Search engine optimization (SEO) occupies an interesting space in the entrepreneurial landscape. Old misconceptions are long dead and buried, and CEOs know that many customers will first encounter them at the top of a search engine results page. But too many business leaders see it as a functional rather than transformative factor.

This is a mistake. With the right SEO strategy, you can genuinely change your business’ fortunes—bringing in new, relevant customers with clockwork regularity. And if you do it right, you’ll only bring in more over time.

I can speak to this from experience: by deploying a comprehensive search marketing strategy, my company generated over US$1m in new business.

Searching for a strategy

In the early stages of the business’ existence, we relied heavily on referrals. I didn’t begin my working life as an entrepreneur, and my previous career in PR gave me a reliable stream of contacts who were predisposed to enjoy working with my company—and recommend it to their friends. Relentless networking efforts also helped.