Before you begin with Search Engine Optimization (SEO), it is important that you know your goals and that it is clear to you that this is a long-term investment. Hence, you should not waste your time – and money –on using the wrong keywords, publishing low-quality content and others. Instead, you should get yourself educated about SEO. Some of the things that small businesses should know about SEO include the following:
SEO is not without quality content.
Search engine algorithms keep their eye on bounce rate. This refers to information, such as the amount of time site visitors spend on the webpages and the number of times a page is shared by users through the social networking sites. So, what will make users stay and share your pages? Publish quality and helpful content. This should come with your goal of optimizing articles.
Get support from social media.
At these times, it’s not enough that you have a website; you should get your small business active in social networking sites. If you think you do not have enough time for this, consider at least signing up for one social network only like Facebook. Unlike in your website where everything seems to be controlled, your social account will allow you to have direct interaction with your potential customers, as well as build and grow your connections. You can discover what they need, what products benefit them and others. You can launch promos in your social page as well.
Another advantage of having your presence in social media is that it allows users to share your web content through their social media accounts. You just need to add social sharing buttons to your website to make this process a lot easier.
Register in online and local business listings.
Online business directories can improve your visibility over the Internet and, more important, build your presence in local search engines. They are also the easier paths so customers in your city or town can find you. If you have no budget for this, no problem because you can find websites that let you list your business for free.
Build links.
Another element that small businesses should know about SEO is creating links. Link building offers small businesses a lot of things: increases visitors, enhances authority and improves position in search engine rankings. These are all possible because external pages link to certain pages in your site. However, you should get links from high-quality websites. To ensure this, however, you have to write compelling content. You should also publish news stories to press release submission sites, business directories, article submission sites, blogs and others.
SEO is a continuing process. It does not end when you are already on top or at least in a higher ranking. Bear in mind that small business owners like you are taking giant leaps to be seen in the first page of search engine results; hence, competition gets stiffer every day. They will try everything to either catch up or take over your position. You will have to study which new keywords to use, new articles and press releases to submit and many others. Hence, it is important that you continue to make yourself well-informed. There’s a lot that small businesses should know about SEO.
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