If you do anything in the business world, then chances are good that you know that SEO stands for search engine optimization. You probably have a good idea of what it is, the benefits it offers, and why practically every business needs it.

Having said all that, you might be curious how your own business could possibly benefit from SEO when you don't actually have any SEO professionals on your current staff? Our new Miami SEO office has the experts you need to reach the number one spot.

Search engine optimization can get complicated quickly, particularly if you or your business is new to the world of digital marketing. If you've looked around online for SEO services, you've likely found multiple options, and while they all list their services on their websites, it's still sometimes confusing about what exactly SEO companies do.

Before you can choose an SEO company, you need to know what exactly is an SEO company to start with.

A short definition of what an SEO company is a firm that provides search engine optimization services to other business, so they can have improved online visibility. SEO itself is the process of making upgrades and changes to website content and design so that your website is more alluring to certain search engines. The more optimized a website is for Google and other major search engines, then the more likely you will rank on the very first page for any search phrases or keywords that relate to your products, services, or business.

This is important, because over 90 percent of all consumer decisions about what to buy or who to buy from begin with an online search. Half of those searchers choose something in the first three links. Using an SEO company is crucial to get on the first page and then to the top of that first page, and they can do it because their staff should have industry experience, specifically in getting businesses ranked highly on search engines. SEO experts know exactly what it takes to generate organic traffic for your website through search engines.

An SEO company might also be called an SEO firm or agency, but whatever they're called, they employ experts not just in general SEO, but specific areas of this industry. Different SEO professionals might handle particular services, like site auditing, formulating a customized SEO plan, or implementing the mechanics and tactics that help your website grow.

It should be noted that there are really two kinds of SEO companies. There are, unfortunately, 'black hat' SEO firms that use techniques that search engines disapprove of and even penalize. Such backdoor tactics might produce results in the short-term, but there can also be long-lasting damage to your website's rankings in the end.

Alternatively, 'white hat' SEO firms use approved techniques that Google and other search engines prefer and consider ethical. The truly great ones treat your website just like it's their own, meaning they make the right choices when handling your SEO. Everything they do should be done with the intention of making the most of your ROI and driving your business towards its objectives and goals.

You should expect three different things from the right SEO business. First, they'll make sure your website starts ranking higher with the right search engines. Using current strategies and tools, they'll do the things that make your website get noticed more from search engines. A large part of that is using the right keywords and updating your website architecture so your website is more attractive to prospective visitors and the always-active search engine crawlers.

While SEO success starts with more traffic, the second phase is making sure that the traffic grows in relevance as much as it grows in volume. Catering to the right keywords and search strings means your website has better chances of turning visitors into actual conversions. Even though PPC ads are usually at the tops of SERPs, more than 7 in 10 searchers converts from the organic links down below. That's because they trust Google's algorithm more than paid ads.

Finally, the right SEO company is going to provide you quantifiable and measurable results. Some marketing efforts can be measured or tracked that easily. Search engine optimization isn't like that. Everything can be kept up with in a concrete manner along the way. You should get monthly analytics that tell you just what your website is getting in exchange for any resources you're investing into SEO services.