Being a small business owner is tough, and if you are doing business online. Getting a customer to your website is the first step to doing business. This is where SEO plays a key role. By optimizing your website for search engines, you can increase visibility and attract more traffic. However, it is very easy to spend a lot of time and not see a postive return on invested time with SEO. That's because it is very easy to make SEO mistakes if you don't have a plan.
In this article, we will identify the most common SEO mistakes small businesses make and provide actionable SEO tips to mitigate them. Whether you are new to the SEO industry or are very experienced, these basic SEO strategies for small business websites will surely boost your search engine ranking and get great attention for your business.
So, let's find out about the common mistakes small business owners make when using seo.
1. Not Doing Keyword Research
One of the most common mistakes small businesses make when it comes to SEO is not doing proper keyword research. Keywords are the foundation of your SEO strategy, and without them, you’re basically running blind.
The importance of keyword research
Keyword analysis helps you understand what your target audience is searching for and how. By choosing the right keyword, and answering it very specifically, you can start ranking with the keyword.
How to find the right keywords
To find the right keywords for your small business, start by identifying terms related to your product or service. Then, use keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, and Ahrefs.
Look for the keywords with low kewyord difficulties. The ones that big websites are not competing on. These are typically long-tail keywords. Common mistakes small business owners make, is that they shoot for the high KD keyword from the beginning. It simply won't work.
The one amazing article will just never make it to the top of the search engine. Whereas the five decent articles that targets long-keyword will make it to the top of the search engine. Getting you clicks, and authority on google.
For example, instead of trying to reserve a category for “shoes”, you could target “women’s flat-foot running shoes”. It’s a very specific phrase, and you will rank on specific phrases.
These are also the exact words people use when they are close to making a purchase. So make sure to think long-tail keyword in the beginning.
Keyword research tools
(Screenshot from SEMrush)
There are many keyword research toolsavailable to help you find the right keywords for your small business. Some of the most popular ones are:
These tools can give you valuable insights into search volume, competition level, and related keywords to help you refine your SEO strategy. You can use Search Ads using the Google Keyword Planner.
2. Expecting Immediate Results
Another common seo mistake small businesses make with SEO is expecting immediate results. SEO is a long-term game, and it can take weeks and months to see significant improvements in your search engine rankings. But the payoff also comes differently. It pays even when you are sleeping, or surfing by the beach.
The long game of SEO
SEO is not a quick fix. It takes time to build authority, create quality content, and get backlinks from other popular websites. But if you are patient and consistent with your efforts, you will begin to see your advanced ranking improve over time.
Authority building and trust signals
Another important aspect of SEO is building the authority and trust of search engines. This means creating high-quality, relevant content that other websites want to link to. It also means having a secure website with a good user experience and fast load times.
When users stay inside your webpage after clicking in from the search engine. It signals that your web page satisfies the user query. This gives you more authority, and google will continue to send people your way. So give users value when they are on your page.
Measuring SEO success in the beginning
At first, measuring SEO success can be difficult. But there are a few key metrics to check if you’re making progress:
- Organic traffic: the number of visitors coming to your website from search engines
- Keyword rankings: where your website ranks in search results for specific keywords
- Backlinks: the number and quality of websites linking to your site
- Bounce rate: the percentage of visitors who leave your site after only viewing one page
Google search console is the best place to organize your process.
Keep an eye on these metrics over time to see if your SEO efforts are paying off. And remember, SEO is a marathon, not a sprint!
3. Ignoring On-Page SEO
On-page SEO refers to the optimization of individual web pages to rank higher and earn more relevant traffic from search engines. It’s a crucial aspect of SEO for small business websites, but many owners make the mistake of ignoring it.
What is on-page SEO?
On-page SEO involves optimizing various elements of a webpage, such as:
- Title tags
- Meta descriptions
- Header tags (H1, H2, etc.)
- Image alt text
- Internal linking (keyword linking)
- Page content
By optimizing these elements, you can help search engines understand what your page is about and why it’s relevant to specific search queries.
Title tags and meta descriptions
Title tags and meta descriptions are the first things people see in search results. They should be compelling and accurately describe the content of your page.
Your title tag should be less than 60 characters and is best to include your main keyword. Your meta description should be less than 160 characters and provide a brief summary of your page’s content.
Here’s an example of a well-optimized title tag and meta description:
Header tags
Header tags (H1, H2, etc.) help structure your content and make it easier for both users and search engines to navigate. Your main title should be wrapped in an H1 tag, and subheadings should use H2, H3, and so on.
Here’s an example of how to use header tags:
Image optimization
Images can also be optimized for SEO. Make sure you include the correct keywords in your image filenames and alt text. This helps search engines understand what your images are about and can even help them rank higher in image search results.
For example, instead of naming the image “image1.jpg”, you can name it “small-business-seo-tips.jpg”. And you can caption the image as “Mistakes small business owners make when using seo.”
Internal linking
(Here's an example of keyword linking)
Internal linking is the practice of linking to other pages on your website. This helps search engines understand the layout and structure of your site and can also help spread link equity (or “link juice”) around your site.
When linking internally, use descriptive anchor text that includes relevant keywords. For example, instead of a page with the anchor text “Click here”, you can use “Learn more about our small business SEO services”.
3. Having poor-quality content
Content is king when it comes to SEO, and small businesses often make the mistake of ignoring the quality of their website’s content. If you want to rank high in search and attract more visitors, you need to create valuable, relevant content that is appealing.
Why content is king
Search engines like Google prioritize websites that provide high-quality, informative content. By creating content that answers your audience’s questions and solves their problems, you can establish your website as a trustworthy and authoritative resource in your industry.
Creating valuable content
To create valuable content, start by understanding your target audience’s needs and interests. What questions do they have about your products or services? What challenges are they facing? By addressing these topics in your content, you can attract more qualified traffic to your website.
Some tips for creating valuable content:
- Focus on your audience’s needs, not just your business’s products or services
- Use a clear, concise writing style that’s easy to read and understand
- Include examples, case studies, and real-world applications to make your content more relatable
- Use visuals like images, videos, and infographics to break up text and make your content more engaging
Content length and frequency
In addition to quality, the length and frequency of your posts can also affect your SEO. Longer, more detailed articles tend to rank higher in search results, as they offer more value to readers.
Aim to create posts that are at least 1,000 words long, and post new posts regularly. In the long run, content often comes first for SEO, but the most important thing is to cover the topic well and provide value. Consistency in publishing frequency is also key for SEO and audience building. This can be once a week, twice a month, or whatever frequency works for your business. The key is to be consistent and provide relevant updates to your audience.
Optimizing content for keywords
While it’s important to create valuable content, you also need to optimize for the keywords you want to rank for. This means incorporating targeted keywords throughout your headlines, subheadings, and posts.
However, be careful not to overestimate. Keyword stuffing, or creating too many keywords in your content can actually hurt your SEO. Instead, use keywords naturally and strategically, and focus on providing value to your readers.
Content formatting tips
Finally, don’t forget about formatting. Breaking up your content with headlines, subheadings, bullet points, and images makes it scannable and easy to read. This not only improves the user experience but can also help with SEO.
Some content formatting tips:
- Use descriptive, keyword-rich headlines and subheadings
- Keep paragraphs short and to the point
- Use bullet points and numbered lists to break up long blocks of text
- Include relevant images and videos to illustrate your points
- Link your keywords to appropriate blog posts in your website
By creating high-quality, well-formatted content that’s optimized for keywords, you can avoid one of the biggest SEO pitfalls and start attracting more qualified traffic to your small business website. You can see more here.
4. Neglecting Local SEO
If you’re a small business serving a specific geography, local SEO is a must. Local SEO helps you get found by customers in your area who are searching for the products or services you offer.
What is local SEO?
Local SEO is a way to optimize your online presence to attract more business from local search. This includes touching and optimizing your Google My Business listing, subscribing to local sites, and encouraging customer reviews.
Optimizing Google My Business listing
One of the most important aspects of local SEO is touching and optimizing your Google My Business (GMB) listing. Your GMB listing is the one that appears at the top of the “map pack” of local search results, and includes important information like your business name, address, phone number, website, hours of operation, and customer reviews around.
To optimize your GMB listing:
- Make sure all of your business information is accurate and up-to-date
- Include relevant keywords in your business description
- Choose the right categories for your business
- Add photos of your business, products, and services
- Encourage customers to leave reviews
Getting listed in local directories
In addition to your GMB listing, it’s important to get your business listed in other local directories like Yelp, Yellow Pages, and industry-specific directories. These listings help improve your local search visibility and provide more opportunities for customers to find your business online.
When creating local directory listings, make sure to:
- Use consistent business information across all listings (name, address, phone number, etc.)
- Include relevant keywords in your business description
- Choose the right categories for your business
- Add photos and videos when possible
Encouraging customer reviews
Customer reviews are a crucial ranking factor in local SEO. Not only do they provide valuable social proof for potential customers, but they also signal to search engines that your business is trustworthy and relevant.
To encourage customer reviews:
- Make it easy for customers to leave reviews by providing links to your GMB listing and other review sites
- Follow up with customers after a purchase or service to ask for a review
- Respond to all reviews, both positive and negative, to show that you value customer feedback
By focusing on local SEO, you can help your small business stand out in local search results and attract more customers in your area.
5. Not Building Quality Backlinks
Backlinks are one of the most important ranking factors in SEO. A backlink is a link from another website to your website and is a “vote of trust” in the eyes of search engines like Google.
The power of backlinks
This is another common mistakes small business owners make when using seo.
Backlinks to high-quality and relevant websites can help improve your search engine rankings and drive more traffic to your site. Google will see these links as a sign that your content is valuable and reliable, and will more easily rank your site higher in search results.
On the other hand, backlinks from poor quality or spammy websites can actually hurt your SEO. Google’s algorithms are designed to identify and penalize websites that engage in manipulative link building practices, so it’s important to focus on getting high-quality, natural backlinks.
Good vs bad backlinks
So, what makes a backlink “good” or “bad”? Here are some factors to consider:
- Relevance: The website linking to you should be relevant to your industry or niche. A link from a website about pet care is more valuable for a pet store than a link from a website about car repairs.
- Authority: The website linking to you should be a well-established, trusted source in your industry. A link from a high-authority website like Forbes or The New York Times is more valuable than a link from a new, unknown blog.
- Anchor text: The text used to link to your website (known as “anchor text”) should be relevant to your content and not overly optimized. Using the same exact-match keyword phrase in every link can actually hurt your SEO.
- Diversity: Your backlink profile should be diverse, with links coming from a variety of different websites and sources. Having all of your links come from the same website or type of website (e.g. all from directories) can look unnatural to search engines.
Strategies to earn backlinks
So, how can you earn high-quality backlinks for your small business website? Here are some strategies to try:
- Create valuable, shareable content: By creating informative blog posts, infographics, videos, and other types of content that people want to share, you can naturally attract backlinks from other websites.
- Reach out to other websites in your industry: Look for opportunities to collaborate with other businesses or contribute guest posts to relevant websites in your industry. You can often include a link back to your own website in your author bio or within the content itself.
- Participate in online communities: Join online forums, social media groups, and other communities related to your industry, and participate in discussions. You can often include a link to your website in your profile or signature.
- Leverage broken link building: Use tools like Ahrefs or Broken Link Checker to find broken links on other websites in your industry. Reach out to the website owner and offer your own content as a replacement for the broken link.
By focusing on earning high-quality, relevant backlinks from authoritative websites, you can improve your search engine rankings and drive more qualified traffic to your small business website.
6. Having a Slow Website
Page load speed is one of the most important ranking factors in SEO, and it’s a common SEO mistake that many small businesses make. A slow website can hurt your search engine rankings, drive away visitors, and even cost you sales.
Why page speed matters for SEO
Google has stated that page speed is a ranking factor in their search rankings. This means that websites that move fast are more likely to rise in search results than websites that penetrate more slowly.
But why is page speed so important? It all comes down to the user experience. If a site takes too long to load, visitors get frustrated and leave the site. This high bounce rate indicates to Google that the website is not providing a good user experience and can lead to a lower website ranking.
Measuring page speed
So, how can you tell if your website is loading quickly enough? There are a few tools you can use to measure your page speed:
- Google PageSpeed Insights: This free tool from Google analyzes your website’s speed and provides suggestions for improvement.
- GTmetrix: This tool gives you a detailed report on your website’s speed, including a breakdown of each element on the page and how long it takes to load.
- Pingdom: This tool tests your website’s speed from various locations around the world and provides a detailed report on load times and potential issues.
Tips to improve page speed
If you find that your website is loading slowly, there are a few things you can do to improve its speed:
- Optimize images: Large, high-resolution images can slow down your website. Use tools like Photoshop or TinyPNG to compress your images without sacrificing quality.
- Minimize HTTP requests: Each element on your website (images, scripts, stylesheets, etc.) requires a separate HTTP request. Minimizing these requests by combining files or using CSS sprites can help speed up your site.
- Use a content delivery network (CDN): A CDN stores copies of your website on servers around the world, allowing visitors to access your site from the server closest to them. This can significantly improve load times for visitors in different geographic locations.
- Enable browser caching: Browser caching allows visitors’ browsers to store certain elements of your website (like images and stylesheets) so they don’t have to be downloaded every time the visitor returns to your site.
- Minimize plugins and scripts: Too many plugins and scripts can slow down your website. Only use the ones that are absolutely necessary for your site’s functionality.
By optimizing your website for speed, you can improve your SEO, provide a better user experience, and even increase conversions and sales.
SEO is an investment
SEO, unlike other marketing strategies, give you constant traffic once it is set up properly. We have worked with websites that tripled in traffic after the owner decided to stop working on the website. SEO takes time to implement, but it also works when we are sleeping.
But creating quality content takes time. Outsourcing blog posts is one way to help with content generation. You can also use various content creation apps to streamline your process.
EdytAI is here to be yor best SEO partner. If you are a small business owner, do not hesitate to sign up for our program.