4 SEO Tips Any Small or Local Business Can Use to Get More Customers
KCSourceLink is a client of WiseGuys Digital Marketing.
There is nothing better than generating a new customer from organic search results. It almost feels like magic. However, there is one problem most businesses run into when trying to grow their rankings on search engines: They don’t know exactly what to do.
In this article, I will discuss the top four SEO tips anyone can implement to improve their organic search rankings.
Over the past eight years, I have helped over 400 small businesses increase their search engine rankings. In this article, I will cover the most important basics you can focus on to give your business the greatest chance of success. These are steps anyone can implement that will allow you to see success with SEO.
Tip #1: Become a topical authority
I always like people to remember that Google is a referral service. To keep users returning to the site for more, Google has to ensure the content and businesses they recommend are helpful and will satisfy users’ queries.
To make sure users get the most relevant results for their search, whether they are looking for information or a company to hire, Google wants the sites it recommends first to be topical authorities. Simply put, Google wants to recommend experts.
You want your business, product or service to be seen as an authority in a specific niche. So how do you get Google to see you like that? Here’s how. Cover your subject in great detail. Make sure your content is helpful and relevant. Don’t flood your website with a bunch of unedited, general AI-generated copy, though you can certainly use AI as a starting point and brainstorming tool for your content. The motto of SEO these days is quality over quantity.
Tip #2: Create a Google Business Profile
If Google had a favorite child, it would be the Google Business Profile. It is a free tool that helps you manage how your business appears on Google Maps and search. If your business operates in a defined geographic area, your Google Business Profile is vital for your success.
If you search “Plumbers near me on Google,” you will see a map full of businesses, all of which are Google Business Profile listings.
Create or claim a Google Business Profile
To start, you need to claim or create a Google Business Profile . Without your business listing, your business will not rank in the Local Map Pack. If you haven’t yet created your Google Business Profile, open Google and type www.google.com/business/. Once here, click “Manage Now.” Then, in the top right corner, click the “Add Business” button. Enter your business information. To verify your listing Google might have you film a video of your office.
Once Google has verified your business, add as much information as possible. Include photos, check that your business information is correct and generate consistent reviews from satisfied customers.
Adding a Google Business Profile that’s optimized will give you the best chance to attract customers from the Local Map Pack.
Tip #3: Do some on-site optimization
Now, let’s look at your website and its role when ranking in the Local Map Pack. At the end of the day, the way your website is structured makes a huge difference in how Google interprets it. If Google’s robot has difficulty understanding what your website is trying to rank for, you are out of luck, and your ranking may suffer.
Let’s look at a quick example of how I would structure a law firm’s website.
<Title Tag> Estate Planning Attorney in Kansas City (This is the most important tag of your website.)
- H1: Experienced Estate Planning Attorney In Kansas City
- H2: Why Choose Us?
- H2: Expert Law Firm
- H3: 24 Years of Experience
- H3: Over 200 Clients Helped In Kansas City
- H2: How We Can Help With Your Estate Planning Needs
- H3: Services We Offer
- H3: Areas We Serve
- H3: Customer testimonials
And so on.
On-page signals are massively important for both traditional and local SEO. Your website should have a page for each service you offer and consistently add new content. But be careful. It’s still important to ensure the content is high quality.
To really grow in the geographic location you want to rank for, you’ll need to include the city or town in multiple places across your website. On top of this, you will need to use location-specific keywords in your metadata for titles and descriptions throughout your site.
Tip #4: Use video whenever possible
When creating content for your website, incorporate videos whenever possible. Why?
- Search engines favor websites with relevant video content, improving your ranking and organic traffic.
- Audiences retain 95% of a message from a video compared to 10% from text.
- Videos build trust, and trust equals new business.
Here are just a few ways we will use this video.
- Incorporate the video into a blog article
- Upload it to YouTube. (The second largest search engine behind Google.)
- Post on Instagram, Facebook and other social media platforms.
All you have to do is gather 10 to 15 common questions you are asked, set up your webcam and film some videos. You already have the camera you need: your smartphone. And most phones offer simple editing tools. These videos don’t have to be high-production, either. Simple is fine.
Wrapping it up
As you can see, these are some simple steps you can implement for your SEO campaign. While they seem basic, most companies skip the basics and pursue more advanced techniques, but this can do more harm than good. If there’s one thing you remember from this article, it’s to implement the basics correctly.
More help for your business.
If you’re looking for some help with your marketing or anything else your business might encounter, did you know Kansas City is home to hundreds of nonprofits that help businesses like yours? Just call a friendly KCSourceLink Network Navigator at 816-235-6500 or tell us what you need here, and we’ll craft your free personalized set of next steps and connect you with the experts who can help.
About WiseGuys Digital Marketing
WiseGuys Digital Marketing helps businesses grow with digital marketing. The firm has written two national best-selling books and have been featured on FOX, NBC, MarketWatch and many other outlets. Located in the heart of downtown Kansas City, WiseGuys gets clients the best return on investment.
Services WiseGuys Digital Marketing offers:
- Website Design and Creation
- Search Engine Optimization
- Local Search Engine Optimization
- Social Media Management and Marketing
- Paid Search
- Content Creation
Photo by Anastasiia Kamil on Unsplash.
