5 SEO Mistakes Small Businesses Make: How To Fix Them
Hey everyone, This is ThinkMents! Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is like navigating a river with many turns
Easy to miss the best route if you're not careful. As a seasoned SEO expert, I've seen many small businesses struggle with the same pitfalls. Today, I'm here to help you steer clear of these common mistakes and boost your SEO efforts.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is crucial for businesses and websites as it increases visibility, drives organic traffic, and enhances credibility. Good SEO strategies improve a website's visibility in search results. This makes it easier for potential customers to find the website. As a result, the chances of making a sale increase.
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Neglecting Local SEO
Imagine walking down the main street of your town and seeing several stores you never knew existed. That's how your business appears online without local SEO. Small businesses often forget about the importance of local search. This is just like not putting up a sign in front of a physical store, which can be harmful for your business.
Many businesses fail to claim their Google My Business listing, a crucial first step in local SEO. I helped a bakery get more customers by updating its online listing with photos, hours, and reviews. More people visited the bakery because it appeared on Google and displayed its products and reviews.
Here's How You Can Do This For Yourself:
Go to Google My Business Website, search or claim your business name, and follow the prompts to claim your business. Verify your business through the method provided by Google (usually a phone call or video)
After making your Google business profile, update your website with current address, phone number, and operating hours.
Upload high-quality photos of your business, products, or services.
Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews (Respond to all your reviews)
Use local keywords in your website's titles, meta descriptions, and content. For example, "best coffee in [City Name]" or "24/7
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Ignoring Website Performance
A slow website can kill your business's first impression. I once had a client whose sales page took nearly 10 seconds to load; not surprisingly, their bounce rate was through the roof. Businesses often use high-resolution images that are not web-optimized, leading to slow loading times. Choosing cheap hosting can also detrimentally impact site speed.
How to Fix:
Make your images smaller using tools like Photoshop or TinyPNG to reduce file sizes without losing quality.
Ensure images are appropriately sized for their use on the site, avoiding excessively large file sizes.
Evaluate your hosting provider and consider upgrading to a more robust option that offers better performance and support.
Consider dedicated hosting or a virtual private server if you are currently on shared hosting.
Use website caching to store copies of files so they are more quickly accessible to returning visitors.
Implement browser caching through your site’s .htaccess file or use plugins like WP Super Cache for WordPress sites.
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Not Using Keyword Research
Keywords are the bridge between what people are searching for and the content you provide to meet that need. However, keyword stuffing or using irrelevant keywords can sabotage your SEO. Choosing the wrong keywords can lead you to attract the wrong audience. For example, if you're a real estate SEO services provider, targeting "cheap apartments" won't attract your ideal clientele.
How to Fix Step-by-step:
Use tools like Semrush vs Ahrefs for keyword research services to find relevant, high-traffic keywords.
Compare features and effectiveness of Semrush vs Ahrefs for your specific needs to make an informed decision.
If you're not sure, consider hiring experts to find the best keywords for your needs.
Make sure the service gives detailed reports with competition analysis, keyword volume, and relevance.
Use main keywords in titles, headers, and first paragraph of your content for better optimization.
Use extra keywords in content for a smoother flow.
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Overlooking Content Quality
"Content is king" is a cliché because it's true. The aim is to draw in and change visitors, not just fill the page with words. Outdated content won't help you.
Why? People won't read it, and google will know that. I have turned dull blogs into websites that draw in more visitors. Adding new and useful content that matches what readers like helped.
How to Fix:
Review your current content to find pieces that are old or not performing well.
Revise articles with new info, keywords, and better media elements for updates.
It is difficult to create content internally. You may want to hire SEO content writing services that know your industry and can match your brand's voice.
Make content that helps with customer problems or answers FAQs.
Use fun formats like videos and infographics to boost engagement with audiences.
Not Improving In SEO
SEO isn't a set-it-and-forget-it deal. Monitoring and adapting are important. Not paying attention to key metrics can make you miss opportunities and risks. Many small businesses don't use analytics tools well, which means they miss important data for their plans.
How to Fix:
Install Google Analytics on your website to track traffic, user behavior, and engagement.
Monitor analytics regularly to understand which strategies work and which need adjustment.
Make sure to do regular SEO audits to find and fix problems like broken links, slow pages, or SEO issues.
Use tools like Screaming Frog or Google’s Search Console for comprehensive audits.
If keeping up with SEO demands is overwhelming, consider subscribing to monthly SEO services.
Choose a provider that includes on-page optimization, content creation, and performance monitoring in their packages.
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SEO results take time to show up. Improve your strategy to increase visibility and business results. Consider hiring experts for SEO services to boost your efforts. Professional help can improve your on-page and organic SEO.
Follow these tips, adjust your strategy, and slowly improve your search engine rankings.
Link Building: Building a strong backlink profile is essential for boosting your site’s authority and rankings. This is a core aspect of off-page SEO services.
Pro Advice: Content Refresh
Regularly update and refresh your content to keep it relevant and engaging. This is a crucial part of organic SEO services.
Remembering these tips can help you improve your online visibility. This applies to all types of businesses. Whether you're a B2B SEO agency, a small local business, or provide monthly SEO services, it doesn't matter. Avoiding mistakes is crucial for success in the digital world.