How to SEO my small business on a budget
As a small business owner, implementing affordable SEO strategies can make a big difference in building visibility, driving traffic, and gaining customers. Here are some actionable steps you can take to SEO your business effectively while staying within a budget:
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Table of Contents
1. Optimize Your Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is often the first point of contact for potential customers searching for businesses like yours. To optimize your GBP:
- Claim your profile: Sign up for Google My Business if you haven’t already.
- Complete all details: Fill in your business name, address, phone number, website link, hours, and accurate descriptions.
Use high-quality photos: Showcase your storefront, products, team, or services. - Encourage reviews: Ask satisfied customers for reviews and respond professionally to all feedback. Positive reviews will boost your trustworthiness and local rankings.Use Free Tools for Keyword Research
2. Use Free Tools for Keyword Research
Keyword research helps you understand what your target audience is searching for.
- Try free tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest, or AnswerThePublic.
- Pick keywords that are highly relevant to your business but have low competition. For instance, instead of targeting “coffee shop,” a Winnipeg café can use “best café in Winnipeg” or “coffee shop in Winnipeg.”
3. Create Quality, Targeted Content
Content is still king. Writing high-quality, focused content that answers users’ queries will help you rank better:
- Focus on intent: Address customer needs. For example, writing “10 Tips for Plumbing Maintenance” helps a plumbing service attract potential customers searching for solutions.
- Use keywords naturally: Incorporate your target and related keywords within titles, headings, and body text without overstuffing.
- Deliver value by solving problems or sharing unique insights specific to your business or location. You are an expert in the field and no AI can replace that.
4. Implement On-Page SEO Best Practices
Optimize individual website pages to improve rankings:
- Title tags: Ensure titles are catchy and include keywords (e.g., “Affordable SEO Service in Winnipeg”).
- Meta descriptions: Write concise, keyword-focused descriptions for search results.
Header tags (H1, H2): Use headings with target keywords to structure pages. - Internal links: Link blog posts or services to other pages, helping users navigate your site. For example, link a blog “Plumbing Maintenance Tips” to your “Plumbing Services” page.
5. Make Your Website Mobile-Friendly
Mobile responsiveness is crucial since most users search online using their phones. according to Semrush, From 2020 to 2023, mobile saw a significant rise in visits and unique users, increasing 313% more visits than desktops in 2023.
How to improve mobile-friendliness:
- Use a responsive web design that adjusts layouts based on screen size.
- Minimize image and code sizes to speed up load times.
- Make your website easily navigable with clear menus and clickable buttons
6. Leverage Local SEO
Small businesses benefit immensely from local SEO, which targets customers in specific geographic areas.
- Ensure consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone): Use identical contact details across your website, GBP, and online directories.
- Include local keywords: Use phrases like “affordable plumber in Winnipeg” or “dentist near me” in content and meta tags.
- List on local directories: Add your business to Yelp, Yellow Pages, or regional directories relevant to your industry. Expert tip – search your service, look at the directories that show up first and focus on those.
7. Encourage Online Reviews
Customer reviews not only enhance credibility but also improve your local SEO ranking. Here’s how to encourage feedback and use it to your benefit:
- Politely ask customers to leave reviews on GBP or platforms like Yelp after successful service. Expert tip, reply every review and where possible mention the service.
- Highlight those reviews by embedding it in your website.
- Use automated follow-up emails or SMS with direct links to review platforms. A thoughtful thank-you message or discount often motivates customers to leave positive feedback
8. Use Affordable Link-Building Tactics
Getting backlinks (links from other sites pointing to yours) boosts SEO authority. For budget-friendly ways:
- Guest post: Write content for related blogs in your niche and link back to your site.
- Broken link building: Reach out to websites that have broken links and suggest replacing them with your content.
- List in directories: Add your business to reputable directories for local businesses to build quality citations. Some links with directly improve clicks to your website (especially using the expert tips in #6) while others will only affect search engines.
9. Monitor Performance With Free Tools
Some excellent free tools can monitor how well your SEO strategies are working:
- Google Analytics: Track website visitors, traffic sources, and audience behavior.
- Google Search Console: Identify ranking keywords, click-through rates, and technical issues.
- PageSpeed Insights: Analyze how quickly your site loads and get suggestions for improvement.
10. DIY Where Possible
If hiring an SEO agency is out of your budget, take a DIY approach to implement basic SEO strategies:
- Write your own blogs or hire freelancers through affordable platforms.
- Social media promotion (posting content like blog links) can amplify visibility. Always try to repurpose content when ever possible.
- Use free tutorials online to learn and improve your basic SEO knowledge.
- Expert tip: Create an excel sheet to keep track of all your research, backlinks, companies you reached out to for guest post.
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