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search-engine-optimization

The Small Business Owner’s Guide to Understanding SEO

As a small business owner, you’ve probably been told that SEO is important. Repeatedly. But what exactly is SEO? Is SEO just another tech buzzword? Why should SEO be considered an essential part of your small business marketing strategy? And how can you ensure that your business is incorporating SEO best practice measures?

What is SEO?

SEO stands for ‘Search Engine Optimisation’. It involves optimising your online business content so that you achieve organic search engine rankings. In other words, SEO makes your website look fantastic while also being highly functional and relevant to your target audience. Because of this, your business will appear higher in a Google search results list. 

How does SEO marketing benefit a small business?

First of all, how does a Google search work? And how does a search engine decide what order results will be ranked in? Basically, it all comes down to the search engines algorithm. Google uses a complex and constantly changing algorithm in order to assess and rank websites. While the logistics of this algorithm are incredibly complicated, at its core, Google is assessing your website for trustworthiness (is this a reputable source of information?), relevancy (will the information on this website answer the searchers’ query?) and customer experience (is this website engaging and easy to navigate?). A cleverly implemented SEO strategy will ensure the answer to the above questions is always ‘yes!’ when your target audience conducts a Google search. The more relevant, reputable and engaging your website becomes, the higher you’ll rank in search engine results. 

Why is organic page ranking important for a small business? 

Think about the last time you completed a Google search. Which listed result did you click on? Was it located at the top or the bottom of the first page (because let’s be honest, almost no one clicks through to the second page)? In fact, research shows that 30% of searchers will click on the highest placed listing, while only 2% on average will click on the 10th listing. So, if your small business is ranked 10th, you’re only reaching 2% of your target audience. 

As a small business, your marketing budget is probably not going to be on par with some of your larger competitors. But implementing a solid and well-planned SEO strategy allows you to compete with bigger companies in an affordable way, that delivers long-lasting results. This is because SEO is targeted towards your ideal customer, not just a broad-spectrum demographic. As a result, your return on investment is likely to be higher with a targeted SEO strategy. 

What are some SEO best practice measures that will benefit small businesses?

An effective SEO strategy needs to be thoroughly researched and should target multiple aspects of your online presence. This is why it’s so beneficial for small business owners to work with a professional digital marketing team. At Campaigns You Love, we can help you grow your small business by: 

  • Targeting specific keywords: Our team of SEO experts will conduct thorough research to determine which keywords are being used the majority by your target audience. These keywords can then be strategically placed throughout your website in a way that is natural and easy to read.
  • Focusing on local SEO: If you want to attract a local audience, then local SEO strategies are vital. Studies show that the number of people searching for businesses “near me” has jumped by 900% in recent years. 
  • Encouraging customer reviews: Positive reviews do more than just show potential customers why they should choose your business. They can also have a significant impact on your organic search rankings, as they show that your business is trustworthy.
  • Creating relevant content: The more high-quality content you have on your website, the higher your click-through-rate (CTR) is likely to be. CTR is a key factor that Google looks at when determining search engine ranking. Additionally, relevant content creates a better user experience, so your target audience is more likely to view your brand in a positive light.
  • Improving website functionality: What goes on behind the scenes is just as important to SEO as what displays on your homepage. If your website is full of broken links, poorly designed coding or images that take too long to load, then people won’t stick around for long.

As a small business owner, SEO can be an affordable, simple and highly effective way to grow your business. To find out more about SEO, contact the experienced team at Campaigns You Love.

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