Search engine optimization, or SEO, is the process of improving your company’s online presence to make it more searchable. Today, that’s a must for success, since many consumers rely on the web to find products and services. Online management may seem overwhelming for a small business, but with the simple tips below, you can improve your search engine rankings.

How to Optimize SEO for Your Small Business

1. Go Local

If you offer a service or product that’s common, you don’t want your business competing with all similar businesses. Additionally, many search engines automatically prioritize results based on area. That’s why it’s important to maintain a Google My Business® page, which has a strong impact on location-specific results.

2. Avoid Keyword Stuffing

When search engines first became popular, it was common for websites to contain large chunks of keywords repeated over and over. That increased the likelihood that a search engine would consider that website relevant to the topic. However, algorithms have changed dramatically, and keyword stuffing will now actually penalize your website. Include keywords, but spread them naturally throughout your website copy.

3. Market for Robots

It may sound strange, but you have two audiences for your website — potential customers and the algorithms that search engines use. These bots, also known as spiders or crawlers, determine your ranking, so your website should be tailored to them. Keep your website’s hierarchy simple, and have a professional monitor crawling — they’ll notice if your online presence is being penalized for some reason, so you can take steps to fix it. 

4. Aim for Links

Modern algorithms are likely to prioritize websites that are linked to other websites — as long as the page being linked to is trustworthy. To accomplish this goal, aim to create content that’s shareable. Think informative blog posts and interesting facts about your industry. You can also work with a search engine optimization company that will work to get your website linked throughout the web.

Give your business the best shot at success in the online era with help from Fredrickson Communications. Their team has more than 40 years of combined experience, and they serve Durham, Chapel Hill, and Raleigh, NC, with marketing assistance, IT consultation, and search engine optimization, among other communications services. Visit them online to learn more about these and other offerings, or call (336) 512-0003 to schedule a free consultation.