Should Small Businesses Invest Time and Money in SEO?
All businesses that operate online need strong SEO strategies to stand out against competitors, particularly in oversaturated markets. However, none need it quite so much as small businesses that need to cultivate a consumer base in the shadow of much larger companies with bigger digital marketing budgets.
Statistics have shown that most online users judge a website within a few seconds. If they don’t immediately see anything valuable or worthwhile, they will search for similar businesses instead. Competent SEO marketing is vital for promoting a small business online and avoiding being overshadowed. It provides the foundation for a digital strategy and determines a business’s unique selling point and the demographics it should market to.
What is SEO?
Search engine optimisation (SEO) is a strategy used to help the right people discover a business online. When users search a query, the words they use are typically keywords associated with what the business does, its location and its products and services. Search engines match these keywords with those used on websites and then promote those sites as the most relevant. Businesses that rank highly in these organic search results are more likely to have people clicking on their websites.
Does SEO work for small businesses?
SEO absolutely works for small businesses, but it takes time to develop an effective strategy when there are so many big companies benefitting from paid search engine advertisements and well-known brand names. Creating a strong SEO marketing strategy can help small businesses get around this more cost-effectively, prioritising keywords to help boost their website’s ranking. Sometimes, people are more likely to trust websites that rank highly in the organic results rather than those that have paid for the promotion.
One of the main goals of SEO is increasing traffic to a website, so even if many of those digital visitors don’t become customers, the exposure is useful. SEO marketing yields essential analytics that small business owners can then use to evaluate their websites. What are people clicking to access the website? Which pages are most visited? How long do they spend browsing? All of this information can be used to make changes that will increase the site’s appeal.
Small businesses face many challenges when it comes to establishing themselves as known brands, too, so improving awareness can only be a positive thing. And the more users and subsequent customer conversions a website makes, the more valuable it becomes to growing the entire business.
The Best SEO Marketing Techniques
Small businesses benefit from many of the SEO marketing techniques used by bigger companies, but there are a few that are essential for creating the foundations for greater digital strategies.
Competitor and Industry Research
Before you do anything else, it’s important to research both your industry and your closest competitors. Consider what sets your small business apart. If another, more established business is offering exactly the same thing, most people will go with them, so you need to find out exactly what sets you apart. This will improve your standing as a unique and valuable business in your industry
Web Content
The content available on a website must be high-quality, trustworthy and precise in order for users to find out what a business does and why they should choose it. All content should be well-written but easy to understand, with well-placed keywords to help trigger search engine results and as many pages as the site needs without becoming overwhelming.
Social Media Marketing
While SEO primarily targets search engines, it’s also a good idea to establish an authoritative presence on social media. Keywords can be used in your profile bio and as hashtags on posts to increase visibility. People are more likely to trust a business that ranks well in various domains online and connects with customers.
Web Design Packages
Creating a website that benefits every aspect of your business is difficult, especially when you’re just starting out, so consider using web design packages created by digital agencies. Instead of spending money on a design that may or may not work well, you’ll receive a well-researched set of services, which can even include SEO marketing strategies.
Small Business SEO Marketing Perth
If you’re searching for services in SEO Perth, Planted Web Design can help. We understand how difficult it is to successfully market a small business online, so we’ve designed bespoke SEO marketing Perth web design services that can be tailored precisely to your business. We prioritise results, using data-led tactics to figure out how to optimise your website’s content and help it generate leads.
With our help, your small business will go from obscurity to having an online presence that attracts the right customers and takes you one step closer to making sales. To find out just how we can help with your small business SEO marketing needs, get in touch today.