Why do search and SEO matter, and how do they affect marketing?

The marketing value of search and SEO lies in giving brands a chance to be found when people actively look for products, services, or related information. SEO involves adjusting websites and content to improve their chances of appearing in search results, creating opportunities to reach potential customers. But being seen, attracting traffic, and making sales are different stages; the material supports the idea that SEO can create more marketing opportunities, not that strong rankings necessarily increase sales.

Search reaches people who are looking for information

Stack Mode on WarriorForum describes SEO as configuring a website and its content so they can appear in search results. This differs from brands proactively pushing messages to an audience: search gives businesses a chance to provide relevant information when users have already expressed a need.

For example, a user searching for an introduction to a type of service might find relevant content from a provider. This illustrates how search can connect users with businesses. The point is not that every searcher intends to buy, but whether a brand can appear when people seek information related to its products or services.

Attract visitors first, then consider engagement and conversion

When citing an article discussing the situation in 2021, WarriorForum organized the effects of search into “attract, engage, convert,” noting that search is particularly focused on the attraction stage. This can serve as a framework for understanding the marketing process, rather than an official rule governing search engines today:

• Attract: Give people who did not previously know about a website a chance to discover it through search.
• Engage: Once visitors arrive, the content still needs to meet their information needs.
• Convert: Attracting visitors is only the starting point; increased traffic cannot be equated directly with increased sales.

Forum contributor HeatherFraser shared that, about a year after establishing an online clothing store, they hired an SEO company, after which traffic, customer numbers, and sales increased. This is an individual experience that illustrates the results businesses hope for. However, the material provides no comparison or information about other contributing factors, so it cannot establish that SEO alone caused the change in sales.

Search is not limited to Google

A 2025 article on Neil Patel’s website notes that people also search and discover brands on platforms such as TikTok, Reddit, YouTube, and ChatGPT. Marketing planning should therefore consider not only whether a website appears on Google, but also where the target audience looks for information. This does not mean every brand must maintain a presence on every platform, nor should different platforms be treated as using the same ranking mechanisms. The point is to plan brand visibility around where the audience searches.

SEO also requires internal coordination

In its 2021 analysis of Wise, Ahrefs highlighted the importance of cross-team involvement and communication: those implementing SEO need to explain its value and requirements clearly to others in the organization. This reminds marketing teams that SEO is not just about tracking rankings; it also involves helping people responsible for the website and content understand the goals and coordinate implementation. This is a management lesson drawn from that case, not a formula that guarantees success.