Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is necessary for your business website to get traffic to rank higher in search results. Not surprisingly, topnotch search engine optimization services could be expensive and low-priced SEO services could be risky. Most such services use unethical SEO strategies that get excellent results in the short-term but risk your website’s removal from Bing, Google, and other search engines. Small businesses working with strained budgets find it difficult to hire expert SEO services or buy often used keywords against competition that is prepared to pay top dollar.
Small businesses can try to increase the search engine ranking of the business 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, images, maps and more along with the regular search results. Other free of charge SEO strategies that can help your website ranking in search results are:
1. Registering your business on Google Local Business Center
Google Local Business listings display your business for various keyword phrases in your local area, with your business name, a map together with directions to your office and your address, phone, email, and website URL if any. This is a chance to advertise your business irrespective of it being an e-commerce website or a physical establishment. List your business address here and include important keywords in the listing title and description. The information is verified before your registration is approved. Request clients to publish their review of your business in your local business listing and get links from other web sites such as trade directories, yellow pages, etc. Yahoo! Local offers comparable features.
2. Registering your business on Google Product Search
Build a product feed and include information such as description, pricing, specifications, benefits, and other product information. Make sure you include pertinent keywords, the brand name, and product name in the title and description of the product entry. Product feedback make the seller’s claims sound more credible. Encourage customers to leave reviews by offering discounts or similar incentives.
3. Create a buzz with social media networking
Social media networking is the latest trend in marketing a business or a brand. As these websites attract communities of potential buyers, they are the perfect platform to spread the word about your business. Social networking portals such as Twitter and Facebook drive prospective customers to your website as “most searched” topics often get picked up in search results.
4. Using multimedia
When clients 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 meet 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 informative and liked by people, more of them will link to the video or mark it as their favorite, thereby improving your brand visibility.
5. Publishing content related to latest industry news
Websites such as Google News love to show content on happening subjects. Develop articles around pertinent trending topics and include targeted keywords in the title. Quality articles are linked to by bloggers and other websites. It helps drive traffic to the site.
These guidelines should help small businesses get started with their SEO initiatives. Without applying basic SEO tactics, a business website cannot attract prospects. Even if marketing is not the main object of your website, not optimizing it is your loss. Websites cannot magically improve revenue or add to your customer base. Some advertising is a must, and SEO is one of the most cost-effective yet powerful means of attracting traffic. Daljeet Sidhu is the author of this article.
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