10 Ideas for SEO of Your Small Biz Website
If you run a small business, you probably want quick and easy ideas on how to search engine optimize your website. Here are ten ideas – pick some that you can work on today.
Select Keywords That Emphasize Local
Yes, it is true that with the global economy and the internet, one could possibly hire your business from anywhere. However, you may have an advantage in being hired in your local area. You could put some local keywords on your biography page, for example, without losing that possible national or international business.
Work on Your Title Tags
Make sure each of your web pages has a title tag, and include some keywords in each title tag. Title tags are one of the most important elements of search engine optimization (SEO).
Get Your Description Tags to Close to 160 Characters
Search engines don’t like tags that are longer than 160 characters. Take some time to short any descriptions that are too long. Develop descriptions that are too short.
Update or Add Alt Tags to Images
The alt tag on images was created so that the visually-impaired could hear words since they can’t view an image. Search engines also like alt tags, because they add more keywords to your site. Make sure your images have an alt tag:
Subscribe to SEO blogs
Get the RSS feed for some SEO blogs to keep up-to-date with changes and new ideas. Here are a few:
Set Up a Site Map
Do I mean the kind that search engines can read or the kind that users can read? Well, if you can do both, that’s great. But do the kind for search engines first – they need to be in an XML format. If you do one for your readers, either keep it up-to-date or don’t include pages that change a lot (if your staff changes every three months, you may not want to include staff pages in your site map, for example).
Add Tags to Your Posts
Tags, which are an integral part of WordPress, can be valuable information for search engines about the keywords for your site. If you use Drupal, you can use taxonomy to create similar tagged keywords.
Comment on Other Sites
If you create a relationship with other website owners, they may follow you back to your site. It may be a way of letting others know that you have valuable information on your website. Maybe someone will then link to the valuable information your site.
Add Footer Links
Footer links can be an easy way to set up internal linking on your website. Not only users but search engines will follow those links to find out what you value on your site.
Read the Google Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide
The Google Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide explains a lot of basics about SEO, such as the importance title tags and the use of robots.txt, and it does so with charts and pictures for your better understanding of the SEO topics.
Need even more ideas? See:
- Introduction to SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
- Improve SEO
- 10 Easy Ways to Improve Web Site SEO
Do you recommend that small businesses, if possible, spend the extra money to hire an SEO consulting specialist? Would certain industries benefit from this more than others? I suppose it would depend on how important an online identity is within a specific industry.
Cheers!
Chris´s last [type] ..Risk Analysis Template – Small Business
Certainly it would depend on the sort of business. But if being found on the web is very important to a business, sure, it would make sense to hire someone with a good track record in developing search engine optimization. But much can be done by business owners on their own if they learn the basics of search engine optimization on their own, such as writing articles on related sites and including links back to their own site. Or writing information that others in related fields would be happy to share via social media.
Outstanding information about SEO here. I talk to people all the time about some ways that I am aware of to increase their SEO, but I will bookmark your blog and send you some traffic for sure. In terms of getting traffic to your site or blog, there is not much more important that good original content and good SEO.
Thanks!
Michael
Michael Redding´s last [type] ..Home Business – Pros and Cons
Thanks, Michael. I also talk to clients about SEO – since small businesses are often overwhelmed with all they need to do, I suggest doing one piece at a time to build up their search engine optimization.
Is wordpress good for SEO? I built a small website but I think I’d rather have a WordPress website becuase there are a lot more add-ons and widget than you could imagine.
Thanks,
Brett Melton
Yes, it is easy to search engine optimize one’s site if using WordPress.
I’m actually in the SEO business myself Leora, and I must say you’re spot on. I consult with several small businesses, and it’s surprising to see just how many things businesses are missing on their website. I mean, they have this notion that throwing up a website is good enough, but in all honesty, that alone is virtually useless. SEO is important in order to bring in organic traffic, and a long lasting supply of customers/clients.
Thanks for your input on SEO for small biz, Eric. I agree – organic traffic, meaning people are looking for information and they find what they need on your site, is a great way to get new customers and new interest in your product or services.
I agree with Eric H, you have a brilliant list here. I just wonder how the changes Google is making to panda will change all this.
Any way well written Leora
Jaime, thank you. Panda has been out for a while, and this list is still valid as ways to get started with SEO.