As a small business owner, you have a lot on your plate, and the one thing that may fall through the cracks is your SEO strategy. But there is really nothing more important than making sure that your current and potential customers can find you in the great wilderness that is the internet. Below you will find four easy ways to get started with SEO.
Google My Business
One of the first steps you should take when getting started with SEO is claiming your Google My Business listing. Basically, a Google My Business listing is a way that Google allows business owners to display their information correctly and consistently on all of Google’s platforms and products. One of the many benefits of a Google My Business listing is that your local customers will be able to find you easier and will have the correct address and phone number of your business. Second, the listing allows you to access analytics data about who is reaching you which enables you to target specific audiences. On top of that, you can manage reviews, take appointments, and respond to customers. You can claim your Google My Business listing very easily by downloading the app and filling out your information.
NAP Consistency
NAP, or name, address, and phone number, is the second step in managing your SEO. You want to make sure that your NAP data contains the correct address and contact information for your business because inaccurate information can skew and confuse search results. Just imagine: A potential customer searches for your business with an address they found on one of your social media accounts, but because the address you have listed on your website doesn’t match, they won’t find you at all! In addition, if your business’s name is listed slightly differently on several platforms, search engines will rank those results differently. For instance, “Carl’s Plumbing Ltd.” will have different results than “Carl’s Plumbing.” Search engines will even register this inconsistent business name as two different businesses.
Reviews
One thing you might not think affects your SEO is Google reviews. But, in reality, Google rankings factor in customer reviews. When a local customer searches for a business or service, they will see companies that have positive reviews first. What that means for you is that you need to prompt existing customers to leave real, legitimate reviews. And that’s not as hard as it may sound! As many as 70% of customers are willing to leave a review when asked. There are many ways to ask for reviews, including email campaigns, handing out cards with information on how to leave a review, printing out instructions on receipts, and even offering raffle entries or coupons for leaving a review. The more positive reviews you have, the more your local SEO will improve so that more customers can find you.
Local Citations
A local citation is basically your NAP, and as we said before, it’s important that your NAP is consistent. The problem, of course, is how you fix or update your business information. You can create your citation on many different platforms, including Google Business, Infogroup, Acxiom, and Localeze/Neustar. You’ll also want to make sure that your NAP is correct on all your social media platforms, such as Facebook, Yelp, and Twitter. While it may take some time to make your NAP consistent, in the long run, it will improve your SEO.
By using these four tips, your business will have the online presence it needs to be successful, and you’ll have a better understanding of SEO.
If you still feel out of your depth with SEO, let NETFLY help! We will assist you in building your website’s authority, audit any existing pages you have, make updates, and help you rank on page one!
