Small businesses often have a hard time competing with giants on the internet. It is crucial that smaller businesses run a tight ship when it comes to Search Engine Optimization – lest they be lost in a sea of competition and relegated into internet obscurity. Here are five SEO tips for small businesses.
Keep It Local
Recently, smaller companies have been seeing great results by opting for localized SEO. Local SEO is a term used to describe Search Engine Optimization practices that specifically target nearby search engine users. Market research is conducted to find out what local people might uniquely search for. This then influences the tactics employed and the keywords used. SEO agencies based near their clients are recommended for businesses wanting to localize their SEO practices. A web design company in Birmingham, such as ALT Agency, for instance, is likely to give small businesses based in the area better results than an agency based out of town. This is particularly true for businesses that rely almost entirely upon local custom such as restaurants and vehicle repair garages.
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SubscribeKeep It Simple
In web design, simplicity is often key. Complex design can often impact negatively upon the User Experience offered by a site, and consequently can make it less appealing to visitors. As it turns out, complex design can also make a website less appealing to search engines. Search engine algorithms prioritize websites that can load quickly and be navigated easily.
Keep It Coming
If you don’t have regularly updated content on your business website, then you are making a rather big mistake. Having a consistently updated blog allows you to release streams of keywords naturally and contextually. It allows you to tailor content to recent local events to draw in searches. It allows you to consistently improve your search engine performance.
Metadata Is Better Data
Metadata is contained – or should be contained – in the videos and images on your website. An example of metadata would be a transcription or closed caption file included in a video. Metadata is taken into consideration by search engine algorithms. You should ensure that you include keyword laden metadata on you website.
Context Is King
The most recent updates to Google’s search algorithms have implemented a number of changes designed to increase sensitivity and understanding of web content context when ranking pages. This is a decision made by Google for two reasons. Firstly, by increasing the importance of context in search ranking the internet giant is hoping to ensure that their visitors are only finding the most relevant results. Secondly, the company is trying to crack down on unethical SEO practices like keyword stuffing that produces poor quality, out of context content.
Make sure that the content you post on your website and social media pages is genuine, insightful and contextual. Don’t just spew out keyword laden nonsense. As a general rule of thumb, the more useful your content is likely to be, the more likely it will be to rank higher.
