Top 10 SEO Tips for Small Businesses
Running a small business is very different from scaling an already established brand. Whether you are a local service provider or a thriving eCommerce owner, the best strategy would be to guide the search result through search engine optimization best practices.
In this blog post, we are sharing our ten best SEO tips for small businesses to help them attract more leads and convert new customers.
In this blog post, we are sharing our ten best SEO tips for small businesses to help them attract more leads and convert new customers.
1. Assess the customer’s search intent.
You must incorporate the user’s search intent in your content to rank higher on the search engine. Many SEO experts suggest that keyword research is one of the top SEO tips for small business owners, but some disagree.
The idea behind it is simple. Different users will be using different keywords to get to your business page. Therefore, understanding what brings them to your content will assist in engaging and converting them.
Let’s say that you sell unique stationery items. So people coming to your webpage could be looking for:
When you break down the above queries, you will have the following three search intents:
Once you understand the key intent behind what the users are typing, it will be advantageous to guide them to the relevant search results by creating content around it.
The idea behind it is simple. Different users will be using different keywords to get to your business page. Therefore, understanding what brings them to your content will assist in engaging and converting them.
Let’s say that you sell unique stationery items. So people coming to your webpage could be looking for:
- A vendor to buy unique stationery items
- How to make these items with ordinary things
- Your services with no specific business inquiries
When you break down the above queries, you will have the following three search intents:
- Transactional intent (customers ready to buy)
- Informational intent (online searchers looking for details)
- Commercial intent (customers not ready to buy now but gathering information)
Once you understand the key intent behind what the users are typing, it will be advantageous to guide them to the relevant search results by creating content around it.
2. Identify relevant keywords by keyword research.
Once you have identified the user’s search intent, the second tip out of the best ten from our list of SEO optimization tips is to use targeted and long-tail keywords. These keywords must translate into the user’s search intent. You can use the free Google Keyword Planer Tool to research the keyword by search volume and market competition.
The one thing you must keep in mind while following these SEO tips and tricks is that there is no cookie-cutter approach to ranking your services on search engine results pages (SERPs). You must be willing to test and try many relevant keywords and see which is bringing more search traffic to which page on your website.
But if you are in a hurry and want expert advice to shorten the trial and testing time, we suggest you contact our SEO experts. They can guide you on the high-ranking keywords for your service with a proven strategy of successful customer navigation to your purchase page.
The one thing you must keep in mind while following these SEO tips and tricks is that there is no cookie-cutter approach to ranking your services on search engine results pages (SERPs). You must be willing to test and try many relevant keywords and see which is bringing more search traffic to which page on your website.
But if you are in a hurry and want expert advice to shorten the trial and testing time, we suggest you contact our SEO experts. They can guide you on the high-ranking keywords for your service with a proven strategy of successful customer navigation to your purchase page.
3. Perform On Page Optimization.
With Google’s now focus on user-friendly content, optimizing the website for on-page searches can result in higher engagement and conversion rates. You can optimize your content for search engine ranking through on-page optimization by following the below steps:
All this might sound like a lot of work, but our SEO team encourages you to follow the above SEO tips for ranking your content on the SERPs.
- Choose a clear, descriptive & relevant title and meta description.
- Use keywords in the first 100 words and throughout the content.
- Add relevant headings (H1, H2, etc.).
- Use images and videos with descriptive file names and alt text.
- Use internal linking to related content.
- Ensure the content is of high quality and provides value to the reader.
- Ensure the page is easily navigable and the URL is simple and descriptive.
- Improve website load time with techniques like compression, caching, and minifying files.
- Make sure the content is mobile-friendly and accessible to users with disabilities.
- Regularly update content to keep it fresh and relevant.
All this might sound like a lot of work, but our SEO team encourages you to follow the above SEO tips for ranking your content on the SERPs.
4. Put out quality content.
As stated in the first heading, the purpose of the search is to find information on what’s relevant to the user. You cannot gain the trust of your prospects without giving them value upfront.
Do so by answering their query accurately to be considered an authority in your area of expertise. And while you are at it, always include phrases in your paragraphs that reflect the intention behind the search.
If you religiously follow this one strategy of all our given SEO tips for small businesses. In that case, you will eventually build a following of loyal customers who are more than willing to stick with your brand for longer.
Do so by answering their query accurately to be considered an authority in your area of expertise. And while you are at it, always include phrases in your paragraphs that reflect the intention behind the search.
If you religiously follow this one strategy of all our given SEO tips for small businesses. In that case, you will eventually build a following of loyal customers who are more than willing to stick with your brand for longer.
5. Conduct periodic SEO audits.
It would be futile to implement all the relevant SEO tricks and tips would be futile without checking the results they are bringing. Therefore, regular SEO audits will be the best way to gauge and improve your standing once you have published good-quality content.
You can use many SEO audit tools to analyze every page on your website. However, with free tools, you may not be able to get access to advanced features. Therefore, before you opt for a paid subscription, we advise you to determine the targets you wish to achieve with the audits.
A typical SEO audit generally gives you information on the performance of your various website pages and insights on how to tweak the output to improve the search engine rankings.
You can use many SEO audit tools to analyze every page on your website. However, with free tools, you may not be able to get access to advanced features. Therefore, before you opt for a paid subscription, we advise you to determine the targets you wish to achieve with the audits.
A typical SEO audit generally gives you information on the performance of your various website pages and insights on how to tweak the output to improve the search engine rankings.
6. Improve your technical SEO
The term does not refer to coding. But to all the technical elements that govern the performance of a webpage and make it likable for the search engine. Technical SEO is best done by a field specialist who understands what they are doing.
With audits on technical SEO, you can improve the user experience as the focus is on how a particular page or the entire website performs at the user end. Below are five steps you can take to improve the technical foundation of your SEO strategy:
With audits on technical SEO, you can improve the user experience as the focus is on how a particular page or the entire website performs at the user end. Below are five steps you can take to improve the technical foundation of your SEO strategy:
- Find broken links and crawling errors by running a website audit.
- Make the website easily crawlable with proper use of robots.txt and sitemap.xml.
- Secure website with HTTPS.
- Implement keyword-targeted internal linking.
- Regularly monitor and track website analytics and search engine ranking data.
7. Optimize the page loading speed
When Google makes the user experience a key indicator for ranking webpages on the search results, it is best to improve the page loading speed. You can do so by:
When a user is surfing for options from a pool of service providers, they will not wait for your web content to load. Instead, they will move to another option. A 1-second delay can cost an 11% decline in page views, as per a study by Blue Corona.
Even if your content is good but does not load in time to offer the required solution to the user, you will see no return on your efforts. That is why of all the other SEO optimization tips, you should pay the most heed to it as a small business owner.
- Picking a performance-optimized hosting
- Compressing and optimizing the images on the webpage
- Reducing the redirects and removing unnecessary redirect links
- Caching the webpages at the hosting level or through a plugin
- Use a content delivery network for better content distribution
When a user is surfing for options from a pool of service providers, they will not wait for your web content to load. Instead, they will move to another option. A 1-second delay can cost an 11% decline in page views, as per a study by Blue Corona.
Even if your content is good but does not load in time to offer the required solution to the user, you will see no return on your efforts. That is why of all the other SEO optimization tips, you should pay the most heed to it as a small business owner.
8. Use structured data
One of the ways Google improves the user experience is by reading the structured data on the webpage. Structured data includes specific things like, in the case of a cooking recipe, the ingredients, the cooking time, temperature, and calories.
Adding structured data help search results find content that is more engaging to users. Such content let Google know what might encourage the user to interact more with your website.
You can incorporate the structured data format by using schema markup to enhance your website’s appearance in search results.
Our SEO specialist considers this to be one of the most effective SEO small business tips, as marking your data is a great way to let the search engine understand what it is about.
Adding structured data help search results find content that is more engaging to users. Such content let Google know what might encourage the user to interact more with your website.
You can incorporate the structured data format by using schema markup to enhance your website’s appearance in search results.
Our SEO specialist considers this to be one of the most effective SEO small business tips, as marking your data is a great way to let the search engine understand what it is about.
9. Google my business page
To attract foot traffic to your brick-and-mortar store, your best bet is to put out your business details by creating a profile on Google My Business profile. This gives the customer accurate information about your services and how they can reach you.
It is one of the easiest and most affordable SEO optimization tips for small business owners to attract warm leads to products or services. The page allows you to manage your information, such as hours of operation, contact information, and product offerings.
Google My Business also provides insights and analytics to business owners by offering them a better understanding of how customers interact with their listings. It is also a great marketing tool where customers can leave reviews and ratings, allowing you to receive valuable feedback and improve your reputation in the market.
It is one of the easiest and most affordable SEO optimization tips for small business owners to attract warm leads to products or services. The page allows you to manage your information, such as hours of operation, contact information, and product offerings.
Google My Business also provides insights and analytics to business owners by offering them a better understanding of how customers interact with their listings. It is also a great marketing tool where customers can leave reviews and ratings, allowing you to receive valuable feedback and improve your reputation in the market.
10. Share industry updates
The best way to stay relevant and include the current keywords that online searchers use in your content is by regularly updating it with relevant industry news and trendy topics. A need to constantly update the content means that you have to stay updated on the key updates on SEO optimization.
Sharing your industry knowledge by coupling it with the latest search engine ranking updates will help you stay relevant and top of the mind of your customers. Those who choose to move past you for any reason will consider purchasing if your content keeps showing up on the SERPs results.
These SEO tips and tricks aren’t the only ways to command your authority on the search results. But they are the best tips to implement as a small business owner who is yet to expand their reach.
If you need assistance with understanding or planning an SEO strategy for your business, we have a team of experts who can assist you. Just get in touch through the contact us page.
Sharing your industry knowledge by coupling it with the latest search engine ranking updates will help you stay relevant and top of the mind of your customers. Those who choose to move past you for any reason will consider purchasing if your content keeps showing up on the SERPs results.
These SEO tips and tricks aren’t the only ways to command your authority on the search results. But they are the best tips to implement as a small business owner who is yet to expand their reach.
If you need assistance with understanding or planning an SEO strategy for your business, we have a team of experts who can assist you. Just get in touch through the contact us page.
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