Three Benefits of SEO for Small Businesses
According to a BrightEdge study, organic search results account for 53% of all internet traffic and provide 44% of total revenue. SEO attracts more readers online through organic search – the most digital channel. SEO increases brand awareness. Good SEO will help you stand out from your competitors in the search results. If search prospects go through your site, your brand will be top of mind when they’re ready to make a purchase.
If done right, SEO is effective, but it doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time and effort to establish foundations, but once you get them, the rewards are great. Like planting a tree, the more you maintain your SEO, the more it will grow.
How should a small business start SEO?
The first step is to do technical analysis and content analysis. Review highlights areas where you are doing well and areas that need improvement. Reviews are a good place to start, whether you’ve done SEO or not. Once you’ve done your research, you’ll know how much work is required to improve your SEO.
How to do content analysis for SEO
Content analysis should do two things: help uncover opportunities for new content and highlight existing content that needs attention. This should be a complete list of all your web content (i.e. blog) linked to traffic, referrals, top keywords and backlink data. Learn more about content analysis here.
How to do technical analysis for SEO
A technical analysis will show you areas where the structure and background of your website need improvement. Make the page have an empty or duplicate page title or meta description. You should also track page speed, broken links or redirect chains on each page. You can get more technical and dive into canonical tags, hreflang, or schema markup. Learn more about technical analysis here.
How to choose a small business SEO service
Not sure if you want to do this all by yourself? There is no shortage of SEO experts available to help small businesses with SEO strategies. Finding the right company or person should be just as important as having the right plan. While an in-house SEO expert may not be the right choice for your small business, there are other ways to meet your SEO needs. Many companies offer different packages suitable for small businesses. Some may offer package deals based on the services you require. This option will allow you to know the exact cost of the project and guarantee completion. If you are ready to do the work but need guidance to get started, you can hire hourly SEO consultants.
As with most business activities, you get what you pay for when it comes to SEO. You want your recruiter to give you good advice. Here are some questions to ask potential companies:
- What niche do you specialize in?
- What is the process like and what will you be working on month to month?
- What is your link building strategy?
- How will you track progress?
- How do you report?
- How often will you review and update the plan?
- Do you have studies on similar projects?
- Is there a minimum time commitment?
Whether you decide to go into SEO yourself or hire a professional, having the right foundation in SEO strategy is essential. In the long run, this can be a huge benefit for your business and your bottom line.