SEO tips for small business owners
How to reach more customers online
As a small business owner, it’s important to find ways to reach more potential customers online.
SEO, or search engine optimization, is one of the most important tools you can use to this end.
By optimizing their website and content for search engines, companies can increase the chances of their site appearing at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs), where most people search for products or services.
While search engine optimization may seem daunting for already busy small business owners, there are some simple tips and tricks that can make a big difference.
What is SEO and why is it important for small business owners?
SEO involves optimizing a website so that it ranks higher in search engine results pages.
This process is important for small business owners, as it increases visibility, traffic and conversions.
SEO involves a number of strategies, including keyword research, link building and content marketing.
When done correctly, SEO can help a small business compete with larger companies and reach a wider audience.
What’s more, SEO can be a cost-effective way of generating leads and sales.
For these reasons, every small business owner should consider integrating SEO into their marketing strategy.
How to search for keywords
Keywords are the foundation of any good SEO strategy, and can make or break your chances of ranking in the search engine results pages (SERPs).
Keyword research is one of the most important steps in SEO, as it identifies the terms and phrases people are most likely to use when searching for your products or services.
Before we get into how to perform the search, let’s note that keywords can be short or long.
A short-tail keyword is a general, high-traffic keyword, usually consisting of one or two words.
However, they’re also highly competitive and can be difficult to rank for.
An example of a short-tail keyword is “shoes”.
A long-tail keyword is a more specific, low-traffic keyword, usually consisting of three or more words.
Long-tail keywords are less competitive than short-tail keywords and can be an effective way of targeting your audience.
An example of a long-tail keyword is “women’s running shoes”.
The best golden keywords are long keywords that contain the right short keywords.
For example, “the best women’s running shoes for beginners”.
Now let’s get down to the basics of keyword research:
First of all, you need to draw up a list of potential keywords.
To do this, think about the terms people might use to search for your site or product.
You can also use Google’s autocomplete function.
Once you have a list of potential keywords, it’s time to start researching them.
The best way to do this is to use a tool like Google Keyword Planner.
This tool will help you see how often people search for your keywords and how competitive they are.
Start by typing your short-range keyword into the Google search bar.
Then take a look at the suggestions that appear below the search bar.
These are all the potential long-range keywords you could be looking for.
Based on your research, choose the keywords you think will be most effective for your business.
Then start incorporating them into the content of your site.
Find out more in the next section!
How to use keywords in your website and content
Keywords are the bread and butter of website optimization.
To ensure that your website is seen by your target audience, you need to integrate keywords throughout your site.
Here’s a quick rundown of where to use keywords for maximum effect:
Title tag
The title tag is the most important place to use keywords, as it tells search engines what your page is about. Be sure to place your main keyword at the beginning of the title.
Meta description
The meta-description is the second most important place to use keywords.
This is the text that appears below your page title in the search engine results pages (SERPs).
Here again, be sure to include your main keyword, as well as a call to action.
Securities (H1 and H2)
Headings are used to structure your content and make it easier to read.
Search engines also use them to understand the hierarchy of your content.
Use keyword-rich titles (h1 for headings, h2 for subheadings) so that humans and search engines can find what they’re looking for.
URL
The URL of your page is also important.
Be sure to include keywords in the URL, but don’t overdo it.
A short, keyword-rich URL is preferable.
Contents
Of course, you’ll also want to use keywords in the body of your content.
Use them naturally, and don’t insert them just for the sake of it.
In general, a good rule of thumb is to use your keyword a few times for every 100 words of content.
Alternative text
Alt text is the text that appears when an image cannot be displayed.
It is also used by search engines to understand the content of an image.
So whenever you add images to your site, be sure to include keyword-rich alt text.
Other tips for small business owners
Trying to find all the little tips and tricks that will help your website rank higher in the search engine results pages can be a time-consuming and frustrating process.
And if you run a small business, you probably don’t have much time to waste.
Fortunately, there are a few quick and applicable SEO tips that can help your website be found by more potential customers.
First of all, make sure your website is mobile-friendly.
In today’s world, more and more people are using their phones and tablets to browse the Internet, so it’s important to make sure your site is designed for smaller screens.
Secondly, create fresh, original content on a regular basis. This will not only help your website rank higher in search results, but also give potential customers a reason to return.
Finally, consider outsourcing your SEO efforts to a professional agency or consultant.
While this may seem like an expense you can’t afford, it will pay off in the long run in terms of increased web traffic and sales.
By following these tips, you can improve your SEO and ensure that your small business website ranks higher in search results. But, more importantly, you’ll be able to attract more visitors to your website and generate more leads for your business.
