A Beginner's Guide to Scaling Small Businesses Using Search

SEO may seem just like three tiny insignificant letters. However, it’s the most powerful tool used to grow a company’s online presence in today's business world. It’s even more critical for small businesses because it can give them a solid foundation to develop and can help break the growth ceiling.

As you know, managing a company is not an easy job. It’s even more complicated when the company is new or small. Owners often don’t have the time, budget, or staff to curate an effective marketing strategy. The planning stage can seem so overwhelming that we sometimes ignore it altogether.

However, 61 percent of B2B marketers declared that SEO and organic traffic create more leads than any other marketing strategy. So we’ve created a guide to get you started and show you that SEO is not only essential for large companies, but your small company can also benefit from it too.

What Is SEO, and Why Is It Important?

SEO, which stands for Search Engine Optimization, is the strategy that increases website traffic through search engine results. In other words, the higher our site ranks when someone searches for something related to our company, the more beneficial it is for us.

Ninety-three percent of online experiences begin with an online search. When we want to have lunch somewhere different or buy a new outfit, most of us go online to browse the options. People rely on the internet more and more - and there’s no sign that it’s going to change.

Depending on how effectively we perform SEO, these searches can lead potential customers to our small business website. Local SEO is beneficial for this, as it optimizes sites for region-specific results. If someone finds you on the results page, they can click through and (hopefully) become a loyal client.

Search engines check your website’s quality and online reputation. Google result page rankings are also based on how well your services match what the person is searching for. So, if you do these things right, you should soon start seeing an increase in traffic.

There are also many SEO agencies that can create a personalized plan for you. This is an excellent opportunity for a small business to showcase its services and rise against the competition. SEO for scaling small businesses starts here. Just follow these simple steps: 

Create a Great Website

You should ensure that your website is user-friendly and offers some form of customer support to minimize customer churn. Additionally, your website should have qualities such as being well-structured and safe, at the very minimum.

Another crucial aspect that affects your site’s traffic is speed. Studies show that the first five seconds of page-load time have the most significant impact on conversion rates.

Remember that search engine results are also based on your site’s reputation. This is closely tied to user experience, so ensure your site is manageable and attractive for your target audience. Segmenting your customers is also key to defining your customer groups and catering to their individual needs.

To wrangle data, there are Google Analytics tips and tricks you can follow to check your website’s bounce rate (the percentage of visitors who enter your site and then leave) and determine which areas need improvement.

Set Your Location

A crucial detail for search engines is your location. If it doesn’t know where your business is, it can’t place you on the correct results page. Double-checking your contact information on every online platform is crucial for this.

Bear in mind that you also want to be easily found by anyone who accidentally “bumps” into your site. If they struggle to find an address or even a number to call, they might get frustrated and completely give up on your company. Adding a number and physical address also lends legitimacy to your business.

Produce Good Quality Content

Your content should relate to the products or services you offer. For example, if you sell eco-friendly products, every time someone searches for “most sustainable ways of buying clothes”,  they could discover one of your blog posts, and you could gain a potential customer.

Think of it like this: the job of a search engine is to connect certain words or sentences to relevant websites. So, by using keywords and anchor text SEO, you can direct people’s searches straight to your company.

Use your expertise to inform your clients of any questions they may need answers to. You can also write about your business goals and long-term plans. A helpful tip is to use headings and subheadings. Search engine bots love them.

Another way of distributing your content is through email marketing. You can use many free email marketing providers to automate communications and engage with potential clients.

Build an Online Reputation 

One thing is clear: it’s crucial for small businesses to go digital. As mentioned previously, your online presence weighs heavily on SEO rankings. No matter how small your company is, you need to get people talking about you. 

An effective way of doing this is by getting mentioned by other websites. If a company closely related to yours includes a link to your website from their site, your SEO rankings will see a boost. This tells search engines that your site is popular and should appear in their results.

Seventy-five percent of internet users never scroll past the first page of search results. So it’s worth networking with other businesses, working at getting online mentions and links back to your site. This will improve your site’s findability and help you gain online recognition.

It’s no different for a SaaS company. If you feel like you don’t have the necessary expertise, many SaaS SEO agencies can develop a strategy for you.

Encourage Ratings and Reviews 

The conversation should not only be between businesses. Remember that getting reviews from customers is essential too. This will help build trust among potential clients, but it will also help your SEO ratings.

You should monitor your online reviews through different platforms and ensure you resolve any negative feedback from clients directly with them. The benefit of being a small business is that you may have more time to develop a closer relationship with them and can personalize responses.

Another way of keeping customers satisfied is by being completely open and transparent. For example, you can publish an SEO report for clients to display your company’s professionalism and superb results.

Final Thoughts

You don’t need to be a search engine expert to understand that the stronger your online presence is, the more people will learn about your services. With visibility comes trust, and with trust, customer loyalty.

SEO might at first seem daunting, but once you harness the power of SEO, you can control it to your benefit. If you follow the tips detailed above and start monitoring your search engine rankings, you will be at an advantage over thousands of companies.