6 Key Benefits of SEO for Small Businesses

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has become the buzzword in today's world of online business. In 2020, every business is going online, no matter how small they are. An online presence gives us access to millions of customers, and having a website for your business is the best way to go online.

Now the question is, being a small business, why invest in SEO? Or whether it applies to your business or not?

Even the big brands known in the market use SEO regularly for their website to remain on top in SERPs (Search Engine Result Pages) to beat the competition.

You may think that online competition is only for the prominent market players, but let me remind you, you are mistaken. No matter how small or big your business is, you will face competition, whether in the physical world or the world of the internet.

You may have good content, attractive images, interactive layout, good videos, but all may go in vain without SEO. A website with great SEO plays a crucial role in determining the success of a business. It is a major pillar to drive traffic to your business from organic search engines.

SEO is considered the most effective marketing strategy for your online business. It offers you organic quality traffic, which further will get converted into sales. The larger the traffic, the better are the chances of getting good sales.

Let me go through some of the most important key features of SEO in 2020, which will help derive success for your business in the coming years.

6 Key Benefits of SEO for Small Businesses:

Improved User Experience & Targets the Right Audience

For a great business opportunity, you first need to understand what your customers need is. Forget not; it is a continuous process as customer behavior may change with time. If it’s not easy to find what they want on your website, it will irritate them, and they will leave sooner than expected.

Google also keeps an eye on how much time a person is spending on any page or website, which helps them decide which website to rank higher. This is an essential factor to rank higher against your competitors, and hence SEO can’t be ignored.

As said above, SEO is key for online marketing strategy, allowing your consumer to find you in need. It is like hitting the ball with the right timing to score.

This kind of online marketing is also known as inbound marketing, which focuses on the consumers and offers them information in the form of blogs, videos, images, etc. Targeting users who are hunting the internet for answers related to your industry may give you potential consumers.

With the right SEO techniques in place, you target the right audience, thus increasing sales conversion. Again, hitting the ball with the right timing and technique.

Brand Visibility through 24x7 Promotions

SEO-friendly websites rank higher in search engines, attracting more visitors to your website, raising your brand visibility and product or services you are offering. SEO helps you stand out amongst your competitors, enabling you to connect with the right target audience you have in mind.

Remember the last time you looked at the second page of any search engine to find what you are looking for. Maybe never, right? You can do keyword research to find the relevant information, and you may wonder that there are always one or two websites that land on the first page. That’s the magic of SEO-optimized websites.

The beauty of SEO is that it never stops working for you behind the scenes. SEO keeps getting traffic without ever taking a break. It works for your website around the clock, even when you are sleeping. While it may be the night for you, at the same time, somewhere else, the sun is rising. So, SEO is generating leads for your business when you are fast asleep by promoting it higher.

Grows your Website Traffic

As we just went over, it is essential to have traffic on your website. That’s why SEO is there in place to bring traffic to your website. Why do people turn to search engines in the first place- The answer is to find a solution for their problem.

With great SEO techniques, your website is ready with solutions to help them out. Being a small business in nature, you may not be a recognized brand in the market, but SEO helps visitors land on your website with non-branded search queries, also known as organic traffic.

Your website is your marketing agent working 24x7x365 without rest. SEO is one of the key qualities a website should have to bring paying customers to your site, helping you grow your business.

Higher Conversion Rate

SEO-optimized websites offer services faster and easier across all electronic devices. These websites are easy to navigate and hold your visitors. They are also easy to access for returning visitors who may become potential future customers.

SEO-friendly content/solutions lure visitors to subscribe to your newsletter or share your services on their social media accounts, attracting more visitors. SEO helps you place your website properly across all search engines boosting your chances of getting higher conversions.

Building Trust

Having ranked on top search results on any search engine means that the search engine believes in you as a valuable and genuine source of information and puts you first against other sites.

SEO helps you build the authority of your site through various practices like optimizing on-page content, getting backlinks from reputable websites, and at last, improving your site’s user experience.

Internet users trust search engines for solutions. By offering relevant, helpful information, you gain the trust of search engines. In return, they push your website to rank higher, and as a result, users start relying on you. With SEO, you build the trust of search engines and end-users, and your website visitors will be loyal to you and recommend you to others.

Budget-Friendly

Last but not least, SEO is cost-effective. Any service or product offering the benefits mentioned above comes with a huge price tag, but that is not the case with SEO. SEO is crowned as the most cost-effective and long-term marketing strategy for building awareness, generating traffic, and sales conversion.

Like outbound marketing techniques where huge investment is required to attract customers, SEO is affordable. All you need is to consult professional and trustworthy agencies offering SEO services that can help you boost your search engine ranking to get larger and quality traffic.

Conclusion:

With all the above key benefits, SEO can skyrocket your website’s traffic and revenue. If you have not thought of SEO yet, it's not too late. SEO is a continuous exercise; SEO is like a multivitamin capsule to keep your website’s health in perfect condition.

Given a thought about the advantages of SEO, you might think that you will be able to do it yourself, and that's true. But it won’t give you expected results. SEO is the job of professionals as it needs to be done at granular levels.

If you are looking for an SEO agency in the Charlotte area, we at Martinez Site Design come into the picture as professional help. We can help your website rank higher, get more traffic, and convert more leads. 

What's the Difference Between Responsive & Mobile-Friendly Website?

 Many people get the terms "responsive," "mobile site," and "mobile-friendly" websites confused. They are similar, but at the same time, very different.

When Google made the switch to favor mobile-optimized websites, it significantly impacted the web design industry. Sites that are not mobile-optimized are suffering in mobile searches. So many business owners have to figure out how to make their sites mobile-optimized. Martinez Site Design is solving for this.

Mobile-Friendly Websites vs. Responsive Websites

When a site is mobile-friendly, it means that it works on smaller devices but wasn't designed for it. Responsive sites are built with the mobile experience as a priority. Instead of just shrinking down a site (mobile-friendly), responsive is ideal because it will move columns around, rework navigation systems, change font sizes, etc., to be made for an optimal viewing and interacting experience.

Responsive Website vs. Mobile Websites

There is also a difference between responsive sites and mobile websites. A responsive site is just that - one site that does it all. It's nimble, flexible, and works well on any device. This is the technology Martinez Site Design has adopted. That's what makes our sites look and work so awesome across many devices and operating systems. Mobile websites are usually built by someone different than the desktop site. They are 2 distinct sites, which means two maintenance projects, you have to make updates twice, and it's a hassle. Some larger companies and brands will make this investment, but this is overkill and not worth it to most small businesses.

Business owners are constantly looking for cheaper, faster, easier ways to build the best website solution for their business. Until Martinez Site Design came along, building responsive websites was too time-consuming and turned out to be too expensive for most business owners to afford. Not anymore! Using Martinez Site Design, we can create beautiful, stunning websites for businesses that are fully responsive and work great on any device.

This post was inspired by this article on Clickz.

Why SEO is Important for Any Small Business

Does my business need SEO? 

If your business offers services or products where users go online to search engines (Google, Bing, Yahoo) to find more information, SEO should be a high priority. Increased traffic is only one of the many benefits of a strong SEO strategy. SEO is not an overnight process. It requires ongoing planning, execution, and management.

What does SEO do for my business?

The more keywords your website ranks for, the more often your brand is visible to potential customers. Websites that rank higher on the search engines are viewed as more trustworthy and credible. 98% of all searchers do not look past the first page of the SERPs (Search Engine Results Pages), meaning if you are not listed on the first page, you are missing huge opportunities.

How much does SEO cost?

SEO does not deliver overnight success. It is an investment into your future. It typically takes 6-9 months to see results from your efforts, but you will benefit from organic traffic in the future once you accomplish this process. SEO is one of the most cost-effective forms of marketing because you engage with people who took action to search for a service or product you are offering. This strategy results in a higher conversion rate on traffic versus print or static advertisements. According to the Search Engine Journal, SEO-generated leads have a 14.6% close rate alternately to a 1.7% close rate from other marketing methods.

How do I know my SEO is working?

There are many tools you can use to measure your success. Google Analytics is one of the most powerful tools used to measure your results. Google Analytics gives you insight into your traffic, such as demographics, locale, interests, and device information. You can also measure where your customers are in the buying process by researching the keywords used to lead traffic to your site using the Google Search Console.

In conclusion, SEO delivers one of the highest ROI (Return On Investment) of any marketing strategy by allowing you to generate highly targeted traffic. SEO gives you the ability to appear higher on search results for a specific service or product.

The Importance of a Good Website For Any Small Business

 The world is going digital at a rapid pace, and it's more important than ever for businesses to position themselves to take advantage of this trend. According to the data published by the Search Engine Journal, more than nine out of 10 online experiences start at a search engine. In simple words, if a business does not have a professionally designed website, they can be losing out on 90% of the market opportunities for their business.

A great website can serve as the nerve center or hub of a company's digital presence and marketing activities. There are many ways to promote a business, including social media, PPC ads, blogging, email newsletters, online press releases, and various other digital means. A website is what strings all of these unique campaigns into a cohesive marketing strategy.

If a website is compelling, with an attractive and intuitive web design, it will deliver a high conversion rate from visitors who arrive on your website through multiple marketing channels.

Establish Strong Credibility

A website is the most visible face of any business. Potential customers are going to judge the quality of a business by the quality of their website. Even the finest business with a poorly designed website is going to make a bad impression. In today's fast-paced world, the first impression is often the last. The connected customers of today (whom Google calls Generation "C") are likely to quickly move on to the competition if a merchant's website design fails to attract them.

Whether a business deals with B2C or B2B products or services, most customers seeking to buy them will first try to evaluate a business through their website. They may want to learn about the company's background, the products or services they offer, and what other customers say about them (through customer reviews and testimonials). If a business' website provides all this information in a well-laid out manner, and the visitors can navigate quickly and easily, they are likely to win in the marketplace.

It is also important to remember that today's discerning customers do not really differentiate between big and small companies, as long as they get the product quality and price they want. A solid website lets small, locally-owned businesses compete against the most prominent players in the industry. There is no reason why a "mom-and-pop" business' website cannot dramatically outshine the sites of larger companies. In the customer's eye, the business's image and reputation will be enhanced with a web design that stands out in the crowd and sets them apart from its competition.

Be Available and Accessible

Many small and mid-sized businesses make the mistake of assuming that only e-commerce companies need a website to sell their products online. It is essential to understand that even if their products are available only through physical stores or are service providers, their customers still want to remain in touch with them online. With a great website, a business can be available and accessible to its customers 24/7.

A business can provide directions and maps to the stores or offices through a website to assist customers in locating them quickly. Many customers are too busy these days, and they may want to review a company's products, services, or menu in advance. Some may want to do product and price comparisons with competitors or see examples of their work. An efficient business website design can enable customers to perform all these activities.

Some businesses may even choose to include a 24/7 chatbot service on their website. This way, they are engaging with their customers even during off-business hours. They can announce the launch of new or upcoming products and services to help customers with wider choices. A website can also direct site visitors to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, or other social media pages to enable them to interact with the business more effectively.

When you empower customers with this level of online accessibility, the chances are that they would visit a store or office with a pre-decided mind to buy a particular product or service. It saves the customer's time, makes life easy for them, and makes them feel positive about a business.

Promote Your Business Cost-Effectively

Digital Marketing has overtaken the traditional forms of marketing by far, and no business today can afford to ignore the power of digital marketing. A website can serve as the foundation of all marketing activities of a business. It can deliver a very high ROI (return on investment) as long as a business has an excellent website design backed by quality content and solid SEO techniques.

A pleasing website design, easy-to-use navigation, and fast download speed are among the key factors that search engines such as Google will consider while ranking your website. A well-built website has a much better chance of ranking higher in search engine result pages (SERPs) than a poorly designed website. When a business outranks its competitors in localized Google Search, it will start winning market share and regularly achieving solid new leads, inquiries, and sales.

A website can be the most effective form of advertising and communications for any small business. They can provide valuable and enriching information to educate and inspire their customers through text, images, graphics, podcasts, and videos. They can cast a much wider net by reaching out to different customer demographics with unique tastes and preferences through a single, comprehensive website.

Investing in an excellent website design shows customers that a business cares about them, wants to engage with them, and helps them make informed decisions. Companies can increase their customer connections, improve customer service, and, most importantly, boost their brand image and trust with their customers through a user-friendly and compelling business website.

Do you know what customers are saying about your business online?

 Online reviews can have a significant impact on your business. In fact, the majority of consumers rely on online reviews before making a purchase decision. Maintaining a positive online reputation on sites like Google, Yelp and Facebook is something your business can’t afford to ignore. 

97% of consumers search for local businesses online. 

86% of consumers read reviews for local businesses. 

78% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. 

57% of consumers will only use a business if it has four or more stars. 

According to a Harvard Study, a one-star increase in your Yelp rating can lead to a 9% increase in revenue. 

Meanwhile, a one-star decrease in your overall Yelp rating could lead to a 5% loss in revenue. 

Not only does having a high star rating encourage people to use your product or service, maintaining a positive online reputation is a great way to rank higher on search results. Search Engines favor businesses with higher star ratings to determine which websites are the most authoritative and relevant for answering a search query. Regularly check your reviews and make sure to respond to them quickly, whether they are good or bad.

A few tips to increase your website's ranking on the search engines

At Martinez Site Design, we do not believe in THE perfect website. Instead, we believe that a great website should change with time. The internet is changing faster than ever before, and so are the search engines. Here are some tips to improve your website and help increase your website's ranking:

-Use transparent, core keywords at the start of your Title Tag; keep it simple but enticing for your customers.

-Your Meta Description should feature similar core keywords while sending the message of what your business is all about.

-Upload images with a description of precisely what they are; for example, "dog at the beach."

-Have a responsive design versus a separate mobile design.

-Make your business logo a link to your homepage for easy navigation through your website.

-Redirect your HTTP pages to HTTPS after you purchase your SSL Certificate.

You don't need to OWN a business to BE in business

Many professionals can benefit from having a website even if they don't own the company they are working for. These individuals are called Independent Contractors. They include massage therapists, tutors, personal trainers, real estate agents, counselors/therapists, tattoo artists, doctors, attorneys, tax consultants, even your barber/hairstylist cutting your hair every month. The list goes on and on...

So, what value does a website bring these people?

-A well-designed website helps build credibility in your products or services. An online website is a great medium to show local customers what you are capable of.

-A well-designed website separates you from the competition. When shopping for a product or service online, you are more likely to choose the option with the best-looking website, the best reviews, and the most relevant information to what you are looking for.

-A well-designed website makes you available 24/7/365. If a potential customer is browsing online for your product or services after business hours, a website keeps them connected to you by displaying prices, hours, location, and contact information.

In conclusion, a well-designed website allows you to market yourself by being "findable" online and stay ahead with top search engine results keeping you engaged with your local market. This can help increase repeat business and referrals, driving overall growth simply by being where your customers are online.