Almost everyone can agree that at this point every company needs a website and some kind of social media presence, but so many businesses forget about the holy grail of marketing: Google rankings. For some businesses, social media posts and a website just aren’t enough to convert online customers. If your ideal audience is more likely to find you by searching keywords into a search bar than they are by scrolling Instagram, SEO might be the best way to invest in your business and improve your numbers and make more money. Of all the marketing services we offer, SEO consistently has the highest ROI across clients of all industries.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the work you can do to your website so that it appears higher in search engine results (like Google) when people search for terms related to your business. Most business owners have absolutely no experience with SEO, so trying to do it themselves is completely overwhelming. We always recommend building SEO into your marketing budget and hiring a professional to handle it, but if you’re strapped for cash and want to give potential customers a better chance at finding your website, there are some things you can be doing on your own to improve your rankings:
1. Understand What SEO Is and Why It Matters
SEO is essentially the way you make your website more appealing and understandable to search engines like Google, so they know what your site is about and can show it to people searching for relevant topics.
For example:
If you own a bakery, you want people who search for "best chocolate cake in [your city]" to find your bakery.
If you run a plumbing service, you want people who search for "emergency plumbing services near me" to find your business.
The higher your website ranks, the more likely people will click on your site when they search for something relevant. As we know, anything after the first page of Google search results is a death sentence. Higher rankings lead to more traffic, more customers, and ultimately more sales.
2. Key Elements of SEO
There are three main areas that influence SEO: On-page SEO, Off-page SEO, and Technical SEO.
A. On-Page SEO (What’s Customers Can See)
Keyword Research: This is the process of finding out what words and phrases potential customers are searching for. For example, if you own a flower shop, you might find that people search for "flower delivery near me," "wedding flowers," or "same-day delivery flowers.
"How to improve: Use tools like Google’s Keyword Planner or free tools like Ubersuggest to find keywords for your business. Once you have your keywords, use them strategically on your website — in your page titles, headings, content, and meta descriptions.
Pro Tip: Only try to rank for one keyword per page, otherwise your pages will be competing against each other. Separate all of your services/product categories out into their own pages.
Content Quality: Google likes websites with helpful, informative, and relevant content. Make sure your website answers common questions and provides value. For example, if you’re a landscaper, create blog posts like "How to Care for Your Lawn in Winter" or "Choosing the Right Plants for Your Garden.”
How to improve: Write helpful, easy-to-read content. Don’t stuff keywords — use them naturally. Aim for content that truly helps your audience like this one, which is teaching you all about SEO and how to implement it yourself.
Mobile Optimization: Google now prioritizes mobile-friendly websites because more people search on their phones. Make sure your website works well on smartphones and tablets.
How to improve: Check your website on mobile devices. If it’s hard to read or navigate, work with a web developer to make it mobile-friendly.
B. Off-Page SEO (The Back-End of Your Website That Customers Don’t See)
Backlinks: Backlinks are links from other websites to your site. Google views these as a vote of confidence. The more high-quality backlinks you have, the more trustworthy your site appears. Normally when we think of backlinks, we think of newspaper or magazine articles. These are super dope when we actually get them, but unless you’re working with a PR company they’re few and far between. However, you can register your business on websites like Yelp, Better Business Bureau, Bing, etc. Use our free Backlink Starter Kit to start creating backlinks for your website on your own.
How to improve: Start by getting listed in relevant online directories, local business listings (like Google My Business), or industry websites by using our Backlink Starter Kit. You can also ask local bloggers or partners to link to your site. Be careful of buying links or participating in link schemes, as these can lead to penalties.
Online Reviews: Google values positive reviews, especially for local businesses. Reviews can also impact your rankings in local search results. Extra points if the 5 star reviews that customers are leaving mention specific products or services that they used.How to improve: Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on platforms like Google or Facebook. Respond to reviews, whether positive or negative, in a professional and timely manner.
C. Technical SEO (Website Health and Structure)
Website Speed: Google rewards fast-loading websites. If your website takes too long to load, visitors may leave before they even see your content, and Google will notice.How to improve: Test your site’s speed with tools like Google PageSpeed Insights. If it’s slow, work on optimizing images, reducing unnecessary code, or using a better hosting service. This is usually a good step to involve a website specialist or marketing team so you don’t do something stupid like break your whole site.
Secure Website (HTTPS): Google prefers secure websites. If your website is still HTTP (instead of HTTPS), Google will show a warning that your site is not secure, which can scare away potential customers.How to improve: Get an SSL certificate to switch your site to HTTPS, which is essential for security. If you got your domain somewhere like Wix or GoDaddy, you probably already have this. If you’re not sure, we’d be happy to check and let you know!
Site Structure and Navigation: Your website should be easy for both users and search engines to navigate. This means having clear menus, internal links, and a logical structure.How to improve: Make sure your website is organized, with easy-to-follow navigation and a clear hierarchy of pages. Use internal linking to connect related pages on your site, make sure none of the links or pages on your site are broken, and rearrange any pages that are hard to find or in a spot that doesn’t make sense.
3. Local SEO (For Businesses with Physical Locations)
If you have a brick-and-mortar store or serve a specific location, local SEO is crucial. Local SEO helps your business show up in searches that include location-based terms like “near me,” “in [city],” or “near [neighborhood].”
Google My Business: Claim and optimize your Google My Business profile. This will help your business show up on Google Maps and in local search results.How to improve: Complete your profile with accurate information (address, phone number, hours of operation, etc.). Add photos of your business a few times a month and respond to reviews within 48 hours.
Local Listings: Make sure your business is listed on local directories, review sites, and social media. Ensure that your name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent across all platforms.How to improve: Claim your listings on platforms like Yelp, Yellow Pages, and industry-specific sites. Check that your NAP is consistent everywhere.
4. How to Track Your SEO Progress
SEO isn’t something that improves overnight — it’s a long-term strategy. When we take on new SEO clients, we always recommend starting with at least 12 months of consistent work before scaling back and lowering your investment. If you’re doing it yourself, you can track your progress by using some free tools:
Google Analytics: This tool tells you how many people visit your site, where they come from, what pages they visit, and more.
Google Search Console: This helps you understand how your site is performing in Google’s search results and provides tips for improving your site’s visibility.
Rank Tracking Tools: Tools like Ubersuggest or SEMrush allow you to track how your site ranks for your target keywords.
5. Ongoing SEO Efforts
SEO is an ongoing process. As you improve your site’s SEO, make sure to:
Keep your content fresh and up to date.
Monitor and fix any technical issues (like broken links or slow pages).
Stay on top of new trends in SEO and search algorithms.
Or just hire us to handle all of it for you since you have other things to do like run your company
Final Tips:
Be patient: SEO takes time. It can take up to 3 months to see any results at all.
Start small: Focus on local SEO if you're just getting started. It’s often easier to rank for local keywords than for broad, national terms.
Don't try to cheat: Avoid “black hat” SEO tactics (like keyword stuffing or buying fake links) because they can lead to penalties from Google and give potential customers the ick.
SEO may sound complicated at first, but it’s well worth the marketing spend and effort. With regular attention, you can steadily improve your website’s search visibility and attract more customers. Start with the basics, and over time, you can refine your strategy and see better results! As always, we’re here to help! Our SEO services are priced at $120 per hour and you can contract us for as little or as many hours per month as makes sense for your business. Our most successful clients are utilizing 10-20 hours of work per month. Send us an email or fill out the form on our website to get started improving your SEO!
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