Search engine optimization (SEO) has gained popularity during this pandemic and is now a standard feature in our daily lives.

Almost every small or big business these days, has some kind of web presence and all of them are competing for top positions in search engine results pages. Larger companies and corporations have plenty of inbound links, several years of content and a dedicated stream of visitors, so it is no surprise when they manage to hog the top positions in search engine results.

Small business owners usually do not know where to begin when it comes to building links for SEO. Search engine optimization for small business is not really complicated if you can focus on a few important points. Fortunately SEO is not about volume, who has been there the longest, or who has maximum inbound links or the maximum amount of good content. All you need to understand is which page or website is of relevance to the searcher. And then decide which of the several strategies you can implement to get an edge over the competition. Here are 4 SEO tips for small business owners which could help improve your online visibility and attract more visitors to your business website.

1. Select the Right Keywords and Use Relevant Meta Descriptions

The starting point of any small business SEO strategy should be choosing keywords and relevant meta descriptions that are completely relevant to your business and which people are searching for. Limit these to 5 or 6 initially and even if you are on a tight budget you can get good results. A common mistake small business owners make is to use competitive phrases or words. Avoid it. Instead focus on keywords and phrases that are less competitive. They could be longer but more specific phrases.

2. Write Quality Content Consistently and Monitor Your Traffic with Data Analytics

If you want to get backlinks from leading publications and major blogs then your content has to be of premium quality. Though creating good quality content is time consuming, it has a greater chance of being linked than a standard blog post. Creating content which draws lots of links from other reliable websites is one of the easiest ways to improve your small business website SEO score. The greater the number of external websites linking to your website content, the higher the chances of Google trusting it. Use data analytics to monitor your traffic and optimize your website. 

3. Optimize Your Website: Increase Your Speed and Remove Anything That Slows Down

Once you have written and selected the keywords and meta descriptions, create premium content across your website. The content should be exactly similar to what people are searching for in search engines. The first step to making your small business website SEO rank higher in search engine results would be to increase the speed of your website and remove anything that slows it down. Next, keep the URL or the web address short and crisp. Finally, use the target keywords in the first 100 words on a page. These are the words people type into the search box to find your business.

4. Get Backlinks From High Authority Websites and Leverage Social Media

Creating good quality content and optimizing it the right way will improve your website rankings in search engine results, but not as high you want it. The number and quality of backlinks is what will eventually decide whether your site will make it to the first page of the search results or not. Backlinks are the links from other websites that point to yours. To rank on the first page of search engine results, your backlinks will have to be better and more relevant than the sites which are already there.

Find out which websites are linking to the sites already on the first page of the search engine results. Ask them if they are willing to link to your business site too. Also ask friends, partners and customers to link to your site. Try and build relationships with other relevant businesses and bloggers and encourage them to link their sites with yours. This will not reflect in SEO results instantly but over a period of time your small business website SEO rankings will improve and attract more traffic to your site. Social media can also help you improve your visibility by engaging with your audience, You can share polls, ask for feedback and even promote your products or services.  

Conclusion

Your website reflects your business in front of customers. SEO may help you generate traffic but ultimately it is the experience you give people once they arrive at your website which will hold them to you. Your website could be the best visual treat and the most beautifully designed but if you do not have a strong visibility, it will be useless if people are unable to find it in search engine results. For those that feel SEO is not their cup of tea, you can always seek assistance from search engine optimization companies for small business that could help you in reaching your target.