Notes

Small Business Websites
4 Strategies For Optimizing Small Business Websites For Search Engines

There are a number of ways to optimize your small business website for search engines. From using Content marketing to optimizing SEO, from having a Mobile-friendly design to including a Locations page, we'll go over the most important aspects of small business website optimization. And don't forget to make sure to have a website that's responsive and high-performing on mobile devices. Here are four strategies to consider when optimizing your website for search engines.
Content marketing

If you own a small business website, you need content marketing for your website. While most people will opt for a professional the second or third time, if you can reach these consumers before they're ready to buy, you'll be much more likely to be the first choice for their next purchase. In fact, 39% of small businesses say they plan to increase their budgets for paid content marketing in the next two years. However, even if you don't have a huge budget for content marketing, a few simple steps can help you reach your goals.

A key element of content marketing for small business websites is engaging the audience with stories. You can use your business mission or background to spark stories that connect with your target audience. This will make your content marketing efforts more compelling and purposeful. A good example of this is the eCommerce site iFixit, which generates organic traffic through its articles discussing the right to repair. It doesn't matter what you sell - if you can get people to know you, they'll want to buy your products.

As the world of business becomes more competitive and customers are more educated, a small business website needs to stay relevant and provide valuable information to attract prospects. Content marketing is a proven way to build a loyal customer base and generate sales. With a little patience, consistency, and a lot of hard work, you'll soon be reaping the benefits of content marketing for small business websites. You can't afford to miss this opportunity, so you must invest time and effort into the process.
SEO

For small business websites , search engine optimization is essential. Not only does it increase a website's visibility in the search results, it also reaches consumers at key points in their purchasing journey. This can boost sales and inquiries, build brand awareness and credibility, and improve overall trustworthiness. As consumers move away from traditional media toward digital interactions, small businesses need SEO in order to be successful. If you haven't yet invested in SEO for your website, you should.

The best way to attract visitors is to create quality content that matches their search intent. Even the most skilled SEO company can't get your visitors to stick around if your site doesn't offer relevant content. If a user clicks on your website and leaves quickly, the SEO campaign is useless. Your goal is to attract a large number of targeted traffic, but without quality content, you'll likely have limited success. Here are a few tips that can help you improve your website's SEO.


Use long-tail keywords. These keywords will help your small business compete with industry giants. For instance, if you were running an online hand-made candle store, you would compete with thousands of other e-commerce sites. Using long-tail keywords helps your website compete with these bigger players. For example, you can modify certain words, such as "how-to" in order to rank well for those terms.
Mobile-friendly design

More people are using their smartphones and tablets to access the Internet. That's why mobile-friendly design for small business websites is crucial to compete with bigger brands. A website's reputation may influence local shopping by giving customers the impression that the brand doesn't take its online presence seriously. If the site's design is hard to read on a mobile device, visitors may assume that the company doesn't care about its online reputation, or that it's not a professional brand.

If you're not aware of the importance of a mobile-friendly website, you may be missing out on a huge portion of your audience. Almost three-quarters of online traffic comes from mobile devices, and the number continues to grow. During Black Friday in 2019, 39% of online sales were made through smartphones. If your website doesn't make it easy to use, people will turn to your competitors.

To test whether your website is mobile-friendly, use Google's mobile-friendly testing tool. You can also use a mobile phone emulator to view your site on different phones. While these tools don't give grades, they do show you what problems your site has and how to fix them. A mobile-first design is a good start in making your website mobile-friendly. If your website doesn't perform well on mobile devices, you can always use Google's free mobile-friendly tester to see which pages are more attractive to mobile users.
Locations page

Your location page should provide detailed information about your brick-and-mortar location. It should include the hours of operation, as well as nearby businesses and the USP of each location. In addition to the business hours, it should include pictures of your team and popular products. Photos should be optimized for SEO. For a single location brick-and-mortar business, you should include interior and exterior photos, as well as staff photos.

If you have more than one location, you should create a separate location page for each location. Make sure to use semantic language and local keywords that are specific to the location. You can use local keywords to boost the ranking of your page. Use a Google map for easy navigation. In addition, you should add a Google map to your location page. By providing useful information about your location, your website will be more likely to rank for related search terms.

A location page is similar to a landing page, but is focused on a particular branch of a brand. It can begin with keyword research specific to the branch. For example, if you own a chain of restaurants, it makes sense to have a location page that caters to specific geographic regions. Once you've identified a few location-specific keywords, you can begin writing your location page. In essence, a location page is like content marketing for specific keywords.
Product reviews

You can encourage customer reviews by sending them an email a few weeks after they purchase a product. Include an incentive, such as a discount or free shipping code, in the email. Many people appreciate discounts and free shipping, so consider offering perks in exchange for a review. This is a small, incremental expense that will produce benefits. Below are three tips for engaging customers to write reviews:

First, ensure the quality of the reviews. While a high percentage of consumers will take into consideration reviews that are more than two weeks old, the other half will likely need to see more recent reviews. This means that you will always need more reviews, even if you have hundreds of positive ones. A low number of positive reviews may turn off potential customers. Make sure your review profiles are up to date and sharable.

Second, customers like lots of reviews. They will read the reviews of competing small businesses and compare them to your own. In addition to boosting sales, reviews allow customers to make comparisons with other businesses. Studies show that a single positive review is equivalent to a handful of negative reviews, and a few dozen are considered an "opinion." Regardless of the reason, a product with a few dozen or even just a few good reviews will likely be more valuable to customers.
Investing in a website

While starting a small business doesn't have to be expensive, it is important to have an effective web presence. Early success with a website will lead to a decent profit. This is especially important for those who do not have a large budget. While there are many benefits to investing in a website for small business, it is important to understand that a small budget does not necessarily mean a low-quality site.

A website will enable you to promote your offerings online and make transactions with customers. Almost three-fourths of businesses plan to use their website in the year 2021 to increase sales, establish authority, and build relationships with customers. Many websites are designed to accomplish three of these goals at once. Small businesses realize the value of building brand authority and building customer relationships. They have invested in iXStrata's original website, and continue to invest in regular updates.

The cost of developing and maintaining a website for a small business can be prohibitive. A website requires advanced skills in design and development. If you plan to maintain it yourself, consider hiring an agency to help you. These professionals can help you identify and address complex issues and establish your business's online brand authority. You will soon see that your small business will benefit from the investment. Even if you can't afford to hire a web design company, it is still worth the money.

Read More: https://www.lightraysolutions.com/small-business-websites/