Small business owners don’t have time to worry about “SEO” right? Well, you are right. You are busy running your business! We hear from most clients that they don’t think they are big enough to need to “rank” in search results. But, here is the secret…Google loves the locals! We will explain…
What is SEO?
SEO stands for “search engine optimization.” It is the process of getting traffic from the “free,” “organic,” “editorial” or “natural” search results on search engines (source) .All major search engines such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo have primary search results, where web pages and other content such as videos or local listings are shown and ranked based on what the search engine considers most relevant to users. Payment isn’t involved, as it is with paid search ads.
Why is SEO so important for small businesses?
Because you want to provide search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo critical information so they will place your site in the top 5 spots on the returns page!
The job of a search engine is to take the information typed in by the user and locate the most relevant websites using those keywords. Simply put, if you are not engaging in SEO, you are not on that first page of results – the other guy is! By investing in search engine marketing, you are staying competitive with those other guys while giving your brand name exposure 24 hours, 7 days a week and are sure to gain new customers!
Think of your SEO (Search Engine Optimization) as an employee who works for you 24/7, never sleeps, and constantly delivers answers to people inquiring about your services/products…even while you sleep!
How much would you pay that employee?
People unconsciously trust search engine results. If Google places Dave’s Donuts in the top spot of a search, then it must have earned that place and it must be good. User then tells all his friends on Facebook and Twitter that he’s going to Dave’s and he invites them, leaving the link for them to click as well. The laws of multiplication can work pretty fast, and before you know it, a dozen hungry teens show up at Dave’s Donuts! Why? Because the search engine matched everything perfectly, and it all pointed to Dave’s Donuts!
Final thoughts.
Keep it simple. Look at one page of your site each day of the week for the next few weeks. For optimal on-page SEO, include your target keywords (tequila, men’s shoes, plant design, etc..) in your content occasionally, but don’t overdo it. Google’s algorithm is smart enough to detect keyword stuffing, and it will usually lead to your website being penalized in the rankings for its target keywords.
If you need help with your SEO strategy, learn more about our service today!