In the current era, the internet has gained such importance and relevance that the famous phrase has even been coined “ if you are not on the internet, then you do not exist ”.
Modern users seek to interact and get to know first-hand the company or brand where they will place their trust, and tools such as websites or the use of social networks have become essential to achieve this goal.
That is why SEO for SMEs is essential since it allows small and medium-sized businesses to rank themselves in search engines and appear among the top results on the search engine result pages for keywords that are important for their business. In this way, the company can make itself known more easily, increase its visibility and, therefore, gain more customers.
In this blog post, we will tell you everything you need to know about SEO for SMEs, from the benefits it brings you to tips that you need to take into account to improve it. Keep reading and learn how you can make yourself known on the web.
What is SEO for SMEs?
SEO means “Search Engine Optimization”, which consists of all the processes that are carried out to improve the visibility and web ranking of a webpage.
That is, it involves applying a series of techniques and using specific tools to ensure that the web page appears among the first results returned by the search engine (such as Google or Bing).
In the case of SEO for SMEs, it is best to apply local SEO strategies and techniques in order to attract more users from the geographical area where the company is located. In this way, the SME’s website will be able to appear among the first results of local searches. Thus, the company will be able to make itself known more effectively.
Although a search engine takes into account hundreds of factors to rank a certain page, in general terms it can be said that there are 2 important points: relevance and authority.
On the one hand, relevance refers to how useful the website content is with regard to the user’s search intent. On the other hand, authority refers to the popularity of the site and the recognition it has.
Of course, it is important to optimize several factors and make use of a wide number of strategies to ensure that a page has relevance and authority. And all this is just the first step to achieving and maintaining good online ranking.
Importance of SEO for SMEs
Did you know that most people do a search on the internet about a company before deciding to buy a product from them or go to their physical store? In addition to this, today, most purchases are made online, since the modern user seeks good results in a short time.
For this and more, it is vitally important for an SME to have a presence on the Internet and on Social Networks . And this is where SEO plays a very relevant role, since thanks to it it is possible for your company’s page to appear positioned in the first results returned by search engines.
A good SEO strategy will allow you to be more visible, differentiate yourself from your competition and provide immediate solutions to the needs of your target audience. Furthermore, statistically, the more visible a company is, the greater its chances of increasing its sales.
Benefits of SEO for SMEs
SEO offers many benefits to your SME, which go far beyond attracting visitors to your page. Therefore, below, we show you the main benefits of applying a correct SEO strategy for SMEs:
1. Getting qualified traffic
With SEO, your page will not only have more visits, but those visits will be precisely from the audience you want to reach. By creating attractive content that provides effective solutions to your clients, you will get them to visit your page. In other words, only those people who are really interested in what you offer will visit your website.
The better the response that your content provides to resolve the doubts and concerns of your audience, the greater the probability that those people will become subscribers, clients, etc.
2. You will have a better return on your investment
Compared to other traditional means of publicizing your company (such as advertising on television or radio, for example), the money you invest in SEO is less, and you obtain long-lasting and stable results.
Added to this, you will always increase. If you constantly apply correct SEO strategies, your company will hardly stagnate with results, so you will be able to attract new users continuously.
Without a doubt, it is worth investing in SEO for SMEs, since the return on that investment is quite satisfactory.
3. Helps you create your brand
Without a doubt, internet presence plays an important role when building your brand, since most users value and trust more in those brands that have a website or online presence. Furthermore, if your website appears among the first results on Google, you will be able to create a solid presence for your brand, gaining more and more authority
4. You will have more visibility
Undoubtedly, in order to make sales and attract more customers, it is essential that your target audience can find you easily. Thus, as an SME, online visibility is quite relevant.
If your website appears among the first results of a search, your company will have more visibility. In the long term, this will allow you to position yourself in the market, increase sales and gain authority.
5. Greater probability of closing sales
As we mentioned previously, with SEO for SMEs you will be able to publish optimized web content, which will help you appear among the first results and increase your visibility.
Furthermore, if this content provides a solution to the user’s query, or if the product you offer satisfies a need and you generate the necessary trust, then your chances of making sales will increase.
Tips to improve SEO
With so much competition that currently exists on the internet, it is important to do proper SEO job. Therefore, below, we will give you some tips. Take note and don’t forget to put them into practice.
1. Always stay updated
Because new company websites are continually being created and hundreds of millions of web content are published daily, your ranking on search engines can fluctuate if you don’t take care of your SEO and stay up to date in the field.
It is essential that you are constantly alert about what things you can improve in the content you publish or on your website. In this way, the algorithms used by Google will always position you correctly.
2. Focus on Local SEO
Local SEO is important for the ranking of your SME website, since most of the sales you make will be from people located in the same location where your company is established.
When we talk about local SEO we are referring to the optimization that is carried out to appear among the first results when someone from a specific location performs a search linked to the keywords of your business. For example, if someone searches for “hairdressers in Uyo”, Google will rank businesses in that location that offer hairdressing services higher on SERP.
To focus on local SEO, the first thing you should do is register your company on Google My Business. Thus, Google will include you in the list of local businesses, helping you gain more visibility and obtain more customers.
Thanks to Google My Business, your customers will also know all kinds of information about your business, from the services you offer to working hours, reviews, contact numbers and addresses.
However, at this point it is important to note that it is not enough to simply fill out all the information about your company. It is essential that your Google listing is always up to date. To do this, you need to respond to reviews (both negative and positive), add geolocated photos, as well as business publications and maps with the location, etc.
3. Before creating content, do keyword research
Good keyword research goes hand in hand with search engine optimization. Therefore, before writing any content for your website, take the time to do a search for relevant keywords that your customers use.
Keywords are terms made up of one or more words and define the way users perform a search in browsers. Therefore, it is essential that you research and search for keywords related to your market niche, always keeping in mind the number of times these words are used when doing a search.
Start by creating a list of keywords. When you have done this, select the most relevant ones, those that have the most searches and have the lowest competition score to use them in the content of your website.
Another thing to keep in mind about keywords is to make sure you choose ones that are easy to optimize. That is, you need keywords that you can include naturally in your web content.
4. Offer quality content
The content you publish on your site must respond to the needs of users. In addition, it is essential that it is correctly structured and easy to read.
If you publish high quality content on your website, users will stay on the website longer, follow you and value the information you provide. Thus, your company will grow in authority and relevance.
Likewise, offering high-quality content helps improve the user experience on your website.
5. Create a good website
Logically, when we talk about SEO for SMEs, your company’s website is one of the most important things. Therefore, you need to create it in the best possible way, making it attractive, intuitive, fast to load and optimized for SEO from the beginning.
A correctly structured and well designed website will allow users to spend more time browsing it, which will undoubtedly positively influence your online ranking.
Make sure that the design of your page is visually friendly, that it has easy access to the content menu and that the loading time is optimal. In addition, you also need to have a page design that allows access from different electronic devices (such as mobile phones, tablets, computers, etc.).
By doing all this you will be able to improve the user experience, while Google will position you better among the results.
6. Have a presence on social media
In SEO for SMEs, social media also plays an important role. There are millions of people who are registered in these media and constantly connect to interact with others. Therefore, social networks are excellent for publicizing your page and your company.
On social networks such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc, you can promote your products, services, content, etc. In addition, they are also a good way to get external links, which will help you position yourself better.
Establish a plan to have a presence on the most relevant social networks, always showing the ideals of your company, interacting with users and responding to any comments, questions or concerns that may arise.
7. Develop a link-building strategies
When talking about SEO for SMEs, many companies neglect this point because they are unaware of its relevance. A link-building strategy, or “ link construction ”, consists of seeking to have your page linked to and promoted by other websites of greater authority.
To obtain these references you can write as a guest author for other sites, collaborate with other companies, participate in forums or even leave comments on other websites. This way you can increase the number of visits to your page.
8. Website loading speed
A fast website loading speed is a relevant factor in on-page SEO and it directly affects your position in Google. It is a fundamental aspect that a website must comply with to improve its visibility on the Internet.
We must not forget that Google wants to offer its users the best results for their queries on the internet. Therefore we must offer our users good content, a good experience and a website that loads under 3 seconds.
Some SEO tools for SMEs at zero cost
Having known the advantages of SEO for your SME and taking into account some tips to improve the position of your website in search engines, below, we leave you a list of free tools that will allow you to improve your SEO.
1. Google My Business
As mentioned previously, this tool is essential for doing local SEO. Best of all, it’s free, so you can register your company today and start enjoying the benefits.
2. Google Analytics
With this tool, you can analyze the performance of your page. Although it is free, it is still robust and integrates perfectly with other Google tools, such as Data Studio, Search Console and Google Optimize.
3. Google Search Console
Perhaps this is the most useful free tool of all, and it allows you to know how Google ranks and crawls your website. Additionally, here you can get accurate and reliable data on keywords to incorporate into your content.
Likewise, every time you update the content of your website, it is advisable to index it through this useful and necessary tool.
4. Link Redirect Trace
This tool will allow you to index your website. It is a Chrome extension, and with it you can obtain information about: link metrics, HTTP headers, rel-canonicals, etc.
SEO for SMEs is a constant work of optimization and research, but its benefits are surprising. Do not hesitate to put into practice the advice and recommendations that we have given you in this article. Thus, your company will soon grow in relevance, improving its visibility in search results and will be able to consolidate itself in the market.
To summarize, improving SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for an SME (Small and Medium Enterprise) involves optimizing the online presence so that it is more visible in search engines. Here is a summary of the key points:
- Keyword Research:
- Identify the keywords relevant to your SME. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner to find terms that have good search volume and are related to your business.
- Quality Content:
- Create relevant, valuable and unique content. Post regularly on your website and blog using the identified keywords. Make sure the content is attractive to both users and search engines.
- On-Page Optimization:
- Optimize your web pages, including titles, meta descriptions, headers and URLs. Make sure each page is focused on a specific keyword.
- User Experience (UX):
- Improve the user experience on your website. Make sure it’s easy to navigate, with relevant internal links and a clear structure. Loading speed is also crucial.
- Presence on Social Networks:
- Maintain active profiles on social networks relevant to your business. Share your content and participate in conversations. Social media can contribute to SEO by generating traffic and links.
- Local Listings and Reviews:
- Make sure you have updated profiles on review platforms and local directories, such as Google My Business. Positive reviews can improve local visibility in search results.
- Mobile Optimization:
- Make sure your website is mobile friendly. Google prioritizes websites that offer a good user experience on mobile devices.
- Quality Links:
- Build quality links from relevant and trusted websites. Avoid unethical link building tactics as they can have a negative impact.
- Technical Optimization:
- Conduct regular technical audits to identify and correct technical problems on your website. This includes optimizing site structure, improving indexing, and fixing crawling issues.
- Analytics and Monitoring:
- Use tools like Google Analytics to monitor the performance of your website. Analyze key metrics such as traffic, bounce rate, and conversions to make informed decisions.
By implementing these practices, SMEs can improve their online visibility and increase their chances of attracting potential customers through search engines. It is important to note that SEO is an ongoing process that requires periodic monitoring and adjustments.
