Summary: Small Business Search Engine Optimization done correctly is a longer term growth strategy (3-6 months minimally) that gets you more high quality leads and prospective clients for your business!
Why Small Business Search Engine Optimization Is Vital
The key benefit of being found in search engines such as Google & Bing is the intent of the user. Potential customers are already looking & searching for something, which is a very powerful factor in marketing your business. These people are much closer to filling out a lead form, calling your business or being interested in what you have to offer rather than someone who sees your brand after being interrupted by a digital ad or while scrolling on social media at the end of a work day.
Another very important factor of why small businesses search engine optimization is so important is the competition in your field. Not only does showing up in search engine result allows you to be found in the first place, ranking higher in these results increases the amount of traffic and new customers you can acquire for your small business!
So What Really Is SEO?
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the practice of optimizing a website to improve its visibility and ranking in search engine results. When you search for something on a search engine like Google, the search engine uses algorithms to determine the most relevant and high-quality websites to display in the results. SEO aims to make your website more attractive to these algorithms, increasing the likelihood that your site will appear higher in the search results. This is crucial in helping your potential customers find your website and interact with your business.
How Small Business Search Engine Optimization Works
Search engines are powerful tools that help us find information on the internet. They work by indexing and organizing vast amounts of web content and then providing relevant results based on the user’s query. You can think of it as a sort of “library” of the internet itself. As of January 2025 there were over 3.98 billion webpages (every website has multiple webpages) indexed on the internet, each with their own little identifiers. Indexed means that the page is actually locatable in a search engine. Can you imagine standing in a library with that many books? How would you find what you are looking for? That is what search engines do for us.
Now imagine you are an small business owner that does mobile coffee cart catering and you want potential clients to be able to find your website to hire you for events. How can you make sure people can even find your website or that you show up before everyone else offering this service? This is where small business Search Engine Optimization comes in. We make your website speak “robot” better so that the search engines can understand what your website is for, when it should be shown to internet users and why you should be shown at the top of the search results.
Techniques For Small business Search Engine Optimization
1. Keyword Research
We first start by identifying who your ideal customer is and what they are searching for online. We then compile the keywords (the words and phrases that searchers enter into search engines) that will have the greatest impact on your client acquisition by comparing search trends, historical data, competition for those keywords and the volume of searches.
2. Audit Site Structure
The next step is to audit your existing website to make sure it is structured properly for search engines. Most web design companies focus on visual appeal and most small businesses owners aren’t even aware that the structure of the website directly affects their ability to rank in search engines. Once we know where we are starting from we can make an affective plan.
3. On-Page SEO Strategy
Next we lay out the keyword research data + site structure to map out which keywords should go on which pages as well as any necessary fixes to how your website is built out. We then create a plan for needed content such as new web pages or page refreshes & any restructuring of the how pages are ordered, linked together & many other factors.
4. Indexing & Technical
The next step is to ensure that your site & web pages are being indexed in search engines such as Google, Bing, etc… This includes connecting your site to Google Search Console, Bing Webmaster Tools and more. This gets a bit technical so if you have specific questions just ask us! The bottom line is we go through a full set-up checklist to make sure your site can & will show up in search engines.
5. Citations & Backlinks
Citations (an online mention of a local business’s key details—its Name, Address, and Phone number) & backlinks (a clickable link from one website pointing to another) act as a vote of confidence that signals trustworthiness and authority to search engines. We will help you set these up and create a strategy for growing the quality & quality of these over time as these are a major ranking factor in search engines.
6. Ongoing Content
Search engines like to see active websites, new or updated content and freshness. Whether it is blog posts, updates to your Google Business Profile or social media content, we will work with you to work out a strategy for ongoing content to keep your brand or company up to date and in the lenses of search engines. If you have new products and services to offer in the future we can optimize these as well!
Small Business Search Engine Optimization F.A.Q’s
What Are The Benefits Of Investing in Small Business Search Engine Optimization
- Increased Visibility: Small Business Search Engine Optimization helps your website rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). When your website appears on the first page of search results, it gains greater visibility and exposure to potential customers. Increased visibility can lead to more organic traffic to your site.
- Targeted Traffic: SEO focuses on optimizing your website for specific keywords and phrases relevant to your business. This means that when people search for those keywords, they are more likely to find your website. By targeting specific keywords, you can attract highly relevant traffic to your site, increasing the chances of converting those visitors into customers.
- Cost-Effective Marketing: Small Business Search engine optimization is a cost-effective marketing strategy compared to other forms of digital advertising, such as paid search ads. While there may be initial costs associated with optimizing your website and ongoing efforts to maintain your SEO efforts, the long-term benefits can outweigh the expenses. Once your website is optimized and starts ranking well, the organic traffic generated can provide a steady stream of leads without ongoing ad spend.
- Competitive Advantage: Many businesses, including your competitors, are already investing in SEO. By neglecting SEO, you risk falling behind in search rankings and losing potential customers to your competition. Implementing SEO strategies allows you to stay competitive, even with a limited marketing budget.
- Long-Term Results: SEO is a long-term marketing strategy that can deliver sustainable results over time. While it may take some time to see significant improvements in rankings, the efforts invested in SEO can have a lasting impact on your website’s visibility and organic traffic. Consistent optimization and staying up to date with SEO best practices ensure that your business continues to benefit in the long run.
Interested In SEO For your Small Business? Contact Us!
