How many get away and why?

The concept of click, visit, call, or search is not new. When we advertise, we want the prospect to go on the web, locate our business, and find it. But how often do they find our competitor? It's fairly common and here are some reasons why: 

1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) High competition for keywords: Many businesses target the same keywords in their SEO strategies. If your competitor has better SEO (e.g., optimized website content, faster loading times, or more backlinks), they may outrank you for certain search terms. 

2. Paid Ads: Competitors can also bid on the same keywords for paid search ads (Google Ads). If they have a higher ad budget, their ad might show up ahead of your organic or paid listings. 

3. Brand Confusion Similar brand names or offerings: If your business has a name or service similar to a competitor, searchers may unintentionally click on the competitor’s link, especially if the competitor has a higher search ranking. 

3. Search Engine Algorithms Personalization and user behavior: Search engines personalize results based on a user’s previous browsing history or location. If a user frequently visits your competitor’s website, the search engine may prioritize showing that competitor in the results.

 4. Statistics: Clicks on the top three results: Roughly 75% of all clicks go to the first three organic search results on Google. If a competitor ranks higher for a relevant search term, they are much more likely to capture that traffic. Paid vs. Organic clicks: Paid ads at the top of search results tend to capture about 10-15% of clicks, while organic results gather the majority. If a competitor is running ads, they might siphon off a portion of your traffic. 

5. User Intent: General searches: If someone is making a general query (e.g., "best chiropractor near me"), they might find a competitor’s website instead of yours. Consumers typically visit multiple sites before making a decision.

 You need to have a method to the madness when you are working SEO and PPC. There are ways to blend things together with what I call Blended Content Optimization that greatly increases the chances that your business is found and not your competition. To avoid losing potential customers to competitors, focusing on improving your online visibility, local SEO, and content optimization is crucial.