How Can SEO Help My Business?
A lot has changed when it comes to SEO. It used to be so easy to get on the top page. You just needed a few blogs and a good domain name, and you were on the top page in a matter of days. Now it can be months before you see top page rankings, and everything needs to be done by the book. Even more important, the top page if covered with spots for paid ads, maps and business listings, giving you even less room to compete for.
Directories own the top spots along with established websites so how do you even compete? Can small business marketing even succeed with SEO anymore? The answer is yes. Just because the rules are different doesn’t mean the game has changed. The average user is now more aware of how search engines work and they want more information before making a decision.
Someone sees your ad on social media or receives a random email from you about a sale. They are going to be hesitant about buying something from you, so they go to a search engine to research who you are. What will they find? That’s one-way SEO plays a key role in the success of your small business marketing efforts, it controls what other people see about your company.
Another way search engine optimization can work for you is by making sure that you are found by those who are really looking for information about a product or service you offer. Remember, sites that are ranked at the very top have to pay a lot. That also means they are charging a lot for their services or products. As people look for better deals and more options, they are going to keep looking and eventually find you. They also will be looking under different key terms. While the bigger companies are paying for the obvious keywords, they cannot dedicate their time and budget to the smaller traffic ones.
If a big real estate company is trying to get ranked on top for “homes for sale in Boca Raton,” they may be overlooking or cannot afford to pay for the top slots under “condos for sale in Deerfield Beach.” This is where keyword analysis really pays off. If you can get ranked on the top page of 25-50 important keywords you will see traffic and results.
SEO is now about branding, having a strong online presence and reputation and making sure that you are easily found where people are searching for you. It’s not an overnight thing but it’s something every small business marketing plan needs to have as part of its strategy.
