Unless you have been living in a cave somewhere or under a rock, it’s probably becoming very clear to you that your small business needs SEO. Website optimisation- search engine optimisation is not restricted to the big players in an industry- nor is it something you consider.
Effective SEO is something that needs to be factored into your marketing program as soon as possible. The size of your business won’t affect your website rank, so you can take on your industry’s “heavy hitters” with confidence.
Website owners, small business operators and national companies all have different online needs, budgets and expectations. To ensure we design the best website SEO strategy every time, we look at a number of important areas.
What Do You Really Need From the Internet?
Ask most small business owners what they hope to get from their search engine optimisation efforts and most of them will say “more traffic”.
Translate this into store traffic, and take it one step further- you probably want more people through the door who are qualified buyers, ready to spend money on exactly what it is you offer the world.
When deciding on how to attract the right people to your website, it pays to spend some time in their shoes, thinking about the things they might type into Google to bring them to your website.
It’s important to mention that what we’re talking about here is a topical query or problem-related query and not a search for your company name.
People who are searching the internet for solutions to problems are your perfect traffic, if you are the answer to their problem.
They are your ideal website visitors. Attract them organically through Google, with search engine optimisation done right.
Before you dive headfirst into mincing customer queries and keywords around in a blender, spend some quality time looking at our primer on SEO planning. This will help you define a direction with your strategy.
Businesses Who Don’t Deal Online
Real bricks and mortar businesses who don’t sell their products online as well, are rare. They still exist- immediate examples which come to mind are petrol stations and convenience stores.
These businesses- in fact all businesses- should have a Google Places listing and a Google+ page. If you have a listing in a telephone directory, there’s every chance Google has listed you in their database.
You should sort ownership of any listing which is about your business, because it is a perfect opportunity for you to say your piece, and provide the contextual content for a link coming back to your website.
There are people who will search for your location after hearing about you from someone, and with a listing on Google, not only does your address display, but you also have the chance to showcase
- a little bit about the products or services you provide
- a photo of your premises to make it easier for people to spot
- images of things you sell, your staff or jobs you have done
- information about your opening hours
- any reviews you might have earned
If you’re a small business owner, you cannot be without an online presence. SEO for small businesses is essential- from micro operations which are run from the kitchen bench, to bricks and mortar “walk-in only” businesses.
A listing within Google authenticates you to shoppers.
Contact SEO Experts today, and we’ll get it sorted for you.