The Internet is like a giant rainforest these days. It’s easy for small businesses to get overshadowed by larger competitors who are hogging all the sunlight (website traffic). As a small business, it’s difficult to figure out a way to fight back. It’s a real David vs. Goliath situation. And SEO can be the sling you need to equalize the situation.
We get it. You have a limited budget, lower brand recognition, and fewer resources. It’s hard to imagine a universe where you can go toe-to-toe with the big guys. But we’re here to show you how SEO can help your small business get out of this bind.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) isn’t just for major players. For a small business, it’s a vital strategy to improve online visibility, get in front of more people, and attract more customers. Yet the real question is, “Is it worth the investment?” Let’s dive in and find out.
SEO for Small Business Owners
First, let’s break down what SEO actually is. At its core, SEO is about making your website more attractive to search engines like Google. This involves strategies and tactics to improve your website’s search engine rankings. The higher your site ranks, the more likely it is to be seen by potential customers.
As a small business, SEO is your ticket to getting noticed in a crowded marketplace. Unlike traditional advertising, which usually requires massive budgets, SEO is a cost-effective way to reach your target audience. By optimizing your website and content, you increase the chances of appearing in relevant searches and bringing more organic traffic to your site.
Tailored SEO Services for Small Business Success
SEO is not a one-size-fits-all solution. The main concern for many is that it can take a long time for things to take off. If you’re looking for a quick uptick in sales right now, then search engine optimization may not be the solution for you. Something like PPC or social media advertising would probably be more your speed.
That being said, small businesses have unique needs and there are SEO services specifically designed to meet those needs. If you can afford the time it takes the ball to start rolling, it might be the right move for you. Here’s a closer look at what these services look like.
Optimizing Website Content
This involves using the right keywords in your content, creating engaging and informative articles, and ensuring that all content is relevant to your audience. For example, if you run a local bakery, your content should include keywords like “bakery in Birmingham, AL” and “fresh bread daily.”
The articles can include recipes or advice on how to get the best bread at home. It may sound counterintuitive (you want people buying bread from you, right?), but this is a good way to demonstrate your expertise. Just as we’re doing on our blog, you can read it and do your own SEO. Or you can partner with our team of professionals who offer more than a decade of experience and are dedicated to helping your brand stand above your competitors.
We have conversations about this with our clients all the time. “But won’t I give out too much know-how?” Look, the information is already there. Someone who’s looking for it can easily get it either from you or from someone else. But if they get it from you, they’ll remember you, and next time they’re in the mood for freshly baked bread, they’ll make the drive to your place. After all, they know for a fact you know what you’re doing.
Keyword Research
Lots of research goes into knowing the relevant keywords to use when optimizing a website. This is called keyword research. We spend hours in front of specialized tools to uncover keywords many people use to search for products and services but still have a relatively low competition. Finding such keywords is striking the motherload in SEO.
Optimizing a page for a set of keywords with decent search and little competition can bring thousands of visits to the website every month. While there’s no guarantee, we have many clients who have seen tremendous success because of this.
Improving Your Site’s Structure
Your website should be easy to navigate, fast, and mobile-friendly. This not only makes it better for human users but also for search engines. The easier it is for search engines to catalog your website (a process called crawling), the better chance you have to appear.
Naturally, this goes way beyond search engines and rankings. If people have a good time navigating your website and a pleasant user experience, they’re much more likely to do what you want (whether that’s to make a purchase, fill out a form, contact you, or anything else).
Exposure to More Varied Audiences
Thanks to SEO, you can reach audiences that would otherwise remain elusive. By enriching your content with the proper keywords and delivering value to different groups, you position your business as an authority.
As an authority, you’re not just another business in your niche. You’re a business people know and are more likely to trust when they’re looking for goods and services. People choose what they know; your customers and clients are no different.
Making Your Way Into Local Markets with Local SEO Services
Local SEO is an ace in the hole for small businesses. Why? Because it helps you become more visible to customers in your immediate area. Big businesses don’t usually bother optimizing for specific locations, so this is an excellent opportunity for small and mid-sized businesses to shine.
When someone nearby searches for a service or product you offer, you want your business to be at the top of the results. You can achieve this with proper local SEO strategies or by paying for sponsored entries.
Here, we’ll focus on organic optimization.
Google Business Profile Optimization
Ensure your Google My Business profile is complete and up-to-date. Add photos, respond to reviews, and include important details like your business hours. You want to make sure it’s obvious to prospective clients that your business is operational and up-to-date. GMB posts also help with this idea. A well-optimized GMB profile can attract local customers in no time.
Local Citations
Make sure your local business information is consistent across all business listings and platforms (think Yelp, UpCity, and more). This consistency helps build trust with search engines. While it can be annoying to keep a list of directories and go through them every time there’s a change, it beats having a different address on each directory, because it can confuse both Google and your customers.
Local Reviews
Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews on Google and other review sites. These reviews can significantly impact your search rankings. Lots of local businesses neglect this to their own detriment.
Let’s take a local coffee shop here in Birmingham, AL, as an example. If they optimize their Google Business Profile and gather positive reviews, they will appear more prominently in searches like “coffee shop near me.” This will drive more traffic through the door, which leads to more reviews and even better outcomes.
The Benefits of Investing in SEO for Your Small Business
So, what outcomes can you expect from investing in SEO? Many people get into it hoping for a miracle, but SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. That being said, if you’re patient, here are some of the benefits you can expect.
Increased Website Traffic
This is pretty straightforward. More visibility in search results means more visitors to your site. This organic traffic is highly valuable because it includes people actively searching for what you offer.
Unlike most other forms of marketing, there are multiple angles from which you can approach the situation. Of course, it would widely depend on your business, but there are often underutilized keywords or methods you can use to rank and drive more people to your website.
We’ve seen this play out time and again with our clients. We discover a niche (usually a keyword overlooked by most competitors), and after some time and work, they start to get a lot more traffic.
Higher Conversion Rates
An optimized website not only attracts visitors but also converts them into customers. With clear calls to action and engaging content, you can guide visitors toward making a purchase or booking a service.
UX (user experience) is an integral part of the overall SEO process. Of course, it can bleed into development, too, but SEO professionals are the people who know how to examine how users interact with the website. As such, it’s extremely important to remember that SEO is not just about rankings and traffic.
Improved Brand Awareness
Small businesses often struggle with brand awareness and recognition. As your search rankings improve, so does your brand’s visibility. People are more likely to trust and remember a brand that appears at the top of search results.
For example, a local foot specialist and client of ours in Birmingham invested in SEO, and his website saw tremendous growth, catapulting him into the position of go-to authority in the city. Through informational content, a lot more people learned about his practice.
Choosing the Best SEO Services for Your Small Business
Not all SEO and digital marketing agencies are created equal. SEO can be quite mystifying, so there are some bad actors in the field who would use the fact that not everyone knows what this type of digital marketing entails.
Therefore, selecting the right SEO services can be quite a challenge. Here’s how to simplify the process:
- Look for industry expertise. Have a look at the blog. Ideally, you want an agency or a professional who can clearly explain concepts. While this is not an indication of how they do their work, at least it demonstrates they know how to do it.
- Check the service offerings. Make sure you’re getting the right SEO package. Local SEO and ongoing SEO are usually two separate services that have a very different focus. Make sure you’re getting technical SEO, onsite, offsite, and local SEO.
- Read client testimonials and case studies. Ideally, you want someone with experience in your industry, so look for case studies in your industry (or close to it). Alternatively, you can look at testimonials. They’re a lot easier to fake, but you’ll get a feel for genuine testimonials.
- Pay attention to their process. Partnering with an SEO provider who understands your unique needs and goals can help you achieve better results. However, this is achieved through lots of communication, back-and-forth, feedback, trial-and-error, and more.
Choosing the wrong SEO company can cost you a lot more than wasted money. Shady or inexperienced people can sometimes do serious damage that later takes years to clean up. This is not an exaggeration. You can even get a penalty from Google, so make sure you choose wisely.
Is SEO the Right Move for Your Small Business?
So, is small business SEO worth it? Absolutely. While it might not deliver instant results like PPC or social media ads, the long-term benefits are immense. Increased website traffic, higher conversion rates, and improved brand awareness are just a few of the perks. SEO is a powerful tool to level the playing field against bigger competitors and carve out your own space in the market.
Remember, SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. It requires patience, consistency, and a well-planned strategy. With the right approach, it can transform your online presence and bring lasting success. By investing in SEO, you’re investing in the future of your business. So, roll up your sleeves, dive into the world of SEO, and watch your small business grow and thrive. After all, every giant oak started as a tiny acorn—your business can, too.
