Did you know that 48% of shoppers say that they turn to Google to get recommendations on what to purchase? And 60% of smartphone users have used the ‘click to call’ option on search results to contact a business directly.
These SEO statistics show that getting up to standard on SEO is absolutely essential for every small business out there. If you are struggling with SEO, check out the SEO tips and tricks for beginners we have shared below to make your life easier.
Claim and Set Up Your Google My Business Profile
Most small business owners aren’t aware of this, but Google My Business is a free public profile that appears on relevant search results in Google. Once you claim and set up your Google My Business profile, you can then update it and provide essential information to Google and to users.
Since this is easy to do and has big benefits SEO-wise, make sure that to make this a priority when working on your business SEO. You can add many details to your listing, such as upcoming events, relevant photos of food or business, company offerings, and more.
You can also update your holiday hours so users aren’t inconvenienced by visiting you at the wrong hours or when you are closed.
Use Relevant Keywords in Headings and Paragraphs
There are various free SEO tools out there that can help you figure which keywords you should be using and ranking for. You can use these relevant keywords in your blog posts, particularly in headings and paragraphs. This way Google will know to rank you on those keywords and to show your business when users search for that keyword.
Spice up Your Title Tags and Meta Descriptions
If you haven’t been paying attention to your title tags and meta descriptions to date, then it’s time for you to change that habit. Ensure that you use relevant keywords in both your title tags and meta descriptions.
Also, make sure that they are spicy enough that a user will want to click on them to learn more. Craft them so a user can’t help but be curious about what your post is all about. This way you can get curious engaged users coming to your website.
Of course, once they are there, you will want to make sure that your posts are filled with interesting content that answers customer questions.
For example, if you run a restaurant that sells tacos, and you have a blog post about taco history, then you will want to include all that juicy information in your blog post, so your user feels like they learned something and goes away enhanced from the experience. They will also hold a positive view of your business in their minds.
Choose Long-Tail Keywords over Short-Tail Keywords
Not familiar with the terms long-tailed and short-tailed keywords? They are quite simple.
An example of long-tailed keywords would be ‘how to roll sushi’. And a short-tailed keyword would be ‘roll sushi’.
Long-tailed keywords usually have less competition for them than short-tailed ones, so it’s always preferable to go for them.
Don’t Over-Optimize – Write for Humans First
Small business owners who are trying to optimize for SEO, especially if they are beginners, tend to overoptimize. They overuse keywords, rather than sprinkling them in as the paragraphs dictate.
Don’t fall for this amateur mistake. Remember that you are always writing for humans first, rather than SEO bots.
You want people to read your post and be engaged by it, rather than feeling like they are inundated by keywords and irrelevant information. The more interesting your content is, the longer users will stay on your website and the better your SEO ranking will be.
Go For Longer Content over Shorter Ones
Longer content is anything longer than 1200 words, whereas shorter posts are from 500 to 800 words. Longer content almost always performs better when it comes to social shares and rankings.
This doesn’t mean that you should get rid of all your shorter content. It’s always a good idea to have a mix of the two so that you can cater to all needs, both user-based and SEO.
Again, you should be writing for humans, not for SEO. But if you can please both of these audiences at once, then that’s the way to do it. Don’t write a longer post when a shorter one will do.
But you should try to write long-form guides on certain topics, rather than short snippets. You want users to get all their questions about a particular topic on one page, rather than having to go search around once again.
Keep URLs Short and Have the Keyword in Them
Start paying more attention to the way you craft your URLs from now on. Make sure that they are short, and have the relevant keyword in them.
Not only will this make it easier to share and remember, but it’ll also rank higher on Google. If possible, keep your URL to five words or less. Make sure it’s all lowercase and use hyphens in between words.
Avoid using apostrophes or hashtags in your URL. Keep those for your heading or title.
Web crawlers should be able to figure out quickly what your post is all about when scanning your URL.
SEO Tips and Tricks – Don’t Feel Overwhelmed by SEO
Too many small business owners feel overwhelmed by all that they need to do for SEO, and end up doing nothing at all. We recommend taking it slow, and step by step.
Fix one SEO issue on your website, before moving on to the next item on the list. Tackle the easy wins first, like setting up your Google My Business profile, and then go on to the tougher bits.
Did you find this article on SEO tips and tricks enjoyable? We hope you did. There are also many other related articles on Business Products & Services and Technology on our website, so keep perusing.