why seo is important for small business
Speak to any entrepreneur and they’ll tell you that managing a business is challenging. The majority of small businesses don’t survive past their initial years and as time progresses, the number of businesses that fail continues to increase. It’s crucial for small business owners to equip themselves with every possible advantage and opportunity to thrive. One method to enhance the likelihood of success is by utilizing SEO.
Key Takeaways
- SEO is crucial for small businesses to gain a competitive edge, attract new customers, and increase the chances of success.
- SEO helps build trust among potential customers, as they tend to trust businesses that appear on the first page of Google search results.
- SEO works for small businesses in the same way as it does for big businesses, by providing potential customers with the information they are searching for in a structured manner.
- SEO is a long-term solution and can take months to show measurable results, unlike advertising which is a short-term, pay-to-play strategy.
- The benefits of SEO continue even after a business stops spending on it, unlike advertising where the benefits cease once the spending stops.
- All small businesses with a website should consider SEO to some degree, depending on their unique goals and competitive landscape.
- SEO for small and local businesses has nuances and strategies that differentiate it from national SEO campaigns.
Why is SEO important for small businesses?
Competition is ever-present in business. If you can conceive of a business niche with no competitors, it might be a good idea to venture into it. There’s a high chance of gaining substantial market share and succeeding. However, for most business niches, competition is rife. Small businesses such as plumbing services, cafes, real estate agencies, and dispensaries face a plethora of competition – both in the physical world and online. One of the best ways for a small business to enhance its chances of success is to attract new customers with a minimal investment. Search engine optimization (SEO) could be that prudent investment.
What makes SEO so special?
Trust is a powerful thing, especially when it comes to search results. When people see a business listed on the first page of their Google search, they believe it’s because Google has deemed that business relevant to their needs. This trust is built upon Google’s history of providing accurate and truthful answers to their queries. So, when users search for “a small business in their city,” they have faith in the accuracy of the search results.
Did you know that 80% of users rarely venture to the second page of Google? Instead of browsing further, they are more likely to modify their search terms. Their trust extends not only to Google’s search results but also to the first page of these results. This trust is reinforced by their past experiences of finding what they need on the first page.
How does small business SEO work?
Just like larger corporations, small businesses can also benefit from SEO, or Search Engine Optimization. This strategy is all about delivering the information that potential customers are seeking. However, simply having the information on a website isn’t enough. It must be organized in a manner that’s easily understandable by Google. This allows the search engine to quickly comprehend the information and decide if it’s relevant to a searcher’s query. This is where SEO proves its worth.
A seasoned SEO expert, equipped with the right tools, can pinpoint the appropriate keywords to attract the right customers. For instance, in Castle Rock, CO, nearly 400 people a month search for “Castle Rock Plumbers.” This might seem like an obvious choice, but what about the keywords “Plumbers Castle Rock?” If a business targets “Plumbers Castle Rock,” they would be pursuing a keyword that in fact has no search volume.
What about Advertising?
If a company requires immediate phone inquiries, SEO isn’t the appropriate strategy. SEO, including that for small businesses, is designed for long-term results. It might take several months before substantial, quantifiable outcomes from SEO are observed. The duration of SEO effectiveness depends on various factors such as the website’s age, competition level, and even the platform used to construct the site.
Advertising operates on a “pay-to-play” model. It can often deliver instantaneous results, but once the advertising budget is depleted, the benefits disappear. Conversely, SEO creates a cumulative effect, and even after a company stops investing in it, the benefits can often be enjoyed for months or even years. For instance, one of our clients receives traffic worth over $11,000 on their site each month. This implies that if they opted to use Google AdWords (SEM) to attract the same amount of traffic, it would cost them more than $11,000. That’s nearly ten times what they spend on their SEO campaign.
Should every small business do SEO?
Yes, to a certain extent – provided the business operates a website. Each business has unique goals, hence their SEO needs will differ. For some businesses, a simple SEO adjustment involving some technical and on-page SEO might suffice, while others may require a comprehensive SEO campaign to outperform local rivals online.
Ultimately, the decision to adopt SEO should be based on the potential benefits. For instance, a local concrete business could secure a six-figure commercial contract due to search ranking, yielding an exponential return on their SEO investment. Conversely, consider the number of cups of coffee a local espresso bar would need to sell to achieve a similar return.
Conclusion
In summary, search engine optimization (SEO) is an invaluable resource for small businesses aiming to succeed in competitive industries. Not only does it assist firms in achieving higher search engine rankings, but it also fosters trust among prospective customers. This trust is key in attracting and retaining clients. While SEO might not deliver instant results like paid promotions, its advantages are enduring and can yield significant returns on investment. Each small business may require varying levels of SEO, contingent on their specific objectives and the level of competition in their field. Given its potential advantages, all small businesses with a digital footprint should consider integrating SEO into their online marketing strategies.