More than 100 billion searches are made on the Internet throughout the world on a monthly basis. While this may seem like a random statistic on its surface, it is an indication that search engine optimization, also known as SEO, is an important part of online marketing and could be utilized to help make your business more successful.

After all, search engines tend to be a much more effective medium for online users to learn more about a particular service or product. More than 58% of prospective customers begin research in this way, while those who use social media sites only comprise 18%, and those who go to the website of the business in question are only at 24%. It is also important to consider the importance of SEO for those who regularly use mobile devices such as tablets or smartphones. In fact, 65% of these prospective customers use their devices to find the right company to patronize.

But what exactly is search engine optimization? It is the means by which businesses make themselves more visible to customers by achieving the highest search engine rankings. Some of the basics of SEO include using pertinent keywords and making sure that backlinks exist, leading directly to your company website.

Google is at the top of the search engine market for the time being, so companies generally look to rank highly on their pages. Google is known for the “doodles” on their home page, which originated in 1998 with a Burning Man doodle meant to indicate that the co-founders of the company were out at the Burning Man festival in Nevada. Another interesting fact about Google is that the lawn at their headquarters is actually “mowed” by rented goats.

If you have additional questions, comments, or suggestions about how SEO can be used to positively impact business marketing, be sure to share them in the section below.