Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is extremely important for your business website to attract traffic to rank higher in search results. However, good search engine optimization services could be expensive and cheap SEO services are not worth the risk. Most such services practice black hat SEO strategies that get brilliant results in the short-term but risk your website’s expulsion from Google, Bing, and other search engines. Small businesses typically do not have the extra dollars to hire professional SEO services or buy popular keywords in a highly competitive environment.
Even without spending any money, small businesses can take some steps to improve the natural ranking of their website. Take for example the option of using more than text to attract attention. An innovative opening has come up with Google’s Universal Search concept that highlights videos, pictures, maps and more apart from the regular search listing. Other free of cost SEO tactics that can help your page ranking in search results are:
1. Adding your details to Google Local Business Center
Google Local Business listings display your business for assorted keyword phrases in your local area, with your brand information, a map together with directions to your business and contact details and website address if any. Use this opportunity to advertise your business irrespective of it being an online or physical retail store. List your business address here and include important keywords in the listing title and details. The data is verified before your registration is approved. Ask customers to upload their review of your business in your local business listing and get links from other websites such as business directories, yellow pages, etc. Similar features are also offered by other players such as Yahoo! Local.
2. Registering your business on Google Product Search
Build a product feed and add information such as description, price, specifications, benefits, and other information. Make sure you include relevant keywords, brand name, and product name in the title and description of the product entry. Product reviews make the seller’s claims sound more credible. Encourage customers to leave reviews by offering discounts or similar benefits.
3. Spread brand awareness with social media websites
Social media networking is the latest trend in promoting a business or a brand. As these websites attract communities of potential buyers, they are an ideal platform to start a conversation about your business. Social networking portals such as Twitter and Facebook can divert traffic to your website as “most searched” topics often get pulled out in search results.
4. Using multimedia
When customers type some keyword phrase into a search box, their main purpose is to get information. Multimedia such as videos, audio files, animations, etc. can also fulfill this requirement. You must ensure that the video title and description includes popular keywords to make sure it comes up in search results. Here too, customer reviews and feedback helps your credibility. If your video is really good, more users will link to the video or tag it as their favorite, thereby improving your brand visibility.
5. Publishing content related to latest industry news
Websites such as Google News love to display articles on trending topics. Develop articles that revolves around relevant trending topics and include targeted keywords in the title. Well written and meaningful content can get inbound links from blogs and other websites. It helps drive traffic to the site.
These tips should help small businesses jumpstart their SEO initiatives. Without applying basic SEO tactics, a business website cannot attract customers. Even if promotion is not the principal object of your website, not optimizing it is a mistake. Websites cannot magically improve revenue or expand your customer base. Some selling is a must, and SEO is the least expensive means of attracting traffic. Daljeet Sidhu is the author of this article.