Understanding Search Engine Optimization

SEO solves a problem you keep facing: being found online. If a bear shits in the woods, but there’s nobody there to see it, did that bear really do it? Let’s pull the brakes on that fancy website of yours: it might look great, but can your target audience find it?

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How SEO helps your business grow


It’s a wild, wild web out there. Being found online is just the beginning of your business’ online presence. Your business SEO strategy cannot be a once off event. Google changes its policies, its algorithms, its approach, every five months or so. Why are you still using an SEO strategy from five years ago?


Effective SEO is an ongoing, critical part of your business marketing strategy.


  • Do you want to be on page one of Google search results? 
  • Do you want to be the top ranking business for your industry?


It starts with your website. It continues with an effective SEO strategy.


What is Search Engine Optimization?


The saying goes:


“The best place to bury a body is on page two of the search results. Nobody looks there.”


Instant gratification - and instant answers - are what your customers want. People don’t want to spend long hours searching for information. An online search should not be as difficult as finding your business’ book at the library.


Your business is digital


You may think you’re not a digital business, but a digital business is - nowadays - one that survives. Without a digital presence and strategy, your business may become just a hobby. Effective SEO strategies enable and support the evolution of your business, and generate sustainable revenue.


SEO and your business


When your customers are looking for the products and services you provide, they will probably click on one of the first few suggestions that pop up. They implicitly trust the first search results that appear. Those businesses have a high online ranking, and they attract higher levels of traffic. That means: 


“Other people trust this business too.” 


Did you know? 54% of all traffic goes to the number 1 search result. .04% of the traffic visits the 10th search result. Page 2 of their search results? Almost nobody clicks over to that page. It may as well be a ghost town. Boo.


What SEO gives your business


That's what Search Engine Optimization gives your business: the trust of the online consumer. Using different types of content and keywords, SEO improves the quality and quantity of traffic that reaches your website.


How does Search Engine Optimization work?


There are two primary SEO categories. Behind these two SEO categories, an expansive strategy, matched with the right resources and tools, are what make your SEO strategy effective. SEO includes: 


  • On-page SEO: Using HTML and different types of content, you can increase the ranking of your website on search engines. We optimise individual pages to earn traffic that is relevant to you and your business.
  • Off-page SEO: This is more external and happens outside of your website through other ranking factors like backlinks. Off-page optimisation is best understood as a referral or a type of “word of mouth” online mention. Off-page SEO helps your business rank higher online because other websites have endorsed it in some way.


How much does Search Engine Optimization cost?


How much traffic do you want? How many new customers can you handle? How many returning customers do you need? How committed are you to growing your business? Those are the right questions to ask. With SEO, it’s about quantity, and about quality. The more relevant the content you create, the higher your business will rank. SEO is not a one trick pony. SEO is a long term activity you can use to build your business.


You need to understand the user experience: People (that’s your target audience, unless dogs have learnt how to type recently) search for answers to their questions. It’s that simple. Answer the questions people are asking, where they are, when they are searching.


Why do I need Search Engine Optimization?


It’s lovely that you’re listed on Google. Sorry that you’re on page 3 of the search results. 


It’s time for some hard facts on SEO:


  1. SEO brings the best customers to your business. Customers will go to the first listing on their search results. If you’re lucky, they might visit the second. 
  2. Every other lead generation channel you use will get more expensive over time. SEO eventually can pay for itself, and more. 
  3. Your business needs SEO, no matter where your business may be in its journey. 
  4. Your profit margin needs SEO, no matter how much money you’re making right now.
  5. Your customers need SEO, no matter how often you keep in touch with them.
  6. Your team needs SEO, no matter how well they are working.  
  7. SEO is not an afterthought. Sprinkling SEO over your online presence is the wrong way round. It’s like putting the icing inside the cupcake. It might taste good when you bite into it, but nobody wants to buy a cupcake that doesn’t appear to be frosted.


Self funding marketing channels


It’s an uncomfortable truth, but marketing costs money, and money costs you time. An effective SEO strategy will, over time, save you both. Your ultimate business objective should be to create a sustainable marketing channel that pays for itself. An effective SEO strategy generates sales and revenue too, and through that: awareness.


Your business SEO strategy


Your business SEO strategy should be:


  • A continued effort: A once-off SEO effort is not a strategy, nor is it effective. It should be classified as hope. Hope is not an effective strategy. We’re yet to find a business that turned profitable, based on hope. 
  • Targeted in approach: To find the right customers, at the right time, in the right place, when they need you. 
  • Resourceful: Using the resources you have to maximise your return, SEO uses both your internal resources and the right type of tools.
  • Future-focused: Your SEO strategy should be focused on the business you’re building, and the customer base you’re growing. 
  • Eventually self-sustaining: An effective SEO strategy eventually pays for itself, and then some. Truly effective SEO efforts generate true revenue for your business, and grow your bottom line.


Effective SEO strategies are a game changer for your business. No matter how much money you’re making right now, you could be making more. Generate revenue, and increase your market share with SEO. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is not some dark art kung fu people do. Effective SEO is the daily practice of increasing the quality and quantity of your website content. You can’t expect to win a marathon if you’ve only done a fun run. Katana does that with you, without dodging the rules or invoking the dark arts.

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At Katana, there are no corporate bureaucracies, red tape cartwheels, or customer support horror stories. You already deal with enough faceless companies. Our clients talk directly to our founders, Kerry and Mark.

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