A Brief Overview of SEO for Small Business Owners
SEO?
How do you show up when someone googles the type of service you offer or the type of product/s you sell?
We all have had this question. I hope this brief article will be able to answer that question for you.
So let’s dive in!
What Makes Up SEO?
Showing up in a Google search is based upon something called Search Engine Optimization. This is something that is accomplished through your website and is based upon the content and HTML.
For a small business, it is easier to show up near the top of Google search results since most of the searches being executed will be based upon location. The other things that come into play are keywords, content, links, being a mobile-friendly website, and page visits.
Keywords: These would be the words that people use when searching for your services. When the copy on your website best fits what the user searched for, Google will increase your page visibility.
There has to be a related context around your keywords, so your keywords have to make sense or you will not get a good "ranking" in the search. Google's search algorithms have become sophisticated, and they prioritize content that provides value and relevance to users.
The amount of content that you have on your website that relates to those keywords helps as well. This usually is in the form of a blog, where you post at least one article per week talking about a topic related to your business.
Links: Links that point to your website (backlinks) are also a way to increase your search visibility.
For example, if you get other websites to link back to your website, that shows that your website is authoritative and a legitimate website. Google will then give you a higher search result.
However, it's important to note that quality matters more than quantity when it comes to backlinks.
Mobile-Friendly Design: With the growing number of mobile users, Google prioritizes mobile-friendly websites in search results. Ensuring that your website is responsive and performs well on mobile devices can positively impact their search ranking.
Page Visits: Lastly, page visits will come into play. The more people that visit your page and stay on your page, the better chances your search result will show up higher on the list. This is because, like the backlinks, the more legitimate page visits you have, the more authoritative your website is in Google's eyes.
Conclusion
To wrap it all up, SEO does take a while to take effect. From what I have read and seen, it takes about 3 - 6 months to know if the S.E.O. strategy is working.
This is because Google goes through a process called 'indexing,' where it's 'bot' looks at your website and determines how to parse the content.
During this time, Google assesses the relevance, authority, and user experience of your website.
Patience is key, as SEO efforts may not yield immediate results, but with consistent optimization and adherence to best practices, your website's search ranking should improve over time.
Hope all of this makes sense, please let me know if you have any questions and thanks for reading.
Trevor Convirs - Owner
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men - Colossians 3:23