Search Engine Optimization Best Practices for Small Businesses

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Proper use of keywords and search engine optimization is the most popular method for consumers to identify and find businesses online. Search Engines have made research methods like Yellow Pages and other business directories ineffective. However, for a potential customer to find a business, the organization must be visible in searches. Therefore, they need to develop a list of keywords that prospects use to find their business and optimize their website using a process called Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

What is Search Engine Optimization?

Search Engine Optimization is the adjustments or design of a web page that allow it to be found, indexed and listed easier by a search engines such as Bing and Google. The majority of Search Engine Optimization takes place in the form of keywords however other elements are also important including links, content and Social Media. So it is always important when building a site to consider these elements. However, keywords should be a huge focus as the on-page elements of SEO make 75% of the final ranking and is core to the SEO process.

Keyword Development for Search Engine Optimization

Keywords are such an important part of Search Engine Optimization. Therefore, it should be at the top of the list when a business is designing a new website. There are several elements that a brand needs to consider when it is creating its keywords:

Define the keywords – If a business can identify which keywords that consumers will be using to search for their company, it should implement those within the web page and Meta tags.

Adjust keywords – Instead of using one word continuously, businesses should employ long-tailed versions of the word such as ‘build and building’ and ‘fold and folding’.

Alter Keywords – Some keywords can be interchanged with other words that mean the same, which users may also search for like Interior designer or interior decorator. Using both can attract consumers searching for either term.

Using Meta Tags – Using meta tags can boost a Search Engine Optimization process as search engine bots will read these and index the page according to the key terms.

Content – The content needs to be relevant to the keywords. Google’s automatic indexing tools (crawlers) are improving their functionality and better able to tell the relevance of the content on a page to the meta tags being used. Naturally talking about products and services can be more beneficial than forced keyword rich text.

Localization – Search engines and searchers like local businesses. So if a company has local operations, it should include that within its keywords and by performing a few quick additions of the web page on sites like Yahoo Local Listings, Google Places, and Bing Local.

Search Engine Optimization isn’t just about updating the keywords on a webpage, there is also the aspect of connecting the webpage to other sites that are relevant, Social Media and other aspects that can contribute to the successful implementation of SEO techniques.