In today’s economy, small businesses are not only competing in their local markets but also in the digital market. Fighting for success on two fronts can seem like a daunting task, especially when you’re trying to wear all the hats.
On the digital front, if you want customers to notice your business, you have to use Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategically. While it won’t compete with having a dedicated team of SEO professionals, we would like to offer a few tips to help you get started on optimizing your site with SEO in 2019.
- Define your keywords/keyphrases
What are your customers likely to search for when they’re looking for a business like yours? Typically, it’ll be a product or service. And since you already know what you’re offering you can start by using your products/services as keywords. But also take into consideration how your customer might actually type your product/service when searching for it. Will they abbreviate anything? Do they turn their search into a question or a phrase like: coffee shops “near me”?
You’ll also want to take into consideration any “best sellers” you may have. Don’t be afraid to come up with multiple variations of keywords for that product/service. And if you only have one thing that you offer, try thinking of different ways to phrase it based on searcher intent.
- Incorporate location
If you’re a local business, there’s no need to compete with the large big-name corporations which might be optimizing for the same keywords as you. By adding your physical location and surrounding areas you serve alongside your keywords, you’ll tap into the specific market you are targeting.
As an example, let’s say you own a deli in Phoenix. Down the road is a well-known chain restaurant that serves similar food. However, because they have many locations that are spread out over a large area, they will likely not have their entire website optimized specifically for your location. So being able to utilize the city you are located in with your keywords (Ex: deli in Phoenix) will help your business stand out in search rankings.
- On-page optimization
The previous two steps involved planning, but this step involves the actual implementation. Now, you want to make sure to use the keywords that you’ve come up with by planting them within the written content of your site.
Each page of your site will naturally have a different focus and the keywords you use for each page should be tailored to the content on that page. After all, if someone clicks on your link expecting to see a particular service or product but ends up finding another, they will leave your site quickly, in turn hurting your SEO. Being able to set up each pages’ SEO is vital to your pages’ rankings.
While these tips are only a small part of Search Engine Optimization in 2019, they should provide some help in achieving better rankings for your website. As an online marketing agency, we are experienced in helping our clients achieve more recognition for their quality products and services. If you are interested in taking your SEO to the next level, contact us today to see how we can help your business grow.