SEO for Small Businesses - Why There's No Way Around It Anymore

1. Why SEO is important for SMEs
2. 3 SEO measures you should definitely carry out
3. Measuring success in search engine optimization for SMEs
4. Facts about local SEO for SMEs
5. Conclusion

Search engine optimization is no longer just essential for large companies. It is also unavoidable for SMEs. The pandemic has clearly shown entrepreneurs how important it is to be well positioned on the internet.

If you have already considered or are considering whether it makes sense for your company to carry out search engine optimization, this article by guest author Argin Vartanian will give you a good insight into the matter.

Why SEO is important for SMEs

Just like in the real world, it is important where a company is located. A shoe store in a remote side street will never generate the same turnover as one located in a centrally located pedestrian zone (higher reach). Today we are going to look at the first steps towards the pedestrian zone of the Internet.

It makes practical sense for even the smallest company to carry out search engine optimization. With initially manageable measures, you can significantly improve the ranking of your web presence and therefore your visibility on the net. Before we move on to the optimization measures, it should be noted that SEO needs to be planned and carried out holistically. This includes competitor analysis, keyword research and a stages plan for the corresponding measures.

Here's an overview of keyword research tools: Keyword Research Tools.

3 SEO measures you should definitely carry out

1. Onpage SEO

The design must be coherent and high quality. In my opinion, the screen design should be left to professionals. From the choice of colors, to the selection of images and photos used, to the right font and size. The design must be tailored to the needs of the visitors, your target group. Your web presence is the first impression potential customers get of you. It is about creating curiosity and trust. The design should also reflect the quality of your products or your services. Therefore, the design is also indirectly part of SEO. The designer should also have a basic understanding of sales psychology. Accessibility is also part of Onpage SEO. Here is a small guide from the Friedrich-Alexander University in Erlangen:

Information and support for digital accessibility

The most important thing, however, is to provide high-quality and unique content. These include, for example, the use of high-quality images and good textual content that offer added value.

Summary of all content you should use:

• Pictures
• Texts
• Statistics
• Infographics
• Animations
• Videos
• Checklists
• Downloads
• Quotes

By the way, Google likes varied content too!

Let's be honest, who among us has not googled a local business in a foreign city? If someone comes to your website, it has to convince them. For a shop, good category and product descriptions are suitable. Expectations should be fulfilled and the user expertly navigated through your site. The desired information or products should be as easy and quick to reach as possible. Of course, this should also be taken into account in the design.

In addition, there is technical SEO. Here it is important to present the content in such a way that the search engine interprets it correctly. This increases the likelihood that the search engine will display your site in the first few pages of search results in response to a search query. You can control what is displayed. The so-called "metadata" must be optimized for this. This is what is displayed in the search results.

Screenshot Google search results

In the implementation, it is then the web developers who realize this. Their tasks include intuitive navigation and the skillful setting of calls to action (CTAs). They also ensure, for example, that the keyword density is correct or that images are provided with so-called ALT attributes (short image description for people with disabilities). For really good loading times, the web developers are also responsible. Important factors for this are the size of the images, the caching and the code used on the website. They will also advise you on the subject of domain and hosting so that you also have a powerful website that is really fast. We don't like standing in line at the supermarket either, do we? In practice, of course, all of this is more complex, which is why I do not want to inundate you with details now.

2. Offpage SEO

For example, this includes incoming links, i.e., generating backlinks from other sites to your own. However, this is now very advanced and should not distract us from the main topic. If you want to learn more about the subject, you can do so in the OMR glossary "Off-page optimization". However, the most important thing for SMEs is local SEO - which basically also falls under on-page optimization.

3. Local SEO for small companies

This measure is the most successful and promising in the short term. For this, you must first align your entire SEO locally. This means choosing keywords like "car appraiser Munich" instead of just "car appraiser". In addition, you should register in all relevant industry and company directories or register on Google Maps.

You need to use Google My Business for this. This way you can target the information Google gives about your company and increase reach and sales. Here are two additional articles on Google My Business:

• https://omr.com/en/reviews/contenthub/optimize-google-my-business
• https://omr.com/en/reviews/contenthub/improve-google-maps-ranking 

While we're at it, we can touch on the topic of NAP. NAP, i.e., name, address, phone number, should always be entered consistently in all directories and on Google. So don't say "catering service Berlin" and then "catering service Neukölln" or similar. Otherwise the search engine may not be able to make connections. These are necessary for Google to classify your site as trustworthy.

Measuring success in search engine optimization for SMEs

Of course, your measures need to be regularly checked and optimized. Good tools to gather metrics and measure success are as follows:

Seobility

Sistrix

Screaming Frog SEO Spider

Google Search Console

Ahrefs

Semrush

You can read about which tool is best for your company in this post: SEO Tools for Companies.

Before you commission any measures, you have to record the current state of your online presence. Only then can it be determined which measures make sense and which should be prioritized.

Here is an example of the SEO score of https://omr.com/de/reviews/ for the keyword "Software".

Here you can see how well your website is optimized for your keyword. In addition, there are valuable improvement suggestions and messages about critical points. Here you can briefly check your own website for free to get a feeling for where you currently stand in terms of SEO:

https://www.seoreviewtools.com/seo-checker/

This free tool of course does not replace the above paid much more professional tools. The latter provide far more data that you need for a professional optimization. However, they are also much more complex, which means that a professional should be consulted.

Facts about local SEO for SMEs

The significance of local SEO in searches:

• 46% of all Google queries relate to local information. (Source: GoGulf)
• 4 out of 5 consumers use search engines to find local information. (Source: Think with Google).
• 97% of people learn more about a local business online than anywhere else. (Source: OSE Tribunal)
• 92% of internet users choose businesses on the first page of local search results. (Source: SEO Expert)

Local SEO and mobile devices:

• 18% of local smartphone searches resulted in a purchase on the same day. (Source: Think with Google)
• 78% of location-based mobile searches also resulted in a purchase in a local store. (Source: OSE Court).

Local SEO and its impacts:

• 28% of local searches led to purchases. (Source: Joel House Search Media)
• 72% of consumers of a local search visited a store nearby (Source: HubSpot Marketing Stats)
• 76% of users who have performed a local search also subsequently visit the premises of the company found

The role of Google My Business in local SEO for small and medium-sized businesses:

• 75% of local business searches are carried out via Google search, the remaining via Google Maps. (Source: BrightLocal)
• On average, 56% of actions on Google My Business directories result in subsequent website visits. (Source: BrightLocal)
• 34% of local companies can be found in more than 1,000 search queries that are discovered monthly via their Google My Business Page. (Source: BrightLocal)

The facts therefore prove how relevant local SEO for SMEs has now become. Briefly again the main advantages:

• Increase in reach:You reach new customers specifically without conventional expensive advertising or acquisition.
• Strengthening your presence:The easier you can be found on the internet, the better known your company becomes.
• More traffic:Increasing visitor numbers of course provide more revenue.
• Competitive advantage:If you pursue a really good SEO strategy, you can outdo your competitors

You are probably wondering now what local SEO would cost for your company. Unfortunately, this cannot be answered across the board. Many factors play a role here. Is your website, for example, up to date technically? Or is the design contemporary and offers visitors a positive user experience? What measures have already been taken and which still need to be carried out? As a rule, the hourly rate of freelance SEO experts and SEO agencies is between 80 - 150 €.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we can assert that search engine optimization for SMEs offers a lot of potential for more traffic. Being easily discoverable on the Internet is now standard for every company. A professional website inspires trust and underscores the seriousness of your business. Investing in time and money is definitely worthwhile here.

Search engine optimization for SMEs also offers a lot of sustainability. Continuous measures bring in new customers years later. Following a good base setup, costs are also significantly reduced. So let's get on the fast track with the help of SEO!