Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past 15 years, you well know that an increasing amount of our time is spent living virtually through our laptops and smartphones. Where in the past we needed maps, business directories, dictionaries, phone books, cookbooks, magazines and more, now all of that information (as you know) and so much more is found through search engines. This is an important topic for business owners to understand. In 2021, an estimated 3.5 billion people used Google, according to Semrush. Everything from ordering pizza, to finding a roof repair company, and even finding someone to do your taxes remotely- like Omnis Bookkeeping and Business Solutions in Sarasota, FL (shameless plug)- is largely done on search engines. Many established businesses find continued success through referrals, word of mouth, and loyal repeat customers- however, for steady and sustainable growth SEO is key. This is especially true with brand new ventures that don’t yet have a database full of loyal clients. If you want your business to grow in today’s world then you must be easily found online. SEO is how you make that happen. According to Yelp, “SEO is important because it helps you establish yourself as an expert in your field and drives traffic to your website, while also helping you organically promote your business for free.”
Search Engine Optimization is the process of following a strategy that is geared toward enhancing your website and producing content using specific keywords that relate to your industry, in order to rank highly in search engine results. Simply put, SEO is about “implementing best practices that give search engines and visitors the best chance of finding your website” according to Bluehost.com. Search engine bots crawl your website to judge how credible it is and how relevant your content is to people searching for information. The goal is to consistently add valuable content so that eventually your website will rank highly in search engine results.
For small businesses with a smaller budget you typically want to focus on keywords that aren’t extremely competitive. One tactic that is great for minimizing competition is using long-tail keywords. For example, having “Remote bookkeeping service for small businesses” will get you much further than simply focusing on “bookkeeper”. Although long-tail keywords don’t generate the same number of searches they typically attract people who are looking for your specific product or service, and therefore are more likely to lead to a transaction. For example, by focusing on “Fashionable Workout Apparel” you avoid pointless traffic from people who are looking for swimwear, or football cleats, instead of gym clothes.
Specifically for small businesses here are some practices to keep up with, since bots are always seeking extremely relevant and highly credible sources.:
- Focus on local- 46% of all Google searches have to do with finding local information.
- Consistently optimize keywords- Trends change, and so does the popularity keywords. The search for the best and most efficient keywords to use is an ongoing practice.
- Practice link building- Find ways to make links to your site from others, as well as from your site to other credible sources. This builds the credibility of your site.
- Promote on social media- Sharing your content on your social media profiles will help drive website traffic.
Although there is a rumor that SEO is not as important as it used to be, the fact is that more and more people are using search engines to find information globally and locally. SEO is still extremely relevant for small business owners, because search engines are continuously seeking to improve the quality of search results, and therefore are constantly updating their algorithms. Aside from it being relevant, you may be thinking that it is too time consuming and costly. According to Search Engine Journal, “Inbound leads (like from SEO) cost 61% less than outbound leads (like cold calling). If SEO is something that is taking time away from your day that you could be using to hone your craft or actually run your business, then Omnis can help. We are more than just your average bookkeeping service. Aside from the financial aspects of our services, we also offer system implementation and business consulting services. We have a highly qualified team of professionals and a network of partners that can take the SEO weight off of your shoulders. Let us help you get back to your dream job, and contact Omnis Bookkeeping and Business Solutions to set up a consulting session today!
