience yet, it\u2019s time to start building!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Email people you\u2019ve mentioned in your content<\/strong> \u2013 If you\u2019ve linked to or mentioned anyone or their work in your post, let them&nbsp;know.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Distribute your content in communities<\/strong> \u2013 If you\u2019re part of any online community, say Slack, Discord, or Reddit, share your content there. Make sure to provide value and don\u2019t&nbsp;spam.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Add internal links<\/strong> \u2013 Internal links are how Google and visitors find new pages. Don\u2019t forget to add them whenever you publish something new. If you\u2019re using <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/webmaster-tools\">Ahrefs Webmaster Tools<\/a>, you can check out the <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/link-opportunities\/\"><strong>Internal link opportunities report<\/strong><\/a> in <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/site-audit\">Site Audit<\/a> to find places where you can internally link pages together.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"800\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image4-5.png\" alt=\"Internal link opportunities report, via Ahrefs' Site Audit\" class=\"wp-image-159195\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image4-5.png 2000w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image4-5-680x272.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image4-5-768x307.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image4-5-1536x614.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Build links<\/strong> \u2013 Look for potential people you can reach out to via Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/content-explorer\">Content Explorer<\/a>, find their emails, then reach out to&nbsp;them.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, say we search for \u201cmechanical keyboard\u201d and apply the following filters:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Domain Rating<\/strong>: 30\u201390<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Website traffic<\/strong>: 500+<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Words<\/strong>: 500+<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Language<\/strong>: English<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Live &amp; Broken<\/strong>: Only&nbsp;live<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Filter explicit results<\/strong>: On<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>One page per domain<\/strong>: Checked<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Exclude homepages<\/strong>: Checked<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Exclude subdomains<\/strong>: Checked<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Doing so gets you over 3,800 potential websites you could reach out&nbsp;to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1356\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image2-8.jpg\" alt=\"Content Explorer search results for &quot;mechanical keyboard&quot;\" class=\"wp-image-159196\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image2-8.jpg 1999w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image2-8-627x425.jpg 627w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image2-8-768x521.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image2-8-1536x1042.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/find-email-address\/\">Find their emails<\/a> and reach out to&nbsp;them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/content-promotion\/\">13 Content Promotion Tactics to Get More Eyeballs on Your Content<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/link-building\">Link Building for SEO: The Beginner\u2019s Guide<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/blogger-outreach\/\">Blogger Outreach: How to Do It at Scale (Without Feeling Like a&nbsp;Jerk)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/email-outreach\/\">Effective Email Outreach: 5 Lessons From 111 Emails<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Learn more<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Need to convince your boss or upper management to invest in SEO? Check out these resources:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/benefits-of-seo\/\">What Are the Benefits of SEO? (And How to Get Started)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/is-seo-worth-it\/\">Is SEO Worth It? The Answer Is in This Flowchart<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/justifying-seo\/\">How to Convince Your Boss to Invest in&nbsp;SEO<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Looking to learn more about SEO? Check out these guides:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\">The Beginner\u2019s Guide to&nbsp;SEO<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/academy\/seo-training-course\">Complete SEO Training Course: Learn SEO&nbsp;Free<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/learn-seo\/\">How to Learn SEO (Complete Roadmap)<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/diy-seo\/\">DIY SEO: A Basic 5-Step Guide That Anyone Can Follow<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Any questions or comments? Let me know <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/siquanong\">on Twitter<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>No matter your line of work, people are searching for your business online. Let\u2019s look at a few reasons why search engine optimization (SEO) is important. Look at these SEO stats: If you want more traffic coming to your website,<span class=\"ellipsis\">\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more\">Read more \u203a<\/div>\n<p><!-- end of .read-more --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":146,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[335],"tags":[],"coauthors":[339],"class_list":["post-159140","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general-seo","odd"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Why SEO Is Important: 8 Reasons (And How to Get Started)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Want to get into SEO but need a nudge? We share eight reasons why it&#039;s important, plus how you can kickstart your SEO journey.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/why-seo-is-important\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why SEO Is Important: 8 Reasons (And How to Get Started)\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Here are the must-knows.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/why-seo-is-important\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"SEO Blog by Ahrefs\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Ahrefs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-05-16T05:00:20+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-10-17T16:17:57+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image6-4-1.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Si Quan Ong\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Here are the must-knows.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@siquanong\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@ahrefs\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/why-seo-is-important\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/why-seo-is-important\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Si Quan Ong\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/e09e43a1a939a6723fb3c1ebd243f2e7\"},\"headline\":\"Why SEO Is Important: 8 Reasons (And How to Get Started)\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-05-16T05:00:20+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-10-17T16:17:57+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/why-seo-is-important\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":2057,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/why-seo-is-important\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/05\\\/why-seo-is-important-8-reasons-by-si-quan-ong-general-seo-1.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"General SEO\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/why-seo-is-important\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/why-seo-is-important\\\/\",\"name\":\"Why SEO Is Important: 8 Reasons (And How to Get Started)\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/why-seo-is-important\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/why-seo-is-important\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/05\\\/image6-4-1.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-05-16T05:00:20+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-10-17T16:17:57+00:00\",\"description\":\"Want to get into SEO but need a nudge? We share eight reasons why it's important, plus how you can kickstart your SEO journey.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/why-seo-is-important\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/why-seo-is-important\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/05\\\/image6-4-1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/05\\\/image6-4-1.jpg\",\"width\":1474,\"height\":1999},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"SEO Blog by Ahrefs\",\"description\":\"Link Building Strategies &amp; SEO Tips\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Ahrefs\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/06\\\/ahrefs-logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/06\\\/ahrefs-logo.png\",\"width\":2048,\"height\":768,\"caption\":\"Ahrefs\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/Ahrefs\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/ahrefs\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/ahrefs\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/c\\\/ahrefscom\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/e09e43a1a939a6723fb3c1ebd243f2e7\",\"name\":\"Si Quan Ong\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/08\\\/SiQuanOng_2x.jpga792b2ebf044ff0f390a6e1c76bf4a0e\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/08\\\/SiQuanOng_2x.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/08\\\/SiQuanOng_2x.jpg\",\"caption\":\"Si Quan Ong\"},\"description\":\"Content marketer @ Ahrefs. I've been in digital marketing for the past 6 years and have spoken at some of the industry\u2019s largest conferences in Asia (TIECon and Digital Marketing Skill Share.) I also write about my curiosities on my Substack.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.siquanong.com\\\/\",\"si-quan-ong\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/siquanong\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/si-quan-ong\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Why SEO Is Important: 8 Reasons (And How to Get Started)","description":"Want to get into SEO but need a nudge? We share eight reasons why it's important, plus how you can kickstart your SEO journey.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/why-seo-is-important\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Why SEO Is Important: 8 Reasons (And How to Get Started)","og_description":"Here are the must-knows.","og_url":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/why-seo-is-important\/","og_site_name":"SEO Blog by Ahrefs","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Ahrefs\/","article_published_time":"2023-05-16T05:00:20+00:00","article_modified_time":"2024-10-17T16:17:57+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image6-4-1.jpg","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"author":"Si Quan Ong","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_description":"Here are the must-knows.","twitter_creator":"@siquanong","twitter_site":"@ahrefs","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/why-seo-is-important\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/why-seo-is-important\/"},"author":{"name":"Si Quan Ong","@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/e09e43a1a939a6723fb3c1ebd243f2e7"},"headline":"Why SEO Is Important: 8 Reasons (And How to Get Started)","datePublished":"2023-05-16T05:00:20+00:00","dateModified":"2024-10-17T16:17:57+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/why-seo-is-important\/"},"wordCount":2057,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/why-seo-is-important\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/why-seo-is-important-8-reasons-by-si-quan-ong-general-seo-1.jpg","articleSection":["General SEO"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/why-seo-is-important\/","url":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/why-seo-is-important\/","name":"Why SEO Is Important: 8 Reasons (And How to Get Started)","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/why-seo-is-important\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/why-seo-is-important\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image6-4-1.jpg","datePublished":"2023-05-16T05:00:20+00:00","dateModified":"2024-10-17T16:17:57+00:00","description":"Want to get into SEO but need a nudge? We share eight reasons why it's important, plus how you can kickstart your SEO journey.","inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/why-seo-is-important\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/why-seo-is-important\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image6-4-1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/image6-4-1.jpg","width":1474,"height":1999},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/","name":"SEO Blog by Ahrefs","description":"Link Building Strategies &amp; SEO Tips","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Ahrefs","url":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/ahrefs-logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/ahrefs-logo.png","width":2048,"height":768,"caption":"Ahrefs"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Ahrefs\/","https:\/\/x.com\/ahrefs","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/ahrefs\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/c\/ahrefscom"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/e09e43a1a939a6723fb3c1ebd243f2e7","name":"Si Quan Ong","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/SiQuanOng_2x.jpga792b2ebf044ff0f390a6e1c76bf4a0e","url":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/SiQuanOng_2x.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/SiQuanOng_2x.jpg","caption":"Si Quan Ong"},"description":"Content marketer @ Ahrefs. I've been in digital marketing for the past 6 years and have spoken at some of the industry\u2019s largest conferences in Asia (TIECon and Digital Marketing Skill Share.) I also write about my curiosities on my Substack.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.siquanong.com\/","si-quan-ong","https:\/\/x.com\/siquanong"],"url":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/author\/si-quan-ong\/"}]}},"as_json":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/159140","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/146"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=159140"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/159140\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=159140"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=159140"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=159140"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=159140"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}