Imagine speaking and writing about SEO over and over for over 17 years. If you’re passionate about it like I am, you’ll keep finding new ways to define and explain SEO without sounding like a broken record. I dedicate this post to small businesses, so I’ll be as simple and descriptive as possible.
SEO entails all efforts to climb the search ranking ladder for your website and brand. It involves streamlining your web structure and publishing to increase search visibility for related keywords. SEO isn’t a one-time process; it requires consistent localization for smaller businesses to outcompete the big fish.
It’s not a walk in the park, so you must be smart about it. This post offers an overview of factors to consider when developing your small business SEO strategy. Let’s start with the basics.
Why Small Businesses and Big Companies Need Different SEO Strategies
Small businesses and huge corporations differ on multiple fronts, from their resources and budget to their target audience and marketing objectives. You shouldn’t rely on a one-size-fits-all approach to SEO.
Marketing Needs of Small vs. Big Businesses
Established corporations span all over the country, some with intercontinental offices. They’re likely to have a more significant budget and an in-house team of SEO specialists.
Large corporations market targeting customers globally or nationally. They have robust budgets, but the budgets are spread thin, considering they have to cater to the entire country, region, or globe.
In contrast, small businesses are usually localized, targeting customers in their immediate vicinity. They also don’t have robust marketing budgets due to limited capital.
Limited budgets don’t mean that small businesses are handicapped against the big players. Small businesses can out-compete larger corporations at home via local SEO strategies.
We’ll discuss that further, but let me first refresh your SEO basics or introduce you to the concept if you are new to it.
Understanding SEO Basics
SEO is all about tweaking your website and content so search engines perceive it as the best response to users’ search queries.
How Search Engines Rank Websites
Search engines are online websites, just like all other websites, so they aim to please and retain their users by providing the most helpful and entertaining replies. The objective is to determine the most accurate, original, and relevant responses to their users’ queries.
Please understand that search engines are robots, not humans. They use complex algorithms to scan online resources to determine their quality and relevance to a user’s search query.
Therefore, a set of rules is strictly and objectively implemented to determine the most helpful and entertaining websites.
Of course, your website has to be fast and well-structured to be even considered. Here are some tips for creating a successful small business website.
How Search Engines Determine Relevance
Relevance to search intent is the primary factor that search engines use to rank websites. Search intent refers to the objective behind a user’s query, which could be looking for information, purchasing products, hiring services, or entertainment.
Search engines use several factors to determine relevance, including:
Keywords
Keywords are words or phrases used on the internet to look up information. Keywords can be short one-or-two-word phrases, but they can also be long, strung-out sentences.
Keywords can also be general or specific. General keywords cover a broad range of topics, while specific keywords focus on a particular subject.
When planning content for your website, always use relevant and specific keywords aligning with your target audience’s search intent.
Geo-Implied Intent
Keywords are a direct indicator of search intent, and geolocation has implied intent that’s only overridden by location keywords.
For example, you can be in Florida and use the keyword, “Best hotel for a foreigner.” Search bots will interpret the search intent as a foreigner in Florida seeking the best hotels nearby.
What if the keyword was a bit more specific about the location, e.g., “Best hotel for a foreigner in Toronto, Canada?” Search bots would interpret the search intent as a Florida resident seeking the best hotel options for an upcoming trip to Toronto.
What have you noticed from the two examples I just gave in the previous section? Search algorithms can tell their users’ location via the IP address. They can also tell geolocation via the servers from which users are accessing.
A user’s geolocation helps search engines derive some implied intent for general keywords.
Yes! For example, when I’m in France and want to watch some news from back home in the United States, I would have to specifically type out “news channels in the United States” or include location keywords like “US news channels.”
Otherwise, the search engine will provide results based on my physical location. That brings us to local vs. Global signals.
Local vs. Global Signals: Proximity Is Your Friend
I mentioned earlier that small businesses can beat multinational corporations in SEO by effectively leveraging local signals. Let me explain further.
Local signals are factors that indicate the physical location of a business or website, such as its:
- Address.
- Phone number.
- Proximity to a user’s current location.
- Local keywords used in content and meta tags.
- Local directories and citations.
These signals help search engines determine the relevance of a business or website to a user’s search query in a specific location. For example, if a user searches for “best pizza near me,” search engines will use their proximity to the user, along with other local signals, to display results of nearby pizzerias.
What About Global Signals
Assume a Kenyan student wants a master’s degree in an American university. He will most likely use “master’s degree in America” as his search query. In this case, local signals are not as important as global signals.
Global signals include backlinks from reputable websites, social media presence, and overall website authority. Search engines will most likely prioritize American Ivy League institutions to that Kenyan student.
Why not local American universities? Well, global signals were more relevant for such a query. However, if a student in Kentucky used the same keyword as the Kenyan, local signals would be more relevant.
So, the top universities with master’s programs in Kentucky would probably rank higher than the Ivy League institutions for that particular search. An Ivy League university based in Kentucky would also dominate the search results with both local and global signals.
Ultimately, proximity is your ultimate SEO friend as a small business. It’s your opportunity to outrank big players in the search engine results and attract local customers.
Small Businesses Should Capitalize in Local SEO
Like big corporations, small players must invest in digital marketing strategies and tap online markets. One of the most powerful tools in their arsenal is local search engine optimization (SEO).
I won’t be getting into what local SEO is and why it’s important because I have already done it in the past. I’ll just insist that proximity is a major factor in local SEO, as search engines prioritize brands closer to the user.
Please note that local SEO can’t work if you neglect general SEO basics, so here’s a basic guide to SEO for beginners.
Now, let’s review some local SEO tactics that every small business should include in its marketing strategy.
1. Google Business Profile Optimization:
One of the most impactful tactics for local SEO is optimizing your Google Business Profile (GBP) listing.
Google developed GBP, previously GMB, as a platform for businesses to manage their data across its search and map features. The platform requires you to list your business name, address, and phone number (NAP), as well as other important information such as:
- Hours of operation.
- Website link.
- Business category.
Accuracy and consistency on your GBP help Google understand your business, improving your chances of appearing in relevant local search results.
Additionally, optimizing your GMB listing can also improve your visibility in Google’s Local Pack and Local Finder.
2. Local citations (NAP: Name, Address, Phone Number)
Whenever publishers known to locals in your area reference your business name, address, and phone number (NAP), it creates an online citation. These citations are important signals for Google to determine the relevance and credibility of your business in a specific location.
Build local citations to boost your local signals via:
- Local listings like Yelp, TripAdvisor, Yellow Pages.
- Local directories like Chamber of Commerce or BIA.
- Niche-specific directories related to your industry (e.g. Zocdoc for healthcare)
- Local blogs, news sites, and community websites.
- Social media profiles (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) with accurate NAP information
- Review sites.
Consistent NAP information across all these platforms helps establish your business’s legitimacy and credibility to search engines and potential customers.
It also backs the accuracy of your GBP listing; Google looks for this information on other websites to verify your brand’s validity.
Regularly audit and update any changes or discrepancies in your listings to avoid confusing users and getting penalized by search engines.
3. Reviews and Reputation Management
Online reviews are crucial in influencing consumer decisions, with 98% of online consumers reading online reviews before purchasing. You can’t afford to ignore the importance of managing your brand’s reputation and what customers are saying about your business.
Reputation is everything in business, and trust is the ultimate currency. A credible online reputation can:
- Attract more customers.
- Increase sales.
- Improve search engine rankings.
Be prompt and professional when responding to all reviews, both good and bad. It shows you value your customers’ feedback and actively address issues that arise.
4. Long-Tail Keywords
When I discussed SEO-AEO integration in an earlier post, we agreed that voice search would soon become the primary search method. As a business owner, it’s important to understand the concept of long-tail keywords and how they can benefit your SEO strategy.
Long-tail keywords are longer and more specific phrases used commonly to specify your search intent. These phrases are often less competitive than shorter, more common keywords.
They’re becoming more popular as people embrace voice search and use it to find information. Previously, people were too lazy to type out long phrases, but now they can simply ask their virtual assistants via casual speech.
Long-tail keywords often carry local intent, often specifying locations or regions. Small businesses can use them to target a specific audience in their local area.
Furthermore, it’s easier to decipher search intent when using long-tail keywords. For example, if someone searches for “best pizza in New York City,” it’s more telling than just “pizza” or “best pizza.”
Do You Need Help with Your Small Business SEO?
Of course, every business owner needs help with their SEO. You need to find the right consultant or agency, so here are some essential questions to ask consultants to find your perfect SEO match.
I suggest getting it right from the jump, so work with web page designers who understand SEO. It will save you time and money in the long run, as your SEO guy won’t have to start with damage control before proceeding. Â
Ultimately, your best chances of finding a fun, experienced SEO guru who doubles up as a fun web designer and developer are with me. Don’t fight it. Just embrace it and become one of my many success stories. Let’s slay those giants together!
