Looking to find out more about SEO services for small businesses? You’ve come to the right place!
Unfortunately, SMEs tend to be less visible online when compared to their larger counterparts. Medium to large businesses dominate search engines and often have a large number of people working behind the scenes, helping them to stay ahead of the game.
But what if there was a way to make your business more recognisable without solely relying on PPC advertising or social media? Well, there is.
In this blog, we’ll be exploring the benefits of SEO, discussing the different types of SEO services available, and showing you why it pays to enlist the help of an experienced digital marketing agency.
So, without further ado, let’s get stuck in!
What are SEO services?
If you own a small business and you’ve heard of the term SEO but aren’t quite sure what it means and how it works, fear not. We’re here to clear things up.
SEO is short for “Search Engine Optimisation”. In a nutshell, it’s an umbrella term used to describe the tools and techniques that enable web pages to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).
The main purpose of any search engine is to provide the most valuable information to internet users who are carrying out searches. Therefore, your search engine will prioritise the web pages that are deemed the most helpful and reliable by pushing them to the top of the results.
It’s that simple.
As for SEO services, well, you can probably guess what this means. SEO services are all of the individual approaches or techniques that we can use to optimise a website.
This could include keyword research, local SEO, link building and a whole host of other techniques.
Is using SEO services the only way for my small business to become more visible?
Nope!
There are, in fact, two ways to rank higher in search engines.
An alternative to SEO is PPC, or, “pay-per-click” advertising.
You see those pages that appear at the top of your results page that say “sponsored”?
Those are advertisements that businesses have intentionally created to rank for a specific keyword.
Unlike SEO, which is deemed an “organic approach”, PPC is a paid marketing method that helps you to get in front of your audience by parting with your cash for a prime position.
What are the most common SEO services for small businesses?
Now you have an idea of what SEO services are, it’s time to break down the types of services available and the benefits that they offer for your small business.
When it comes to SEO, there are three core approaches you can use in combination to ensure that you stand the best chance of ranking.
On-Page SEO
On-page SEO refers to optimising the content and elements on your own website to make it more search engine-friendly.
Here are some examples:
Keyword Optimisation: Have you ever searched for something on Google and discovered that the first article in the results had the exact question and answer you were looking for?
This is a prime example of how keyword optimisation works.
Keyword optimisation involves researching and incorporating relevant keywords into your website’s content and meta tags to improve its search engine ranking. We find these keywords using handy subscription-based tools such as Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs and SEMrush. If more people search for your keywords, and those keywords are not very competitive, you’re more likely to get a high ranking.
Content Updates: The quality of content is also a big part of any SEO strategy since it affects the way that search engines prioritise results.
As we know, search engines focus on relevance and quality of content in order to display results that are helpful to the user. Therefore, it’s vital to ensure that your content is clear, concise and carefully written so that it provides the most value to your audience.
Off-Page SEO
Off-page SEO is the term we use to describe all the activities that occur outside of your website to boost your online presence.
Examples of off-page SEO techniques:
Link Building: One off-page technique that is particularly important for small businesses is link building. Acquiring high-quality backlinks from authoritative websites is invaluable because it enhances your website’s credibility.
If a link to your site is featured on a trustworthy website, it tells both Google and your customers that your small business has been endorsed by others, which helps you to achieve a better position in the search engine results.
Social Media Engagement: Lastly, you can use your social media platforms to support SEO. By sharing and promoting your content on social media, you can increase visibility and drive traffic to your website. So, always remember to include a CTA or a link within your social posts as it will have a wider effect on your overall website rank!
Technical SEO
As you might have guessed, technical SEO concentrates on the technical aspects of your website to enhance its performance, user experience, and search engine indexing.
Technical SEO Examples:
Site Speed Optimisation: If you want to rank well, you can’t have a slow website!
Improving your website’s loading speed will enhance user experience and, as a result, satisfy search engine requirements. So, don’t forget to remove any old plugins or large media files that could be affecting your page load time.
Mobile Optimisation: Ensuring your website is responsive and mobile-friendly is another critical factor in search engine ranking. Mobile users often have slower internet connections, so having a fast-loading mobile site is crucial. Google, in particular, places great importance on mobile-friendliness and page speed for mobile devices in its ranking algorithms.
Indexing: Our final technical SEO example is indexing. In the world of digital marketing, we use tools such as Google Search Console to index web pages.
What does this mean?
It means taking steps to make sure that your pages can be found by search engine crawlers. Although indexing doesn’t always need to be done manually, it can help to index new pages since search engines can take time to find your pages. By indexing those pages straight away, you’re simply speeding up the process and making sure you get found quicker.
Local SEO
Local SEO focuses on improving your online presence and visibility in local search results. For small businesses serving a specific geographic area, local SEO is essential for attracting nearby customers.
Local SEO practices:
Google My Business (GMB) Optimisation: Claiming and optimising your Google My Business listing is a fundamental step in local SEO because it helps your business to appear in Google’s local 3-pack and Maps results. It’s important to provide accurate and up-to-date information, including your business name, address, phone number (NAP), hours of operation, photos, and customer reviews.
Targeting Local Keywords: Another way to boost your local SEO is with localised keywords. By using phrases like “near me” or specific location-based keywords, you can target customers who are searching for products or services in your area and reach the people who matter most.
Want to know more about local SEO? Check out our article: Why Local SEO is Important for Your Business
Remember to do your research!
Since this is just a brief overview, we haven’t covered everything. These approaches are just some of the ways you can start to tackle SEO for your small business and there are many more tools and techniques that can be used. Don’t forget to do your research to find the best solutions to meet your digital needs.
The benefits of SEO for small businesses
If you’re still wondering why you should invest your hard-earned cash into SEO, let’s delve a bit deeper into how it can boost your small business.
It’s time to move on to the all-important part — the benefits!
Improved visibility and traffic
Let’s face it, you want to be found. If your business isn’t there straight away when potential customers search for your goods or services, your chances of making a conversion are very slim.
Consider your own experiences when searching online. Have you ever scrolled all the way to page 59 to look for a local shop or a list of “great restaurants in my area”?
No, we thought not.
The higher you rank, the more visible you are. In fact, the best ranking you can achieve is page one of the first five organically ranked pages.
If you can get there, your business will be in the prime real estate of search engine results. This coveted position ensures that when potential customers are searching for products or services you offer, they are more likely to find you.
Interestingly enough, being on the first page of the search results isn’t just about visibility; it’s about trust. Users tend to perceive businesses that appear on the first page as more credible and trustworthy. It’s a digital seal of approval that can significantly impact your website’s click-through rate and, ultimately, your bottom line.
SEO is affordable
As a small business, it’s understandable that you’ll want to protect every penny. However, the good news is that SEO is a cost-effective marketing strategy that provides a strong return on investment.
Although it takes time and patience, with consistent, well-executed SEO, you can establish a robust online presence, drive targeted organic traffic to your website, and get one step closer to achieving those precious conversions.
Oh and best of all, you can tailor your SEO package to match your budget, ensuring that you make the most of your marketing moolah!
SEO increases credibility
If your business is new or you don’t have much of a digital presence, you need a way to gain credibility and earn the trust of customers (before they decide to convert!)
Writing SEO-optimised content unleashes this potential for you.
When you write valuable blogs based on highly searched subjects in your field, you establish yourself as an industry thought leader.
The more you do this, the more you build your authoritative status in the eyes of customers, search engines and even your competitors!
A lot of businesses see content marketing as a check-box exercise, but this shouldn’t be the case. If you put thought, consideration and passion into your content, it won’t go unnoticed and will help you to stand out from the crowd.
Should I go it alone or enlist the help of an SEO agency?
Considering that a whopping 90.63% of content receives no traffic at all from Google, most small business owners have some work to do.
This might prompt you to ask the question, “Can I really achieve more visibility if I attempt to carry out SEO techniques alone?”
Well, ultimately, the decision is yours. It’s true that many small business owners have successfully taken the DIY approach and achieved notable results. So, if you decide that you want to take on the challenge and give SEO a go, we’re always on hand to provide comprehensive training and consultancy if you don’t feel confident jumping right in at the deep end.
And… if you need a little more assistance, that’s ok too!
Either way, before making your decision there are some useful factors to consider.
What you need to know:
First off, it’s important to recognise that SEO is a time-consuming endeavour.
Learning the ins and outs of SEO, keeping up with the ever-evolving search engine algorithms, and consistently implementing best practices can be a significant commitment. If you’re pushed for time with numerous other responsibilities, you might find it challenging to dedicate the necessary hours to SEO.
Secondly, making mistakes in SEO can be costly. This is because they can lead to penalties or setbacks in your rankings.
SEO is a complex field, and even well-intentioned efforts can sometimes have unintended consequences. By using an agency, you’ll have a dedicated team on hand with the experience to navigate these challenges and avoid common pitfalls.
Lastly, SEO is not a one-time task but an ongoing strategy.
SEO requires continuous monitoring, adjustment, and adaptation based on data and performance metrics. When you work with professionals, you get access to specialised tools, expertise, and a dedicated team to manage your SEO strategy over the long term. Without these things, you’re kinda taking a shot in the dark.
While a one-off approach might help you initially, it won’t provide the sustained benefits that come from ongoing SEO efforts. SEO is more like a marathon than a sprint, and investing in ongoing optimisation is the key to maintaining and improving your online presence over time.
Eager to find out more about our SEO services?
So there you have it! You now know a little more about SEO and might now be thinking about the best ways to incorporate SEO services into your business’s marketing strategy.
If you would like to find out more about our friendly digital agency and how we go about putting together a comprehensive SEO strategy for our clients, get in touch!
We’ll work with you to identify any weaknesses in your website or online platforms and make sure that we find the best SEO solutions for your business. Don’t be a stranger, give us a call: 0117 205 0484.