Search engine optimization (SEO) plays a critical role for businesses in India looking to reach customers online and drive sales. With over 500 million internet users, India has the second largest online market after China. Implementing an effective SEO strategy is key for Indian businesses to tap into this vast market.
India has seen rapid growth in internet adoption over the last decade. As per IAMAI, the number of internet users in India increased from about 120 million in 2011 to over 500 million in 2018. A majority of these users access the internet through their mobile devices. Smartphone adoption and declining data costs have led to increasing internet penetration even in smaller towns and rural areas.
This online boom has created a huge opportunity for Indian businesses. An online presence allows companies to reach out to millions of potential customers across geographies. Indian consumers are also increasingly searching for and purchasing products and services online. As per an Assocham-PwC study, the Indian e-commerce market grew from $4 billion in 2009 to over $33 billion in 2016. This exponential growth is expected to continue.
In this competitive online landscape, search engine optimization (SEO) is a must for businesses looking to drive traffic to their website and connect with customers. SEO involves optimizing a website and its content to rank higher in search engines like Google and Bing. This is critical because studies show that organic search results on the first page account for as much as 93% of all website traffic. For most businesses, if their website does not rank high on search engines, they miss out on a huge chunk of potential customers.
Importance of SEO for Businesses in India
There are several reasons why SEO should be a key part of the marketing strategy for businesses in India:
1. Highly Competitive Online Space
India has an extremely competitive online environment. There are millions of active websites vying for the attention of customers. On Google India alone, over 20,000 search queries are made every second. So the competition to rank high in search results is immense. SEO helps businesses improve their rankings so that their website is visible on the critical first page of search engines.
2. Majority of Customers Search Online Before Buying
As per Google internal data, over 80% of internet users in India research online before making a purchase decision. When these users search for products or services, the websites shown on the first page get almost all the clicks. Websites on page two and beyond rarely get any traffic. This makes SEO even more critical for customer acquisition. By optimizing their website and content, businesses can reach and connect with customers during the research phase.
3. Low Cost Compared to Other Marketing Channels
SEO provides a very cost-effective way for businesses to reach customers, unlike other traditional channels like print, radio or TV advertising. Once the initial optimization work is done, a website will continue to get organic traffic from search engines without any additional spending. This steady incoming traffic can be a great source of leads and sales. SEO levels the playing field and is especially useful for small businesses and startups that may have a limited marketing budget.
4. Essential Even With Ads
In India, many businesses use search engine advertising platforms like Google Ads along with SEO. But even in this scenario, SEO remains equally important if not more. The cost per click on paid search ads keeps increasing over time as competition rises. So SEO allows businesses to control a part of their web traffic without paying anything. For niche keywords with low search volume, ads may not even make sense. SEO done right provides free and targeted visitors.
Current SEO Landscape in India
Before shaping an SEO strategy, it is important to understand the current landscape in India:
1. Google is Dominant
Google has a lion’s share of the Indian search engine market – over 95% as per Statcounter. So Google should be the primary focus for SEO activities. Search results on Google decide the website traffic for most businesses. While Bing and Yahoo are also used, their share is minimal at this point.
2. Voice Search Adoption Rising
Voice search is gaining significant adoption among Indian internet users. With the launch of voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant, more people are searching online using voice rather than typing keywords. This is an important trend from an SEO perspective. Voice search usage is likely to grow further fueled by increasing smartphone penetration in rural India.
3. Featured Snippets Are Critical
For certain searches, Google shows a featured snippet at the top of search results. These snippets directly provide the answer so users don’t need to click through to websites. Gaining featured snippets for relevant queries is critical for visibility and traffic. Indian SEO strategies must focus on optimizing content for featured snippets.
4. Mobile Usage Dominates
Over 90% of internet users in India access the web through their mobile phones. Hence, mobile SEO is a key factor in order to engage this user base. Websites must be fast loading and easily navigable on mobile to provide good user experience. A mobile-first approach is essential for SEO success in the Indian market.
5. Local Language Targeting Required
A majority of Indian internet users are comfortable with English. However, about 40% prefer using Indian languages online. Vernacular internet users are rapidly increasing driven by voice search adoption. SEO strategies must focus on targeting regional languages like Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu etc. based on relevance for specific businesses.
Key SEO Strategies for India
Based on the landscape discussed above, here are some key strategies Indian businesses should adopt for effective SEO:
1. Localization
Since the focus is Google India and Indian customers, localizing content and website for India is important. Using Indian domains (.in) and local business addresses helps build trust. The website should display correctly in Indian languages selected. Location-based keywords can be targeted. Google My Business profile must be optimized with Indian address, local business info and categories.
2. Language Targeting
As mentioned above, Indian language users need to be targeted based on business relevance. For pan-India companies, Hindi and English content must be built out extensively. Based on user base and geographical focus, other major languages like Marathi, Bengali, Tamil etc. should be covered. Tools can be used to identify the right keywords in each language.
3. Site Speed Optimization
Many parts of India still struggle with bandwidth issues. So website speed is critical for SEO success. From compressing images to reducing server response time, various techniques can be used to optimize website speed. Fast page load keeps visitors engaged and improves organic rankings.
4. Relevant, High-Quality Content
The foundation of good SEO is topical, useful content that solves user queries and needs. The focus should be on creating long-form, extensive articles covering topics comprehensively rather than short blog posts. Knowledge graphs, FAQs, and interviews help build relevance. The right keywords must be targeted in content without keyword stuffing.
5. Link Building
Links from external websites signal quality and boost rankings. Indian businesses must focus on acquiring backlinks from relevant Indian websites. Content with backlinks can also be created on platforms like Medium. Domain authority metrics should be tracked.
6. Leverage Social Media
Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and LinkedIn have millions of daily active users in India. Integrating social media with SEO activities like sharing links on profiles and groups helps amplify organic reach. Social media signals also impact search rankings.
7. Stay Up to Date
Google’s algorithms and best practices keep evolving. So staying updated with the latest SEO trends is the key. Join forums and communities to connect with SEO experts and peers. Invest in tools for backlink and keyword tracking. Learn continuously and keep optimizing the strategy.
Key SEO Goals and Metrics
SEO activities must be tracked to gauge effectiveness and ROI. Some key metrics Indian businesses should track are:
- Organic traffic – Monthly visits from search engines to the website. Shows ability to attract searchers.
- Keyword rankings – Track top keyword rankings on Google India for relevant terms. Goal should be to reach top 3.
- Click-through rate (CTR) – Percentage of searchers clicking on organic results. Higher CTR indicates greater search relevance.
- Lead conversion rate – Proportion of visitors that convert into leads/sales. Shows monetization from SEO.
- Time on site – Duration visitors spend on the website. More time indicates better engagement.
- Bounce rate – Percentage of visitors leaving from the landing page. Lower bounce rate means higher relevance.
Based on these metrics, SEO strategies must be refined periodically to drive more local traffic and conversions cost-effectively.
Conclusion
SEO will continue to be a critical digital marketing channel for Indian businesses in the next decade. India’s internet user base is expected to grow rapidly driven by cheap data and smartphone penetration. To tap into this booming market, an effective localized SEO strategy is essential. Companies must focus on optimizing website speed, high-quality content, backlinks, local keywords and more. Tracking relevant metrics will help prove the ROI from SEO activities. Businesses that embrace SEO early on will gain a distinct competitive advantage in India’s dynamic online space.
