5 Tips to Increase Your Small Business SEO

Lorri Hoss

Traditional online marketing methods such as paid digital advertising services, but advertising fees have left small businesses struggling to compete. An effective alternative to paid advertising is search engine optimization (SEO), which allows your small business to remain competitive and pay lower costs. All it takes is the fruit of a solid plan, a little hard work, and time for the fruit of your labor to become a reality. 

What is SEO and how does it work?

SEO is the process of improving the organic visibility of a website online. The goal is to have your website appear as close to the top of the first page of search results (like Google) as possible. Small business SEO done right can increase traffic to your website without paying for advertising.

Many ingredients can help improve organic visibility. Some of the most important factors include page content, targeting the right keywords, and backlinks. Good SEO also depends on certain technical aspects, such as site speed and mobile optimization. 

Before we get into the details, here is a definition of common SEO terms: 

  • Organic Search Results: Also called search engine results pages (SERP). When a search user enters a query or search term into a search engine such as Google, a list of results is generated. This list contains the most important pages for this topic.
  • Keyword Ranking: This is exactly how your web page ranks in search results for a particular keyword. Most web searches return hundreds of pages of results, often with ten or more results on a page. The closer you are to the first rank on the first page, the more visitors your website will receive and, therefore, more traffic. 
  • Local Search/Local SEO: This part of SEO is used to promote local businesses online. For example, if a user types “Boston shoe store” into a search engine, the search results will list all the Boston shoe store websites that are relevant to that keyword. This is very different from just clicking on “shoe store,” which may result in non-local online retailers.
  • Backlinks: These are links from other websites to yours. Backlinks can help increase your page authority at the keyword level. But if you’re not careful, they can slow down both and damage your website’s quality. Make sure you only have backlinks from reputable sources that drive traffic to your page. Every few months, check for anything that appears to be spam and reject links to prevent them from lowering your ranking. 
  • SEO Techniques: The technical side of SEO, unlike the content side, enables search engines to crawl and index your website. Small business SEO techniques focus on backend information such as your HTML code, your site speed and mobile optimization (see below), your sitemap, and your website layout. 
  • Site Speed: How long does it take for your website to load? This is the speed of your site. Google takes this as an important factor when ranking websites in search results. Search engines favor websites that load quickly and efficiently because it improves the user experience. If your site is full of heavy photos or videos for example, but it is not designed to load quickly, it will be difficult to find it.
  • Mobile Optimization: How your website displays on mobile devices is another important factor in website optimization. If you’ve created your website on a desktop computer and haven’t made sure it’s compatible with different mobile devices, your site will have an impact on its search results.

Five tips for getting small business SEO right 

  1. SEO is not just for Google. As a growing small business, your site should rank well in Google. And depending on your audience, other sites can be useful (or more), including Amazon, Reddit, Yelp, YouTube, Instagram, and others with their own SEO strategies. Decide where you want to put most of your efforts and start there. 
  1. SEO strategies are effective, but not immediately. Although SEO is not free or instant, it is effective. The time it takes for SEO to work depends on your resume. If you are at the beginning of creating your SEO strategy, expect at least six months to see results – even if you are building a new website. Remember that SEO is a continuous and self-developing process. The foundation you lay in the first few months will make the process easier later on. The more effort you put into SEO, the more difficult it will be for your competitors to outrank you.
  1. Protect the correct words. Organize your online content using keywords specific to your business. Not sure which keywords to target? Use keyword research tools like Ahrefs, SEMRush, AnswerThePublic, or BuzzSumo; there are a few that are not too expensive. This will help your audience find the most relevant content on your website. 
  1. Write for people first, search engines second. High-quality, engaging and relevant content that includes targeted keywords will get people to stay on your website, read longer and interact with other content. If you can, consider answering frequently asked questions related to your business. Deliver solutions that your customers will want to see. As tempting as it may be, don’t include unnecessary keywords and/or content with the same topic. Your human readers will not stand for it and this content will affect your search visibility negatively. Search engines take this into account when deciding which results to display.
  1. Expand the local search to your convenience. Your small business can find great success by targeting local search. As statistics show, people looking for a country are customers who can wait to convert. According to data from Sagapixel, almost half of all searches on Google have local intent. Seventy-two percent of customers who do local research visit stores within a five-mile radius of their current location. When doing local search optimization, make sure to get your Google business page. This will help you appear on Google Maps and in “nearby” search results. For more local results, combine your city or state with your target keyword.

Unlock Your Digital Power: Mastering SEO To Get Online

Lorri Hoss

To stay ahead of the competition in the digital age, it’s important to unlock the power of your online presence. This is where search engine optimization (SEO) comes in. SEO is important for anyone who wants to increase the online visibility of their website. Whether you run a small business, an international company, a personal blog, or an e-commerce site, SEO can benefit you. SEO ensures that your business reaches its target audience by increasing visibility and driving organic traffic to your website. In this blog, we will explore SEO in detail, find out its benefits for small businesses, and provide effective strategies to improve your online presence. 

The essence of SEO 

SEO is about getting your website to rank well in search engine results pages (SERPs). By understanding how search engines work and adapting the content and structure of your website, you can make your site stand out and be relevant to user searches. To optimize your website, be sure to consider the following: 

  • On page SEO: By improving the content and structure of your website, you can make it more relevant and accessible to search engines. To do this, focus on keyword research and submissions, meta tags, titles, URL structure, internal links, and user experience. 
  • Off-page SEO: There are many external factors that can help you build the authority and credibility of your website. Consider getting high-quality backlinks from popular websites, checking your reputation online, and engaging in social media, content sharing, and influencer advertising. 
  • SEO Techniques: Make sure your website is well optimized, so search engines can crawl and index it properly. To do this, focus on optimizing website speed, mobile-friendliness, URL structure, XML sitemaps, and robots.txt files, as well as fixing any technical issues that may be hindering engine visibility. 

As part of a broader SEO strategy, optimizing organic SEO is important to increase your website’s visibility. Start by implementing SEO techniques to improve your website’s ranking and attract valuable organic traffic. You’ll also want to create high-quality content that matches your audience’s search intent and meets their immediate needs. By engaging users, providing feedback, and regularly updating your website with new content, such as blog posts, articles, videos, or infographics, you can make your website a trusted resource. and improving search rankings. 

SEO for small businesses 

You can do SEO yourself or hire a professional to help you optimize your content. An experienced professional can provide professional advice to implement the right strategy, maintain best efforts, and follow company procedures. If you’re thinking about hiring, be sure to first consider the applicant’s expertise, cost effectiveness, and flexibility. Ultimately, whether you manage SEO in-house or work with a third-party provider, the goal remains the same: increase your online presence, attract targeted traffic, and achieve lasting success. 

If you operate and manage a certain area, local search optimization should be an important part of your overall SEO strategy. This includes optimizing your content for “nearby” search results, and for searches with location services enabled. To optimize your website for local search queries, add location-specific keywords to local areas, and ensure that you have accurate and consistent NAP (name, address, phone number) information in online directories. 

Use platforms like Google My Business to keep your community up to date with business information and important updates, such as opening hours, your address and contact details. All of these things help search engines recognize your business’s relevance in local searches and increase your chances of attracting organic visitors.

SEO offers many benefits for small businesses: 

Increased online visibility: The right keywords increase your search engine rankings, so you can make meaningful connections with a larger audience.

  • Cost-effective Marketing: SEO is cheaper than traditional advertising methods. Instead of investing heavily in advertising or television advertising, small businesses can invest in SEO to build trust and ultimately increase market share.
  • Level the playing field: SEO allows small businesses to compete with larger companies. By focusing on niche keywords and implementing local SEO strategies, small businesses can position themselves in search results and gain visibility, even in a highly competitive industry.
  • Targeted Traffic: SEO focuses on attracting targeted traffic to the website. By including keywords related to their products or services, small businesses can ensure that they attract visitors who are interested in what they have to offer. This increases the chances of converting these visitors into customers. 
  • Building Trust: A strong SEO strategy helps small businesses build trust and confidence among their target audience. When a company consistently appears in search results with valuable content and provides a good user experience, it establishes itself as a trusted source. 
  • Improved user experience: By improving website features, such as page load speed, mobile responsiveness, and site layout, businesses improve user experience. A user-friendly website that is easy to navigate and provides relevant, high-quality content creates a positive impression on visitors and increases the chances of conversion. 

Mastering SEO is essential to unlock your digital potential and maximize your online presence. By understanding the basics of SEO, you can position your website to rank high on search engine results pages and attract organic traffic. Whether you handle SEO in-house or seek professional help, investing in an SEO strategy will help you connect with your target audience, make your business a trusted asset, and achieve sustainable growth. Take advantage of SEO to build strong relationships with people who really influence your business.

Three Benefits of SEO for Small Businesses

Lorri Hoss

According to a BrightEdge study, organic search results account for 53% of all internet traffic and provide 44% of total revenue. SEO attracts more readers online through organic search – the most digital channel. SEO increases brand awareness. Good SEO will help you stand out from your competitors in the search results. If search prospects go through your site, your brand will be top of mind when they’re ready to make a purchase.

If done right, SEO is effective, but it doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time and effort to establish foundations, but once you get them, the rewards are great. Like planting a tree, the more you maintain your SEO, the more it will grow. 

How should a small business start SEO?

The first step is to do technical analysis and content analysis. Review highlights areas where you are doing well and areas that need improvement. Reviews are a good place to start, whether you’ve done SEO or not. Once you’ve done your research, you’ll know how much work is required to improve your SEO.

How to do content analysis for SEO 

Content analysis should do two things: help uncover opportunities for new content and highlight existing content that needs attention. This should be a complete list of all your web content (i.e. blog) linked to traffic, referrals, top keywords and backlink data. Learn more about content analysis here.

How to do technical analysis for SEO 

A technical analysis will show you areas where the structure and background of your website need improvement. Make the page have an empty or duplicate page title or meta description. You should also track page speed, broken links or redirect chains on each page. You can get more technical and dive into canonical tags, hreflang, or schema markup. Learn more about technical analysis here.

How to choose a small business SEO service 

Not sure if you want to do this all by yourself? There is no shortage of SEO experts available to help small businesses with SEO strategies. Finding the right company or person should be just as important as having the right plan. While an in-house SEO expert may not be the right choice for your small business, there are other ways to meet your SEO needs. Many companies offer different packages suitable for small businesses. Some may offer package deals based on the services you require. This option will allow you to know the exact cost of the project and guarantee completion. If you are ready to do the work but need guidance to get started, you can hire hourly SEO consultants.

As with most business activities, you get what you pay for when it comes to SEO. You want your recruiter to give you good advice. Here are some questions to ask potential companies: 

  • What niche do you specialize in? 
  • What is the process like and what will you be working on month to month?
  • What is your link building strategy? 
  • How will you track progress?
  • How do you report? 
  • How often will you review and update the plan?
  • Do you have studies on similar projects? 
  • Is there a minimum time commitment?

Whether you decide to go into SEO yourself or hire a professional, having the right foundation in SEO strategy is essential. In the long run, this can be a huge benefit for your business and your bottom line.

-