Traditional methods of online marketing, like paid digital ads, can be effective, but the cost of advertising has made small businesses struggle to stay competitive. One effective alternative to advertising through paid ads is search engine optimization (SEO), which enables businesses of all sizes to remain in the game and keep costs affordable.
What is SEO, and how does it work?
SEO is a method for increasing a website’s organic online visibility. The aim is to make your site appear on as many search results pages as possible (such as Google and Bing). A well-executed small business SEO strategy will increase the number of visitors to your site without having to purchase an ad.
A variety of factors can help to increase organic visibility. The most crucial thing is the site’s content, which focuses on the appropriate keywords and backlinks. SEO success also depends on specific technical aspects, including the speed of your site and mobile optimization.
Before jumping into the details, here’s a glossary of common SEO terms:
Organic search results: This is also called the Search Engine Results Page (SERP). When a user of a search engine types a query phrase into a website, such as Google, a list of results is created. This list is composed of the pages that are most relevant to the search term.
Keyword ranking: This is your web page’s exact position in search results for a specific keyword. Most searches on the internet result in many pages, and often there are 10 or more results per page. The closer you get to being ranked number one in the search results, the more users will come to your website, consequently increasing the amount of traffic your site will get.
Local search/Local SEO: This aspect of SEO is used to promote a local business online. For example, if someone enters “kids toys store Texas” into the search engine, the results will display the website properties of all shoe shops located in Texas that rank highly for the keyword. This is different from just typing “kids toys store,” which could result in websites that aren’t specific to a specific location.
Backlinks: They are the links between other sites and yours. They can boost your website’s authority and increase its rank in your keywords. If you’re not careful you could be compromising the credibility of your site’s standing. Be sure to only use links from reliable sources that bring visitors to your site. Every couple of months, check for any sign of spam and then remove those links so that they do not affect your ranking
Technical SEO: The technical aspect of SEO, in contrast to the content side, guarantees that search engines scan and crawl your site (meaning they “read” your content and are able to rank it in comparison to other similar websites). Small business technical SEO concentrates on the backend of your website, such as your HTML code, mobile optimization, and site speed (see below), as well as your sitemap and the structure of your website.
Site speed: How long does it take your website to load? This is your site’s speed. Google is a significant element when ranking websites in its search results. Google favours sites that load faster and more efficiently, as it enhances your user’s experience. If your site is weighed by large videos or images like this or is not built to load rapidly and efficiently, it could be penalized in the search results.
Mobile optimization: How your site appears when viewed on smartphones is an important aspect in determining its rank. If you designed your web property on a PC and didn’t check that it displays properly across a range of smartphone types, your website will be unable to rank in the Google results.
What is small business SEO?
Small-business SEO refers to the practice of enhancing your small business’s web presence through search engines, ensuring that it appears in search results related to your provider.
Five tips to do small business SEO right
These tips will help you understand how to implement SEO for your small business.
- SEO is not only for Google
If you’re a small or growing company, your website should appear attractive on Google. However, depending on the type of audience you are targeting, other sites could be just as effective (or more effective in some cases), such as Amazon, Reddit, Yelp, YouTube, Instagram, and many others with specific SEO plans. Find out where you’d like to focus most of your time and effort, then start there.
- SEO strategy is effective but not instant
Although SEO isn’t instant or free, it’s highly efficient. The time it takes SEO to produce results depends on where you begin. If you’re at the beginning stages of figuring out an SEO strategy, anticipate at least six months before you see outcomes – more when creating a brand-new website. Be aware that SEO is a process that continues and is built upon itself.
- Target the right keywords
Create your content online using keywords that are specific to your company. Are you unsure of the keywords to focus on? Utilize tools for keyword research like Ahrefs, SEMRush, AnswerThePublic, and BuzzSumo. Many don’t cost a lot. This will allow users to find the most relevant web pages and content.
- Write for humans first and search engines second
Engaging, high-quality, relevant content targeted with keywords will encourage people to stay on your site to read longer and then interact with additional information. If you can, think about responding to questions commonly asked by your company. Present solutions your customers would like to see.
- Maximise local search to your advantage
Small businesses can enjoy massive success by targeting local searches. According to the statistics, those who search locally are likely customers waiting for their chance to convert. According to Sagapixel data, nearly 50% of the queries on Google are local-focused. Seventy-two percent of those who make a local search visit an establishment located within 5 miles of where they are.
Benefits of small business SEO
According to search engine research, organic search accounts for 53% of web traffic and 44% of the revenue share. SEO can bring in more users to the internet via organic search, which is the most popular digital channel.
SEO helps increase brand awareness. A good SEO can help you appear ahead of your competitors in terms of search engine results. If potential buyers can find your website, your name will be at the top of their list when they want to buy.
How should small businesses get started with SEO?
Conducting an audit on technical aspects and an audit of content is the first step. Audits reveal areas you’re performing well and areas that require improvements. Audits are a great starting point regardless of whether you’ve done any SEO. After your audit is complete, you’ll be aware of the specifics of what is necessary to boost your SEO.
Conduct a content audit for SEO
A content audit must accomplish two things: help you identify opportunities to create new content and identify existing content that requires attention. It should include a complete listing of your website’s content, such as blogs, accompanied by engagement, traffic rankings, keywords, and backlink information.
