Cheat Sheet: 4 SEO Hacks Your Small Business Needs to Start Doing Today
Search engine optimization, or SEO, is an integral marketing strategy for businesses of all sizes to compete for rankings on Google’s search engine results page (SERP). SEO for small businesses is especially important in helping them stay competitive with larger, more established online vendors.
Money can buy many things, but it can’t buy SEO rankings. With the right SEO tactics, small businesses have an equal chance of ranking for the same terms that large businesses do. Here’s how.
Use Long-Tail Keywords for On-Page Optimizations
Long-tail keywords are search phrases that have longer word counts, typically a minimum of 3-4 words. Focusing on specific long-tail keywords when optimizing for on-page SEO for small businesses means there’s less competition.
Specific keywords make up the majority of search terms. Targeting more specific keywords can help small businesses find their niche and win over consumers from larger brands.
Use Local SEO to Achieve Your Marketing Goals
Local SEO is an optimization process that helps local businesses rank on Google’s local searches. This is a great way for small, local businesses to appear at the perfect time when local searchers are looking for a local good or service.
For example, a local Google My Business directory will list the hours, website, contact information, and more. This makes it easy for consumers to find the information they need and ultimately make a purchase.
Build Links from Your Neighbors
The main goal of SEO outreach is to build valuable links back to your company’s website from off-site publishers. Link building for small businesses is an effective and innovative way to increase organic visibility on Google.
As outreach campaigns continue to progress, small businesses will reap the rewards through an increase in qualified traffic to their website.
Check for Any Technical Issues
The technical side of your website such as page load speed, optimization efforts, mobile-friendliness, etc. can make or break your SEO efforts.
Make Sure Your Website is Mobile Friendly
Google uses mobile-friendliness as a ranking factor so it’s crucial that your website has strong functionality from a mobile device. Mobile searchers are typically looking for specific information when they go online, so make sure your small business stays relevant.
Check Your Website Speed
Another part of technical SEO for small businesses is website speed. A slow website is a bad first impression for your brand and many consumers likely won’t give you a second chance.
There are many tactics to help increase page load speed, including image optimization, reducing redirects, and using a content distribution network. The right SEO agency will provide you with specific guidance to meet your business’ needs.
Conclusion
Small businesses can thrive with the right SEO tactics. Because search engines use such complicated algorithms to serve consumers, if your small business can leverage the right strategy, the results could be fruitful.
Comrade Digital Marketing has recently been included in the two prestigious ratings by Digital.com: Top Digital Marketing Agencies in Chicago 2021 and Best SEO Companies in Chicago 2021. So, if you’re looking for a curated SEO strategy to help your small business thrive, our team is more than happy to assist. We will help you stay competitive in your field. Call us for a free, no-obligation consultation today!
Frequently Asked Questions
Does SEO still work in 2021?
Some traditional marketing practices may be getting outdated, but SEO is sure to stay in 2021. Whether you invested in SEO a while ago or are just starting to make the first steps, it can still bring loads of traffic to your website and increase your revenue.
How do I do SEO for my small businesses?
Follow these steps to get started: 1. Sign up with Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools. 2. Create a Google My Business listing. 3. Do keyword research. 4. Arrange keywords by page. 5. Try to target long-tail keywords. 6. Test your keywords with PPC. 7. Optimize your page metadata (titles and descriptions). 8. Build backlinks by reaching out to your business partners.
Can SEO ruin my business?
There are some practices known as "black hat SEO." Of course, they will not ruin your business per se, but using such practices will lead to getting penalized by Google. Your rankings will plummet, and it will result in a loss of traffic and revenue. The same might happen when SEO is done unprofessionally and against the webmaster guidelines. At Comrade, we never use "black hat SEO" techniques, and all our SEO experts have years of experience in getting websites to Google's page one.
- Website UI/UX, content and conversion review
- SEO: 20-point performance check
- Digital marketing strategy
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