Relevance is Key for Small business SEO Manchester

When we think of Small business SEO, the fundamental difference from large scale SEO, is targeting. Limited resources require better management to be successful, so our first task is to think about exactly what we are trying to achieve.

Your business is aimed at a certain set of people, it is by engaging with them properly that your Small business SEO will be more effective. Let me give you a quick example. There are not many people searching Google for “domestic Installers” but lots looking for an electrician. Domestic installer might be a more accurate description of the service being offered but its “Reach” is very limited.

It is therefore vital to understand what your potential customers are searching for, try to avoid industry terms and market speak on your website. Understand how your potential customers are searching and you will be on the right track to more effective small business SEO.

Relevance is not just about being found by the right people however. It is also about their journey through your website. A large part of small business SEO is about making sure that potential customers find what they are looking for quickly and easily. If your website is confusing, hard to navigate or understand, most people will simply try another one and potential customers are lost.

Relevance should always be your starting point for small business SEO. It will help you be seen and it will help you make sales, spend time on this step and you will be rewarded.

GEO Targeting for Local SEO

Many customers are looking for services within their local area. Whether this is a service or locally sourced goods, there is a big market to be taken advantage of in the local area of your business. This is called geo targeting or local SEO and is a major part of small business SEO, many businesses operate solely within this market and many customers prefer to use it as well. So how can we take advantage of GEO targeting? There are a few easy things that we can do.

First and most obvious try and append your geo location onto your relevant phrases. Small business SEO becomes Small business SEO Manchester for example. Or you might say electrician in Manchester instead of just electrician. This allows Google to get a feel for where you are and give you a boost when people who are near you are searching for your relevant phrases. This can be excellent for increased visibility and can weed out people from distant areas if you provide a service within a local area.

Second is your NAP. NAP stands for Name, Address, Phone number and is an important part of local SEO. Google uses this as a further indicator of where you are and you should include this on your website to take advantage of this. It is important that your NAP appears on every page of your site and is consistent throughout all the pages.

The third thing you should do is make sure you have a Google my business page. This is another way to let Google know where you are and should help your local SEO rankings. Even if you’re not on the first page of Google my business, it is still important to have one and make sure the information there is consistent with your website.

Citations for Local SEO

A great example of local citations is Google my business. It is a web page that confirms what your site is about and where your business is. It is however not the only citation site out there and by submitting your business info to them, you are making your site more relevant to Google regarding your local SEO rankings.

Again make sure your business information is consistent across different citations to avoid potential problems. These citations should help your Small business SEO rankings.

Is DIY SEO Worth it?

Well you can certainly achieve higher visibility by following the steps above. If you’re a brand new business with very limited resources then perhaps this is the best way for you to go. But the truth is that a professional service can achieve much more and allow you to get on with running your business. A professional SEO service is therefore the right choice for many people.

SEO Analyst.