Search Engine Optimization? What Exactly Is It?
If you rely on the world wide web for your business or exposure you should be thinking about SEO. Which stands for Search Engine Optimization. Right? Suddenly all this may seem jargon and daunting. It’s simple. I’ll break it down for you.
If you had a lemonade stand in Rockefeller plaza in New York City, on the ground level, you would get high foot traffic. But if your store was on the 13th floor you would only get traffic from that particular floor. Doesn’t matter if your store is in the heart of New York City. The 13th floor store is unseen to many. So if your store or site is visible the first time – your chances of attracting customers will be very high. Creating that high visibility presence on the world wide web is Search Engine Optimization.
Therefore, if your web page doesn’t appear on the first few pages on a search engine (Google, Bing etc,) then you will be missed. As a business you should be thinking about how your store is the first thing a customer sees and how to create a strong online presence. I am not speaking of the Google Ads that appear on the first page. I am talking about the list that appears below the ads when a customer searches for you.
What Does SEO Look Like For Your Small Business?
Whether you are a big or small business, to create visibility your store must have the keywords associated to your business. For example, a baking store would have keywords like cupcakes, fondant, batter, cake, etc.,. Then your store must be validated by others to appear on Google page. That is how Google’s search engine algorithm is designed. Keyword + Validation. So, if your cake store needs users to rank or visit your site frequently, you must seriously consider how you could enhance your visibility (SEO).
To increase visibility (SEO), you must stay up-to-date with your store, word-of-mouth, blogs and other digital media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and industry related outlets. If you had a brick and mortar store you would have to clean and arrange things everyday. That’s exactly what it is. You must have fresh content, interesting products, ideas or services or news, and traffic. For example if a video goes viral it is because of millions of users are watching and validating it. So for your store you want your customers to do the same. If an amateur baker is looking for baking ideas your site will ALSO have a blog with very creative baking ideas for beginners. This will lead your amateur baker to become a buyer of the products & services you passionately offer.
If you have the time, you should constantly monitor your site. This can get overwhelming if you are also trying to focus on your products or services. Depending on the size of your business and goals, you can do a few things. Hire a team of professionals adding to more human resource or use the services offered by social media management companies. There are many companies out there online. I would seek out small agencies with a personal touch if you are a small business. This allows you to understand the process of marketing online and have a team as you evolve. May the best search be for you.
Samisha LaMeyer
Social Media Strategist
Content Specialist
