Tips that save time.
The internet is flooded with the same recycled SEO advice for small business owners: use keywords, create quality content, get backlinks, blah blah blah.
But as someone trying to carve out your niche online, you’ve probably noticed that these generic tips don’t always yield the results you’re looking for. The truth is, while the basics are important, they often miss the mark when it comes to actionable, tailored strategies that can truly make a difference.
In this post, I’m going to cut through the noise and provide you with SEO tips that go beyond the basics. I’ll address some common pitfalls in standard advice and share insights that you can implement right away to boost your online presence. Let’s dive into the real, practical steps you can take to improve your SEO and grow your online business:
Focus on topical authority
Creating topic clusters is a powerful strategy to enhance your SEO. Develop broad pillar pages on major topics, then support them with detailed cluster content on specific subtopics. For example, a pillar page on “sustainable living” can be backed by articles like “reducing plastic waste” or “eco-friendly kitchen products.”
Publishing in-depth guides on relevant subjects can further establish your authority and attract valuable backlinks. Comprehensive guides on topics related to your business, like “the science of baking” for a bakery, offer valuable insights and draw in readers, enhancing your site’s credibility and search engine ranking.
Leverage user intent
Understanding and aligning with user intent is crucial for effective SEO. Your content should meet the needs of your audience, whether they’re looking for information, navigation, transactions, or commercial investigation.
For example, if users search for “how to choose the best running shoes,” your content should provide a detailed guide on selecting running shoes, rather than just listing products. You essentially want what the reader expects to find and what you have to be a perfect match.
Monitor metrics like bounce rate, time on page, and click-through rate (CTR) to gauge if your content aligns with user intent.
A high bounce rate may indicate that your content isn’t meeting user expectations, while a high time on page and CTR suggest that users find your content valuable. Use these insights to adjust your content strategy, ensuring it continues to meet the evolving needs of your audience.
Optimize for visual search
Optimizing your images is key to leveraging visual search. Use high-quality images and ensure they have descriptive filenames, alt text, and captions. This not only makes your content more accessible but also improves your chances of appearing in Google Images and other visual search platforms.
For example, if you have an online store selling handmade jewelry, use clear, high-resolution images with filenames like “handmade-gold-necklace.jpg” and descriptive alt text.
This is how to set alt text for any image in WordPress: (1) select the image you want to set the alt text for, (2) set the alt in the sidebar:
Creating and sharing infographics can also significantly enhance your SEO efforts. Infographics are highly shareable and can convey complex information in an easily digestible format. They often attract more shares and backlinks, boosting your site’s authority.
For instance, an infographic detailing “10 benefits of sustainable living” can be a valuable resource that others will link to, driving more traffic to your site.
Leverage local backlinks
Getting listed in local business directories and collaborating with local bloggers can significantly boost your local search rankings. These backlinks signal to search engines that your business is relevant to the local area.
For instance, if you run a local coffee shop, being featured on local food blogs or listed in regional directories like Yelp can drive more traffic and improve your visibility in local searches.
Sponsoring local events, charities, or teams is another effective way to gain valuable backlinks. Ensure that these sponsorships include links back to your website.
For example, if you sponsor a local charity run, having your business mentioned and linked on the event’s website can enhance your local SEO and attract a community-oriented audience.
Optimize for voice search
Focusing on long-tail keywords and phrases that mimic natural speech can optimize your content for voice search. Include question-based queries like “Where can I find organic coffee near me?” or “What is the best eco-friendly detergent?” This helps your content appear in voice search results, as users tend to use more conversational language when speaking compared to typing.
Aim to provide concise answers to common questions within your content to increase the chances of appearing in featured snippets.
For instance, include a clear, direct answer to “How do I start a small online business?” at the beginning of your article. Featured snippets are often used in voice search responses, so structuring your content to answer questions succinctly can significantly boost your visibility.
Structured data markup
Implementing schema markup helps search engines understand your content better. Use relevant schemas like LocalBusiness, Product, or Event to provide clear information about your offerings. For example, if you own a restaurant, using LocalBusiness schema can highlight your business hours, address, and menu, making it easier for search engines to display this information in search results.
If you have an FAQ section on your website, use FAQ schema to enhance your chances of appearing in rich results. This markup allows search engines to display your FAQs directly in search results, providing quick answers to users’ questions and driving more traffic to your site.
Quite similarly, if you have a lot of posts that show readers how to get something done – classic tutorials – then using how-to schema would be a good idea for you. This is what it can look like in the Google:
Organize your content with clear headings, tables, and lists to make it more likely to be picked for featured snippets. Answer common questions concisely within your content. For example, a list of “top 10 espresso tips for beginners” can be easily featured in a snippet, increasing your visibility.
Next, use tables, lists, and bullet points to organize information. These formats are often favored by search engines for featured snippets. For instance, a table comparing different product features or a list of benefits can make your content more engaging and snippet-friendly.
User experience (UX) optimization
Ensuring your website loads quickly on both desktop and mobile is crucial for a good user experience and better SEO rankings. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to identify and fix issues that might be slowing down your site. For example, compressing images, leveraging browser caching, and minimizing JavaScript can significantly improve load times.
Make sure your website is responsive and provides a seamless experience across all devices. A mobile-friendly design not only enhances user experience but also boosts your search engine rankings.
Test your site on various devices and screen sizes to ensure it looks and functions well everywhere. Simple adjustments, like larger buttons and easy-to-read text, can make a big difference in how users interact with your site.
An easy way to test what your website looks like on mobile is to use Chrome’s emulator feature. Just right click anywhere on the screen → Inspect → select mobile device from the menu:
Content repurposing
Repurposing well-performing blog posts into different formats can help you reach a broader audience and generate more backlinks. For example, you can convert a popular blog post into a video, infographic, or podcast. This not only provides multiple ways for your audience to consume content but also enhances your SEO by attracting traffic from various platforms.
Encourage your customers to leave reviews, testimonials, and share their experiences on social media. User-generated content can be a valuable SEO asset when embedded on your website.
Internal linking strategy
Creating a strong internal linking structure helps search engines understand the relationship between different pages on your site. Link to relevant pages within your own site to guide users and search engines through your content.
For example, if you have a blog post about “best ideas for spring outfits,” link to other related posts like “what not to wear in the spring” or “your must-have spring wardrobe.”
Adding an internal link is simple if your site runs on WordPress. Just select the bit of text that you want to link and then pick a page from the search box:
Also identify and fix orphan pages, which are pages with no internal links pointing to them. Orphan pages can hinder your SEO efforts since they are less likely to be indexed and ranked by search engines. Use tools to find these pages and ensure they are linked from other relevant content on your site to improve their visibility and accessibility.
Optimize for ‘near me’ searches
Fully optimizing your Google My Business profile is essential for appearing in local searches. Ensure your profile has accurate information, high-quality photos, and regular updates. This not only helps improve your visibility in local search results but also provides potential customers with important details about your business, such as operating hours and customer reviews.
Incorporate ‘near me’ keywords and specific location details in your content, meta descriptions, and headings.
For example, if you run a bakery in Brooklyn, use phrases like “best bakery near me in Brooklyn” or “top cakes in Brooklyn.” This optimization helps search engines connect your business with local search queries, increasing your chances of appearing in relevant searches.
Monitor competitor strategies
Using tools like Ahrefs or Semrush to analyze your competitors’ backlinks, keywords, and content strategies can provide valuable insights. Identify what keywords they rank for, which pages get the most traffic, and where they get their backlinks. This information can help you understand what’s working in your industry and identify opportunities to improve your own SEO efforts.
Find content topics that your competitors are ranking for but you are not. Create high-quality content on these topics to fill the gaps. For example, if a competitor ranks well for “how to bike around NYC,” but you haven’t covered this topic (assuming that you’d want to in the first place), developing a comprehensive guide on this subject can help you capture some of their audience and improve your site’s visibility.
Regularly update old content
Periodically updating older blog posts and pages with fresh information, new keywords, and current data can boost their rankings and keep your site relevant.
For example, if you have a post about “dressing smart casual tips for 2022,” update it to reflect the latest trends and best practices for 2024. This not only improves SEO but also provides your readers with the most accurate and useful information.
Regularly check for and fix broken links on your site to maintain a good user experience and avoid penalties from search engines. Broken links can frustrate users and harm your site’s credibility. Use tools such as the Broken Link Checker plugin for WordPress to identify these links and replace them with updated, relevant ones. This practice helps keep your content reliable and user-friendly, enhancing overall site performance.
Build a community
Actively engaging with your audience on social media platforms can boost your SEO and build a loyal community. Share your content, respond to comments, and participate in relevant groups and forums. For example, if you run a fitness business, join fitness groups on Facebook, share workout tips, and engage with users. This interaction increases your brand visibility and drives traffic to your site.
Create community pages or forums on your website where customers can interact, share tips, and discuss topics related to your industry. For instance, if you own a gardening supply store, a community page where customers can share gardening tips and experiences can foster engagement and keep users coming back to your site. This continuous activity signals to search engines that your site is active and valuable, improving your SEO.
Implement E-A-T (expertise, authoritativeness, trustworthiness)
Including detailed author bios on your blog posts can help establish credibility. Highlight the expertise and credentials of the content creators to build trust with your audience and search engines. For example, if a nutrition expert writes for your health blog, include their qualifications and experience in their bio.
Citing reputable sources and references within your content adds credibility and can improve trust with both users and search engines. For instance, when writing about health topics, reference studies and articles from well-known medical journals. This practice not only enhances the trustworthiness of your content but also supports your SEO efforts by linking to authoritative sites.
Focus on user engagement metrics
Creating interactive content like quizzes, calculators, and polls can significantly boost user engagement. Interactive elements not only make your site more engaging but also encourage users to spend more time on your site.
For example, a quiz titled “Which type of band should you start?” can attract visitors and keep them engaged, signaling to search engines that your content is valuable.
Encouraging customers to leave reviews and ratings on your website and third-party platforms can enhance your SEO. Responding to reviews shows engagement and builds trust. For instance, positive reviews on your product pages can boost credibility and provide fresh, relevant content that search engines favor.
Utilize advanced analytics
Using heatmaps can help you understand how users interact with your site. Tools like Hotjar provide visual representations of user behavior, showing where visitors click, scroll, and spend the most time. This data can help you optimize your site layout and improve user experience. For example, if a heatmap shows that users frequently click on a non-clickable element, you might consider turning it into a clickable link to enhance navigation.
Performing cohort analysis allows you to track and analyze user behavior over time. This helps identify patterns and areas for improvement in your SEO strategy. For instance, you can see how different groups of users interact with your content based on their initial interaction date. By understanding these patterns, you can tailor your content and marketing efforts to better meet user needs and improve retention rates.
Get started with these tips today!
Navigating the world of SEO as a small business owner can be challenging, but with the right strategies, you can significantly improve your online presence and drive more traffic to your site. By focusing on topical authority, aligning content with user intent, and optimizing for both visual and voice search, you’re setting a strong foundation for success.
As to where to start with these exactly? The list above is honestly not a ranking. You can pick the methods that seem the most doable for you and start with them. I hope this has been helpful.
