Top SEO tips for Startups and Small Business Owners.
Covid-19 has drastically altered how business is conducted, which marketing tactics can be employed, and the growing need for digital transformation. Startups and small businesses alike face difficult battles competing against big company incumbents with substantially larger marketing budgets and overall financial power. Fortunately, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) enables startups and small businesses to level the playing field without breaking the bank, ultimately generating more website traffic. With much of the world operating businesses remotely, SEO is a crucial digital marketing technique to help you get back on track.
According to research regarding popular search engines like Google and Bing, the majority of traffic comes from the first page of a Search Engine Result Page (SERP).
· More than 85% of all traffic comes from the first SERP
· More than 53% of all B2B traffic is organic
· 68% of all online experiences start with a search
SEO is one of the most important tactics you can employ to gain an advantage against competitors, generate more traffic, and ultimately bring in more business. There are several key components comprising SEO, keyword analysis, on-page optimization, and off-page optimization. Though this is not a comprehensive list, it will give you a huge head start in increasing your website’s SEO.
Remember, with SEO, the work you put in today will not pay dividends for a few months. However, it will be worth it in the end!
Here are some tips to bring your website to the first page in SERP and eventually climb to the first spot.
Keyword analysis:
Keyword Planner and Ubersuggest are free tools for keyword analysis. Utilizing these tools, you can find the most searched keywords for the products and/or services you offer. Targeting these keywords and incorporating them into your overall marketing strategy will increase traffic to your business website.
According to Ahrefs, nearly 70% of keyword searches contain four or more words. Initially, you should target four to five keywords to start your SEO progress to eventually bring your website to the top position on the first SERP.
Once you have selected keywords, you must optimize your website based on those targeted keywords. At this point, research the strengths and weaknesses of key competitors in the market for those keywords in terms of their respective ranking. Further research key competitors to understand their online presence and their reach. Select keyword strategies that play on your strengths, while striking at one or more competitor’s weaknesses. This will help you take some of their organic traffic market share. With a good start to keyword planning, website optimization, and competitive strategy, it is time to turn your attention to On-page optimization.
On-page optimisation:
On-page SEO defines the optimization of website structure and anything that is on the page or pages comprising your website. On-page SEO tells search engines all about your website and how much value your website gives to visitors and customers.
On-page optimization has a set-off rules for how best to optimize the following website page components:
· Web Page Content
· Image
· Headings
· URL Structures
· Page Load Speed
· Mobile-Friendliness
· Internal Linking
· Social Tag
· Page Experience
Off-page optimisation:
SEO link building strategies is called off-page optimization. Off-page SEO mainly focuses on increasing the page authority of your domain by getting links from another website that directs a visitor back to your website. Link-building is a great technique to earn a higher ranking on a search engine.
Some easy and effective SEO link building strategies are:
· Guest blogging
· Forum posting
· Classifieds
· Image submission
· Social bookmarking
Google search engines always give priority to off-page optimization for Google ranking.
Local SEO optimisation:
Local SEO optimization is mandatory for startups and helps to drive local traffic (potential customers) to your brick and mortar business.
Note: It is the SEO technique best for those who have a physical business location.
Three Easy Steps to build local SEO
1. Create a Google my business listing
2. Build an SEO friendly website
3. Establish social media pages for your business
Search engines like Google treat all business owners with equal regard when it comes to organic marketing. Employing SEO tactics is sure to pay considerable dividends for your business if executed correctly. Though such dividends are months in the making, the potential to increase visibility, increase conversions, and ultimately improve your bottom line cannot be overstated.
