Tips to Jumpstart Your Small Business SEO

So you took the plunge – you finally followed your dream of owning your own business. You have your branding, product and maybe even a location, but now you need to focus on your business growth. Should you consider local SEO services?

If you’re not familiar with SEO, or are looking to understand it little better, it’s crucial that you take a few minutes to learn more about the basics.

Now that you have a better comprehension, let’s dive into the best ways to make the most of a local SEO company and your business’s social media marketing.

Start with a strong online presence.

When your prospective clients search for “local businesses near me,” having them find you is only a small part of the battle. What happens once they’ve found you? Are you eye-catching? Do you seem trustworthy? It’s imperative that their first impression of you is positive and long-lasting.

• Your websiteis your foundation. It confirms your legitimacy and should be considered your digital storefront, even if you are not using it for e-commerce purposes. Make sure to build one that represents your company well.

• All small business websites should have thoughtful content. Who are you? How is your business superior to your competitor’s? What kind of products or services do you offer? Information and transparency helps break down barriers and bring them closer to becomingyourclient.

• Embed SEOas much as you can. Use keywords throughout your website, as well as anywhere else your business is presented, that are relevant to your industry, service and product. 

• Always mention your location. Your website, Yelp listing, Google business profile and social media platforms should all have your location listed and mentioned. In addition to having the physical address, you’ll want to also mention your city, region or town. For example: “Anytown’s best plumbing service!”

Choose the right local SEO agency.

No two local SEO services are alike, so before you commit and invest, make sure you do your homework.

• First, you’ll need to determine your marketing budget. Allocate a significant portion for your SEO services and consider a local SEO company that can fit your financial restriction.

• Understand what they can offer you. It’s your turn to be the client, so don’t be afraid to thoroughly interrogate them. 
  1. Who are their clients?
  2. What have they accomplished for them?
  3. What is their plan for helping your business succeed?
  4. How will they monitor your movement and growth?
  5. How often will they provide a progress report?
  6. When and how will they bill you?

Manage SEO on your own.

If your budget does not permit you to hire an SEO agency, there are ways you can build and manage SEO on your own.

• Google My Business– Having a Google business profile is essential, but there is a lot more to this free service. Give your prospects a thorough snapshot of what your business is, your hours of operation, contact information, website and anything else you think is essential. You can also keep an eye on your traffic, click-through stats and other valuable information.

• Google Adwords– Adwords is a great way to understand which relevant keywords and terms are being searched for the most. You can then apply them to your profile to help increase your visibility. 

• Google, Instagram & Facebook Ads– Although each one is different, they all have a similar method. You can set your weekly or monthly budget, the amount of time you would like the ad to run and you can even target your audience.

• Blog Posts– Remember those keywords found in Google Adwords? If you sprinkle them into your blog, it can help boost your ranking. Make sure to post your blog articles on your website and provide links to them on your social media profiles and marketing emails.

• Social Media Management– Another powerful marketing outlet is social media. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn can all be used as free online advertising. Learn how to connect with a social media influencer, build a social media campaign and garner more likes and followersto make the most of your social media pages.

Consider social media marketing services.

If you have room left in your marketing budget, and don’t have time for social media management, consider outsourcing to a social media management company. Much like hiring a local SEO company, you’ll want to ask them detailed questions before moving forward with them.

Build and maintain your credibility.

Even if you’ve maximized your SEO, advertising and marketing potential, a lack of credibility can be detrimental to your business. Fortunately, there are a few simple ways to maintain a polished reputation.

• Politely answer questions.Whether you are being asked via social media post comments, Google, Yelp, email or over the phone, always make sure to provide a considerate and helpful answer to every question. You never know who is asking or watching!

• Respond to reviews.Replying to every review shows that you care. To save time, you can create interchangeable templates that express your gratitude towards positive reviews. With negative reviews, you may need to take a little extra time. Take their complaint into consideration, even if you do not agree, and try to redeem your company if you can. If it is clear to you that you cannot rectify the situation, apologize to them, acknowledge their concern and thank them for their feedback.

• Splash testimonials wherever you can.Seeing that your existing clients went out of their way to commend you will help solidify your prospects’ confidence in you. Be sure to include them on your website, Yelp profile and even social media captions.

• Create a genuine narrative with real success stories.Hearing that your existing clients like you is great, but elaborating with a true story is even better! Detailing how you made a difference for an existing customer, whether it was selling them the best cookie they’ve ever eaten or giving a them pain-free dental cleaning, will help encourage your prospects to choose you over a competitor.

No two companies are alike. As time goes on, you will see your company organically evolve and you’ll gain a better understanding of how it fits into your local industry. For now, as a new small business owner, your best bet is to immediately tackle your SEO and social media strategy using knowledge and efficiency. Leave a virtual trail of breadcrumbs wherever you can to direct local propspects to your business. Doing so will properly fuel your marketing and help your business skyrocket!