You may not realise it, but today SEO for small and medium-sized businesses is a marketing strategy worth investing in.
As you may know first-hand, running a small business these days is not easy: you have to stay on top of things and deal with fierce competition. Especially since COVID-19, when most consumers started buying goods and services online.
That is why you need to put your resources into a well-structured marketing strategy that delivers concrete results over time.
From this point of view, SEO for small and medium-sized businesses is a real goldmine: its tools let you build a solid customer base and organic visibility in search engines based on location.
Of course, for SEO to work for a small or medium-sized business, it has to be set up by a professional.
Thanks to our long experience in delivering SEO strategies and ongoing training, we can build or implement a strategy that works and fits your business's needs.
In this article we at Visilay share some of the marketing tactics we usually apply for small and medium-sized businesses.
What is SEO?
Brand awareness, keywords, search engine optimisation, copywriting and so on...
Since around 2017 these words have become part of everyday language. But of course knowing what they mean is not the same as knowing SEO.
Giving a precise and complete answer to the question "what is SEO?" is not easy.
SEO is a complex, many-layered discipline. Yes, it is about optimising your site for search engines through keywords, quality content and good local targeting, but it covers much more than that.
SEO has many tools, and to use them well you need to know them inside out.
A small or medium-sized business does not have the same needs as a multinational, so you have to choose the right approach when you build an SEO strategy for it.
So you can see that trying to be your own SEO expert is both difficult and counterproductive.
That is another reason why, as we mentioned, working with professionals is the safest investment: it saves you time and money.
For example, when we work on an SEO strategy for an SME, we usually start from the following points, which we see as the foundations of the strategy:
- A well-structured, fast, mobile-optimised website;
- Content that gives users something extra;
- A content marketing strategy through informational channels (a blog) that connect the business with a wider audience;
- On-page optimisation of titles and meta descriptions;
- Local SEO to grow the business in its area;
- A trustworthy link profile built through a backlink strategy;
- Credibility shown through reviews, a portfolio and testimonials.
These SEO elements then have to be adapted to the specific case: from the website design and linking through to the content.
Hence its complexity and, of course, its usefulness.
What is the best SEO for your small business?
Search engines are the gateway billions of people use every day to look for products and services.
In this sense, search is how potential customers get in touch with businesses.
So one of the goals of a sound SEO strategy for small and medium-sized businesses has to be making them visible online, so that they show up in search engines.
With SMEs, though, you need to find the right marketing approach, because in the same space there may be results from well-established players.
Hence the importance of also using other levers, such as local targeting.
Here are some things to consider before setting up any strategy:
- Budget: you may not have the budget to compete with national players, but you could do well locally;
- How fast results come: SEO is not something to rush, especially in very competitive markets;
- Competition from ads: a good strategy has to account for the fact that ads now take up a lot of screen space;
- Big competitors: as we said, you may not be able to compete with the giants, but that doesn't mean you can't carve out a niche.
The skill of a good SEO consultant is therefore to identify the SME's strengths and also its "gaps", and turn those into advantages too.
A gap is not a negative, it simply describes a business that by its nature does not want to compete in the biggest markets, but in clearly defined niches of customers.
If, for example, a company making handcrafted products doesn't sell through the big retail chains, that's fine: what matters is focusing on other channels.
It follows that before building any strategy you should start with an analysis, known as an SEO audit, to examine the site, find any issues and then move on to a tailored plan.
In some cases, for example, combining PPC (pay-per-click) and SEO can be the winning approach.
How to choose an SEO consultant
We have already said that you need industry professionals to set up an SEO strategy for a small or medium-sized business.
But how do you choose the right person?
The web is full of agencies and freelancers who present themselves as experts in this field. It is up to you to filter them, looking at client reviews and feedback, their portfolio and the sectors they work in.
If you own an SME, there is little point contacting a firm used to working with multinationals: they might not reply, and they might not be able to offer the services you need.
On that point, a good SEO consultant's job is to steer and guide you towards the right strategy, but you should do some reading first, so you have an idea of the direction you want to take your business in.
That is why it is a good idea to ask plenty of questions when you speak to SEO professionals.
These are the ones we are asked most often.
1) How will you improve my company's SEO?
There is no single right answer to this question.
Honest SEO specialists will suggest a solution after analysing the site, that is, after running checks that show how well optimised it is.
There will be an improvement, but the results may be spread out over time, because everything depends on the starting point.
2) Which area of SEO do you specialise in?
SEO has many areas.
As we said, an SME should definitely focus on its local area and its target niches.
Asking this will help you understand whether the consultant can really meet your needs.
3) What exactly will you do each month?
A good SEO strategy has to strike the right balance between technical work and communication.
A good consultant should offer technical checks and device optimisation, and also the creation of engaging content.
4) What link building strategies do you use?
This question matters because backlink strategies are a very effective way for a site to gain authority.
We usually answer by talking about natural links from trustworthy sites, for example through guest posts.
5) Do you follow Google Search Essentials?
This is a bit of a trick question (Google's former Webmaster Guidelines are now called Search Essentials), but it is useful for finding out whether the person you are talking to is genuinely informed and prepared on SEO.
Inexperienced consultants usually can't answer it.
6) Can you show me examples of companies similar to mine that you have worked with?
It is very useful to ask for examples of cases similar to yours: you can see how the consultant works and whether their approach could suit you.
7) How do you track progress?
In SEO, consistency is essential.
Ask this to understand how the consultant usually works to bring more organic traffic to your pages, for example with a strategy built on finding the best-performing keywords.
8) Do you work on contract?
It is never a good idea to sign a contract with a consultant you don't know, unless you have solid references.
If working on a project basis isn't possible, ask for a clause that lets you terminate after 3 months, so you can get a feel for how the professional you hired works.
9) How often will you report back?
It depends: every SEO consultant has their own way of working.
You should also know that freelancers and agencies handle this very differently.
For us, communication with the client is essential, so we make a point of sharing feedback, results, progress and future plans regularly.
10) How often do you review the strategy?
SEO keeps changing, so a good consultant must be able to adjust your strategy so you keep growing.
This question will help you understand how the consultant you are speaking to works towards goals.
Can you do SEO yourself?
We'll say it again: SEO is a very complex field, so no, doing it yourself is not advisable, even if you think it will save you some money.
First, you would not necessarily save anything. Second, you would lose time, because without experience in the field you would end up doing work you don't have the skills for.
Would you ever represent yourself in court with no legal experience? Probably not.
So we repeat: working with a competent, reliable professional who keeps up to date can make a real difference to your business.
That doesn't mean you can't read up on your own, so you have a better sense of the direction to take with the SEO consultant you choose.
Our advice is to take a look around to get a clearer idea of what happens when an SEO strategy is put in place.
That way you become a much better-informed client, able to make specific requests.
Here are some resources you could look at:
- Moz Beginner's Guide to SEO
- Search Engine Land's Guide to SEO
- Local SEO Guide: How to rank your local business
- Backlinko Link Building Guide (2017)
If you want to go deeper, we also suggest two useful books:
- The Art of SEO: Mastering Search Engine Optimization
- The Ultimate Guide to Link Building
You won't become an SEO expert, but you will have a better sense of what to ask a consultant and a better understanding of the strategies they will put in place.
SEO-friendly websites for small businesses
Choosing the right platform is key to building a website that performs well for your small or medium-sized business.
Depending on the business's needs, WordPress or Magento are usually the best options, although there are other solid solutions today that can deliver good results.
These include self-service website builders such as Wix, Weebly and Squarespace.
Here too, as we said, working with an SEO consultant is the best choice.
The best SEO tools for small businesses
Doing SEO means working on a wide range of elements: keywords, copy, links and more.
These are some of the SEO tools that can help with any optimisation strategy.
- Screaming Frog - SEO Spider: gives you information on broken links, page titles, meta descriptions, URLs and much more.
- Moz.com: a very complete tool for rank tracking and link analysis.
- Google Search Console: all-round diagnostics for your site.
- Ubersuggest: keyword research and analysis.
- AnswerThePublic: another keyword tool, built around question words and prepositions, which is very useful for finding the questions people ask.
- Google: the search bar itself can give you useful clues about where to focus and why.
- Majestic/Ahrefs: show you who links to your competitors, which makes them ideal for an authority-building campaign.
Remember that none of these tools, on its own, will work miracles.
As we said, everything has to be backed by an SEO strategy tailored to your business and designed to grow it over time.
What are the best tips to improve your SEO in 30 days?
Our years of SEO work have taught us that every business has its own needs, but there are common practices that can genuinely improve optimisation within a month.
Of course, they then have to be adapted to the specific case.
Here they are:
- Sign up to Google Search Console;
- Sign up to Bing Webmaster Tools;
- Claim or create a Google Business Profile;
- Do keyword research;
- Map keywords to pages;
- Pick long-tail keywords;
- Test keywords with PPC;
- Optimise page titles;
- Optimise meta descriptions;
- Ask partners for links.
SEO for small businesses, tailored to you
By now it should be clear that there is no one-size-fits-all SEO strategy for small and medium-sized businesses.
Just as there is no other company exactly like yours.
Our job, as SEO consultants, is to capture what makes you different and combine it with a sound communication strategy and the technical work this field requires.
What is our goal?
To support you across the board, generating leads and, above all, increasing your conversions through a thorough audit, keyword and competitor analysis, backlinks and high-quality content.
Get in touch and tell us about your business, what sets it apart and the goals you want to reach in the near future.
Together we will put together a growth plan that fits your practical needs and budget. If you want to know more about SEO for small and medium-sized businesses, ask us for a consultation with a quote: it is always free, tailored and with no obligation.
If you run a hotel, a B&B or a guest house, the reasoning on generic keywords changes: in travel, OTAs take most of the organic results, so it pays to work on your brand, your Business Profile and events, as we explain in SEO for hotels.
If your business sells travel, we have written a dedicated guide to SEO for tourism, with SERP data for tour operators and travel agencies and the models used by leading operators.
For SMEs that sell online we have written a separate guide, with data on the market leaders and two Shopify store case studies: SEO for ecommerce.
If your SME is a medical practice or a private clinic, we have written a dedicated guide with healthcare SERP data: SEO for healthcare.
The paid side, with CPCs for SME sectors, the calculated cost per enquiry and a sensible minimum budget, is in the companion article Google Ads for SMEs.
If you are a professional practice rather than a company (accountant, architect, surveyor, financial adviser), the game is played between your Google Business Profile, service pages with the town or city, and directories: the data and method are in SEO for professional services.
Estate agents have their own numbers: property portals that win on listings, franchises missing from local search and area pages that rank. We have collected them in real estate SEO.
If your SME works in construction, the sector data (high CPCs, quote comparison sites in the SERP, price guides that outperform service pages) is in SEO for construction companies.
Further reading: ten sectors compared.
