The concept of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) can be intimidating for first-time business owners. Especially if you don’t yet have a budget for SEO and want to try it yourself.
The good news is you don’t have to overcomplicate things in the beginning. These are 8 easy steps that anyone can do to improve their search with little are no experience.
- Choose An SEO Friendly Domain: This is by far the easiest and often overlooked element of SEO. By choosing a domain name that includes your industry keywords or location, you’re almost guaranteed to give your Google ranking a big head start. Rather than simply using your business name in your domain, try to also include keywords customers would search for most. For example, if you are a construction company in Calgary, a domain name such as bobsconstructioncalgary.com is much more effective than simply bobsbusiness.com
- Pick A Good Hosting Plan – Your website speed is a big determining factor in your overall SEO ranking. Choosing a quality hosting plan will ensure your website loads quicker, even if you haven’t learned how to properly optimise your website. It can be very tempting to save a few bucks on the cheapest hosting plan, but in the end, you get what you pay for. Faster loading times reduce the bounce rate of your website, or how quickly visitors decide to leave. If your website doesn’t load in 2-3 seconds max, you risk customers leaving, even if they are interested in your services.
- Get A Google Business Profile – Registering for a Google Business Profile is a must if you are going to promote your company online. Your Google Business listing is what will show up first in local searches, and also allows you to collect reviews. A strong number of positive Google reviews will help your SEO “map pack” rating for people closest to you locally. You have to register first, then Google will send you a postcard in the mail with a verification code. This not only helps with better search engine visibility, but stronger conversion rates as well.
- Be Active On Social Media – Signing up for social media pages such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and more is 100% free. If you are active in posting quality content, it’s a strong SEO signal for Google. You also want to gain as many shares, likes, or followers as possible. Consistency is key with search engines, even if you don’t have a big audience in the beginning. If your social media pages become a ghost town, it will tell Google that either your business is not going well,l or you’re too disinterested to keep it updated.
- Include A Blog & Regularly Update Content: Although you may hear this to the point of nausea, it’s still a valid tip nonetheless. Search engines look for fresh content first, both in terms of quality and frequency. If you are regularly updating your blog, Google views your business as more relevant to their audience. It’s wise to start small in the beginning and stick to a regular schedule. Many make the mistake of writing amazing feature-length articles, then finding out quickly they can’t maintain that pace. Keep your posts to a couple of paragraphs at first, then increase the length over time as you improve.
- Research What Your Most Important Industry Keywords Are: When doing a Google search for any type of service, there are certain keywords or phrases customers will use most. Clearly identifying what these are is crucial to bringing in website traffic. You can use the many free tools available, but for some, this can be a little too technical to start. An easy way is to make a list of 10 keywords or phrases you’d use personally when searching for your type of business. See which ones your competitors show up for, and which ones they don’t. Once you see a pattern, it will become obvious which ones are most popular that you should target most.
- Collect Online Reviews: Online reviews are an automatic trust signal for Google and other search engines. This could be through Google, Facebook, Yelp, or all the main sources available. It can sometimes be awkward to ask for an online review from your clients. If you do a good job for your customers however, they’ll usually happily oblige. Make collecting online reviews as easy as possible by providing your clients with a direct link. This is where review requests often fall flat and customers can get confused. All reviews should be legitimate, and you want to spread the wealth over several platforms if possible.
- Write Top-Notch Website Content: Many business owners are not writers and may dread the idea of creating text for their website. Unfortunately, as much as websites are a visual art, what you say is equally as important. The Google algorithm focuses on quality content first in terms of industry expertise, engagement, and readability. This is your chance to stand out in the crowd and showcase your company’s best strengths. If you still hate writing, ask a friend or family member for help. There are also many affordable AI tools available, that can help turn basic thoughts into compelling copy within seconds.
Please note these are tips designed to get you started, as you watch your search engine ranking grow over time. SEO is a long game strategy with loads of competition. Therefore it’s important to understand the basics first, before delving into more advanced strategies later.
Getting a first-page ranking does not happen overnight, and it’s unfortunately never a guarantee. You may reach a point where you need to hire help (and most people do) but it’s always a good idea to get started as soon as possible. Good luck!
Be sure to visit our blog regularly for more web design, graphic design, and digital marketing tips!
Jeff Moyer – Advance Web Solutions Owner
