Search engine optimization is good for being found. It takes time and patience and is a long term effort. It will drive more traffic and make sure that the visitors is from the targeted audience.
It will give you great opportunity to collect data about sales and your customers/visitors, to better understand your customers needs and wants.
If you can't be seen you don't exist.
You are optimizing for two different ends, the SE (search engine) and the end user. One will bring the other and vice versa.
These notes are from this course on Lynda: SEO Fundamentals
Things that improve SE ranking
Terms and words the end user likely will be using when searching for content similar to that of the web page.
More info on keywords here.
An AdWord account is needed. Will give statistics about search terms.
Organic search - Non-paid
Blended search results - Mix of media (Videos, images, products, news)
Schema - ?
SERP - Search engine result page
Keywords - Terms and words the end user likely will be using when searching for content similar to that of the web page