Before reading this post, try out this short exercise. Go to google.com and search for “coffee springfield mo.” Where do your eyes go first? Odds are, they go to the first three natural search engine returns. In fact, according to recent studies, the top three natural (non-sponsored) search results on Google account for 60% of all search engine clicks!

For this example, we can see that 60% of people in Springfield, Missouri that use Google to find a coffee shop are likely to visit the websites of Hebrews Coffee, The Coffee Ethic, or Mudhouse. Maybe the other 40% will scroll down and find Heroes Coffee or Big Momma’s. Maybe they will explore local results.

What does this mean for the rest of the coffee shops in Springfield, Missouri (Dancing Mule – I’m looking at you)? It means you are invisible to 1,600 potential customers per month. Not good. The good news is this: it isn’t hard to fix, and we can help you.

Where am I getting this number? Am I making it up? No, this number is a fact. How can we prove this? Welcome to the Google Keyword Tool. This is a tool that allows you to see how many people are searching for you using a specific key word phrase. Type in “coffee springfield mo” for yourself. 1,600 people searched this term last month (April 2010).

Pause. Let’s back up.

What is SEO? Odds are, you’ve heard these three letters together. What does it mean? We’re glad you asked.

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. Search Engine Optimization is the practice of designing web pages so that they rank as high as possible in search results from search engines. It is all about optimizing your site for a particular keyword or keyword phrase (or a set of keywords or keyword phrases). If you are a coffee shop in Springfield, Missouri, your goal should be to optimize for the keyword phrase “coffee springfield mo”, because this is what local coffee drinkers are most frequently typing into google.com.

The best thing about SEO is that it allows you to get noticed without spending a single penny on Google adwords or any other type of online advertising.

Why am I focusing so much on Google? Simple. Google sees more search activity than Yahoo! (#2) and MSN (#3) combined.

I’ll leave you with this: If you aren’t optimizing your site for what your target market is searching for, you might as well not exist in their eyes (or on the internet).

Interested in having your site optimized or just learning more about SEO? Contact 417 Marketing today for a free consultation!