Yesterday, in my post yesterday called What’s the Primary Thing That SEO Expert Brian Dean Focuses On? Email, I told you that in an upcoming post I’d show you the two ways that Brian Dean builds his email lists.
I will still be doing that.
But for today, I have a post that deals with a common misconception that some business owners have. Let me explain…
Many business owners ask these same questions:
- Why do you need SEO?
- Why do you need content marketing?
- Why do you need a website?
And they never realize the answer is a very simple one that is foolish to overlook.
I’ll explain what I mean in just a minute. But first I want to share a story that I found in an old book from 1910 called The Science of Advertising by Edwin Balmer.
Why? Because it will make what I’m about to tell you make much more sense.
In the book, Balmer tells this story…
“In 1666, London was practically wiped out by fire. The printer of the London Gazette, with almost prophetic acumen, offered his columns for notices of new locations of shops
“But though practically every important shop in the city was moved, there was absolutely no response to this offer.“The old locations had never been known through the newspapers, so why should anyone look there for the new (locations)?”
— The Science of Advertising, Edwin Balmer
Why do you need to be concerned about things like SEO, content marketing, and/or a website?
Because that is the way your business will be found today.
Many years ago, people might have found out about you through the phone book. Or maybe they discovered your business by walking by.
Well, those days are long gone.
This Is Why You Need SEO
The way they’re going to find your business today is by typing in the product or service you offer and the name of your city (or just the words “near me”) into Google.
If your business doesn’t show up, then it doesn’t exist in that person’s mind.
SEO (search engine optimization) helps you to optimize your website so it shows up when people type in what you offer.
This Why You Need Content Marketing
Another way they might find your business is if you create content that answers their questions, solves their problems, entertains, or even educates them.
Then when they go to Google and type in their questions, your business (if it’s optimized and has great content) will be discovered by them.
If it doesn’t appear, they’ll never know that your business is an option.
This is Why You Need a Website
The reason you need a website is because it increases the chance that your business will show up in Google when people go searching for what you offer.
The reason you need a website is because it is the place that can hold the content you create, which will help your business to be found.
Don’t Just Rely on Yelp
You might say, “I don’t need things. People already find our business online.”
If that’s true, then it’s probably because you or someone else made sure that your business is listed on Yelp.
That’s great. But that’s not enough.
You see, people that find you on Yelp still want to know more about you, your business, your products, or your services.
- If you don’t focus on SEO, then you will always be 100% dependent on Yelp.
- If you don’t create content, then you will lose a very valuable way that you could make your business stand out from your competition.
- If you don’t have a website, then you will never be able to break free from reliance on Yelp. Plus, you’ll lose your ability to stand out in the marketplace.
The choice is yours. You can just keep things the way they’ve always been. That’s what business owners in London did 354 years ago.
Does that look like such a smart decision now?
P.S. If you’d like help in making sure that your business is found, so you don’t get left behind in the past, then contact me and we can discuss services that I offer that can help you. Click here to contact me now.
Get Emailed Whenever a New Article Goes Live
Did you enjoy this article? Then don’t miss when the next one goes live.
Sign-up below and you will be emailed whenever a new article is posted.
(That means that you will usually be emailed multiple times a week.)
