Many small business owners are sleeping on a powerful tool right under their noses: SEO.
Search Engine Optimization isn’t just for big companies with massive budgets. It’s crucial for your local business, too. Actually, it’s even more important for small businesses.
Think about it:
→ Only 6.6% of people will search beyond the first page.
→ 46% of all Google searches are seeking local information.
→ 78% of mobile local searches result in an offline purchase.
More stats in reference to SEO for small businesses.
If you want to be found by your community, you have to consistently feed the beast (Google) what it’s craving:
-> A great user experience for their users (your potential customers)
-> Fast page load times
-> Authority – You want to be seen as the expert in your area that the Google algorithm deems fit to show up high when people search for your service + their location
Here’s why it matters:
1. Visibility
Your potential customers are searching for services like yours. If you’re not showing up, they’re finding your competitors instead (the good news is that most aren’t optimizing properly, so squeeze on in there).
2. Credibility
Businesses that appear on the first page of search results are perceived as more trustworthy. You want to be the go-to option in your area.
3. Cost-Effectiveness
Compared to traditional advertising, local SEO is more affordable and often yields better returns without costs going up and up and up.
So, how do you get started?
→ Optimize your website for local keywords.
↳ Think “plumbing company in [Your City].”
→ Claim and update your Google My Business listing.
↳ This helps you appear in local searches and Google Maps.
→ Encourage customer reviews.
↳ Positive feedback boosts your credibility and ranking and over 80% of people look for reviews before contacting a company.
Remember, SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. The more effort you put in to SEO for your small business, the more it pays off in the long run.