5 Search Engine Optimization Tips for Small Business Owners.

Adam Kirk and Oostas are a trusted preferred partner of The How of Business podcast. They offer website design, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) services, and Social Media Marketing for small business owners. SEO in particular is one of their specialties. They their small business clients rank higher in Google searches. It takes the perfect balance of understanding the ever-changing technical side of Search Engines, and the ideal target areas for your small business to rank well in online search.

5 SEO Tips for Small Business Owners:

• (1) Be mobile-friendly (Responsive)
  • A small business responsive website is a website development approach that creates dynamic changes to the appearance of a website, depending on the screen size and orientation of the device being used to view it.
  • First and foremost, register your website with Google Search Console. It’s free, easy, and will tell Google to look at your small business website.
  • Action: Register at search.google.com (click on the Business link at the bottom of the browser).
  • Search Console is an excellent diagnostic tool for determining if people actually get to your small business website and how they get there.
  • You can monitor a lot about your site, like mobile responsiveness and core web vitals.
  • Make sure that the design is responsive: it provides a user-friendly experience across all devices, especially mobile (phones, tablets).
  • Currently, over half of all web traffic is mobile, and that is growing. If your website is not mobile-friendly, you’re losing business!
• (2) Optimize your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business)
  • Your small business Google Business Profile is a free tool that allows you to take charge of the way your business appears on Google Search and Maps. With your Business Profile, you can connect with customers, post updates, list your products and services, accept online orders, and more.
  • Action: Register at google.com/business
  • You might have one already and not know it! It’s still a bit grey, but it appears that Google can automatically create them at times, and people might be leaving reviews. Make sure you claim and manage your Google Business Profile for your small business.
  • On your Google Business Profile, include as much information as possible.
  • Choose the best category (and sub-category) for your business.
  • Make sure your contact details and hours are current.
  • Add lots of relevant photos
  • Ask customers for reviews (it’s a Google search ranking factor!)
  • Action: Click on “Ask For Reviews” and copy the unique link to ask for reviews for your small business.
  • Respond to every Google review and any question.
  • Responding to a positive review is an opportunity to thank a customer and show that you are listening.
  • Responding tactfully to a negative review is an excellent opportunity to help a dissatisfied customer and signal to other potential customers how you handle criticism and customer problems.
  • Post to your Google Business Profile like it’s a social media platform, including news about your small business, promotions, staff bios, and events.
  • Add a map to your website (link it to your Google Business Profile listing).
  • Make sure the details in your Google Business Profile profile match your website.
  • Register with other online directories:
    • Action: Register in bulk with BrightLocal.com
    • Or register individually using this list:  48 Free Websites to List Your Business
• (3) Implement Local Keywords
  • Keywords are the words and phrases that people type into search engines like Google to find what they are searching for. For example, if you were looking to buy a new shirt, you might enter something like “men’s cotton dress shirts” on Google. Although this phrase consists of more than one word, it’s still referred to as a keyword.
  • Consider how your client or customer would search for what you offer.
  • Keyword research is the art of finding phrases that represent your small business and are being searched for often but aren’t too competitive.
  • Action: Try the following free keyword research tools:
    • https://www.wordstream.com/keywords
    • https://answerthepublic.com/
  • Create a landing page for each geo-tagged keyword.
• (4) Write Fresh, Relevant Content
  • This has always been the most important way to get found online but it now more critical than ever. Google’s ‘Helpful Content’ update in August is
    geared at rewarding websites that provide helpful content to visitors.
  • Focus on educating and entertaining. People will come back to your small business website for more when you help them learn or laugh.
  • Your website content should match search intent of the user. For example, if someone searches “landscaping company in Kansas City,” they don’t want a blog about best landscaping practices. They are looking for a local business,
  • Add discrete optimized service pages to your website, for example: Lawn mowing in Kansas City, Sprinklers in Miami.
  • To improve your SEO, make sure every page on your small business website has the following:
    • Localized text and images
    • Keywords and variations in the right places
    • Credibility (reviews/testimonials)
    • Clear calls to action
  • Consider getting help with content writing for your website.
  • Action: Hire a content writer on Fiverr or other freelance services marketplace.
• (5) Get Help With The Hard Parts
  • Get help from experts like Adam Kirk at Oostas. Get a special discount when you mention The How of Business podcast.