As we move into another new year, many businesses are examining their marketing efforts and trying to figure out how to improve them. What could you be doing better, how could you reach your audience more effectively, and will anything you do result in more sales?
With SEO in your corner, we can confidently say ‘yes’. But as a small business owner, you’re probably wondering if investing in SEO is really worth it, and what it will do to help your business in the long run. In this article, we have 6 top SEO tips for small businesses.
Why Is SEO Important For Small Businesses?
SEO is how you are found online. Whether you actively engage in it or not, you will still have a search engine ranking, and that will impact how many people can find your business when searching for relevant services online. By doing even some basic optimisation on your website and content, you could make your website appear higher up the results, meaning more people will see your business each time a service like yours is searched for.
It’s also the most viable and cost-effective way to understand and reach customers during the key moments- when they are actively searching for your solutions. By implementing an SEO strategy you can ensure that your business is visible during their search, giving you the chance to convert time and time again. Effective SEO increases your brand visibility, builds trust and credibility, and leads to more leads and conversions for your business. It’s a win-win.
How Can Small Businesses Improve Their SEO?
Set Up Your Tools
Your SEO strategy is only as good as your information, so ensure you’re setting yourself up for success. Get Google Search Console and Analytics installed on your website before you do anything else. This will give you access to granular data about who is visiting your website, when, where they came from, what they do on the site and how long they spend there. It will also give you reports on how well your site is performing on search results, including how many people see your website in search results, how many click on it and the average position you rank in. Once you have that information, you can monitor it and see what difference your changes make.
Use Google Business Profile
When you search for a business online, you’ll likely see a little summary box on the right-hand side that lists their details, shows reviews and FAQs and even some pictures. This is what a properly optimised Google Business profile looks like, and it’s completely free. All you have to do is claim your listing (here’s how to do that) and optimise it. This means having all of the information filled in, images uploaded, opening hours set, and even posting your blogs to it using the article feature. Having your Google Business profile optimised will significantly boost your local ranking, improve online engagement with your business and help you convert more customers.
Focus on Local
Did you know that 97% of consumers are searching for local businesses online? This means local search is your friend! The best way to do this is by using your Google My Business account (see above), and getting yourself into some local business directories. In SEO terminology these are known as ‘citations’, which is a mention of your business on a relevant website. Do some research into what directories are relevant for you to be listed in, both nationally and locally, and get yourself included. To get the most out of it make sure you have a consistent description that mentions your services and ideal geographic areas, include high-quality images and that you select the right business category for your listing.
Find The Right Keywords
A lot of people think that because Google recognises and categorises your content using keywords, if you flood your content with keywords you will rank higher. Sadly, this is not the case, and you might even find your rankings are harmed by this activity (which Google calls ‘keyword stuffing’). Instead, you should focus on finding the right keywords and ranking for them. This means thinking about the words clients are likely to use when searching for your services, and using tools like the Google AdWords planner to gain insight into what people are actually searching. Then, make sure the appropriate keywords are in all the right places on each page – from the URL to metadata, image tags and the text itself.
You can also use our preferred tool, SE Ranking, to find information about your competitor’s keywords and traffic estimations. It is a paid tool, but it offers a 14-day free trial and they can guide you through how to make the most of it. You can get started using the form below:
Publish High-Quality Content
And lots of it! The main job of a search engine is to help people find answers to their questions. So the best way to get Google’s attention is to create lots of content that provides quality information to readers and answers those questions. The more often you update your content, the better! Be sure to include a variety of content too, from articles and videos to images and infographics.
Build Your Online Reputation
Another area you might not have thought of to boost your SEO is your reviews. Google takes online reviews into account, and even if everything else was equal, the businesses with the highest online reputation will always secure the higher spot on Google. So take control of yours and start building up your online reputation now. Find your Google Review link (here’s a guide to find it), and reach out and ask people to review your business. Build it into your processes at an appropriate time, so that it becomes simpler to do. Make sure you’re monitoring and responding to reviews as well, as this builds customer trust and gives you a direct line.
At Lion Spirit Media we’re here to help you separate yourself from the herd online and grow your digital jungle footprint. We specialise in improving our client’s SEO rankings by pursuing highly targeted and relevant traffic, driving it to your website and increasing your search engine visibility. We know every business is different, and we love a challenge, so if you think your SEO can’t be improved, give us a try! To find out more about our SEO services, check out of SEO packages or just get in touch with the team today.
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