More than 67,000 queries hit Google every second, and people are increasingly likely to start with the search engines when considering any type of buying decision. That makes home improvement SEO important, but don’t let this tactic take the top podium spot when you’re making business goals.

Here are three things you need to know about SEO and how it integrates into your home improvement marketing processes:

3. You Can’t Live Without It
   SEO is what gets you to the front page of search engine results, and with 92 percent of the clicks going to links on those pages, you can’t afford not to be there. Ideally, your SEO game should be strong enough to land you in the top three results, which garner close to two-thirds of the traffic for any given search.The long-story-short here is that SEO is something you must invest in for success with online home improvement marketing.
4. SEO Is a Means, Not an End
   But don’t let the importance of SEO fool you into making it the endgame. You didn’t start your window covering company for the sole purpose of driving traffic to a website—you want that traffic to result in increased sales and revenue.Use SEO to:
   • Increase your exposure in search engines
   • Help ensure the right people see your links
   • Drive perceptions of your brand online
   • Earn top spots in the search engine results so you get more clicks

   But don’t:

   • Chase traffic for the sake of traffic—100 clicks with a 0 percent conversion rate are less valuable than 10 clicks with a 50 percent conversion rate
   • Spend money on SEO that isn’t ultimately working toward your overall revenue goals
   • Think the top search engine spot is the only way you can gain exposure
5. SEO Doesn’t Convert Consumers
   If online home improvement marketing is a relay race, SEO is the first runner. At some point, the baton is passed, and your on-site sales and marketing content creates the anchor.If you’re not putting equal effort into content that converts as you are into search engine optimization, someone with a better final runner is going to take first place out from under you.If the metaphor here isn’t clear: first place is the sale. SEO is critical to entering the race in a competitive fashion, but it won’t win the sale on its own.