You’ve heard about SEO and you have some reservations about it. A decade ago, search engine optimization and being ranked at the top of Google was the absolute best way to get traffic and sales. Nothing worked better but you had to compete with dozens, if not hundreds of competitors for the top page. Today, it’s even tougher with maps, paid ads and smaller organic room.

This has motivated many businesses to abandon the idea of SEO. However, with over 3.5 billion searches a day on Google, search engine optimization cannot be ignored. The fact is that this form of marketing will generate sales. However, it has to be done correctly and business owners have to have patience. Here are 5 ways this marketing service can generate sales:

1. 1. Branding: The main goal of a commercial, email or other advertising service is to introduce your brand to an audience. The better you can select that audience, the better the results of the campaign will be. There is no better targeting than with SEO because it’s an audience that’s actively looking for you and are introduced to your brand at a moment when you have their undivided attention.
   2. Right place, right time: Originally, the main way you saw sales from this form of marketing was simple. You get placed on the top page of Google on major key terms. When someone goes to the search engine and types in that key phrase, your site shows up on the top of the page and you suddenly have free traffic from someone highly motivated to learn more about your services and products. This still works but competition is tougher than ever.
   3. Conversion rates: The first thing you have to understand about SEO is that it’s designed to build your brand. Whenever someone sees your ad, they are going to research your business. Who are you, how long have you been around, are you trustworthy? These are questions that consumers ask and are answered by search engine optimization.
   4. Retargeting: Sometimes people aren’t convinced, or they want to go somewhere else for more information. Retargeting is a great tool because it keeps your brand in view of the visitor as ads are shown on websites they visit for months.
   5. Educate: The majority of people who go to Google are looking for information. If you are found via the search engine you are seen as an authority of your industry. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a search for tips on plumbing, losing weight, buying tickets to a baseball game or making a new recipe, if you are found on page one you have the opportunity to educate and build trust between your brand and the user.

You cannot afford to ignore the advantages SEO can provide your company. However, you have to work with an experienced team, have a strong plan in place and give the work time to produce results. Most businesses need to dedicate anywhere from 6-12 months before they can see results. That may not be what you want to hear, but there’s a reason why your competition has been at it for years and why they spend thousands of dollars a month on this service.