Running a small business? 5 reasons why you need SEO

With so many small businesses on the internet, bringing in more customers and generating bigger profits needs effective internet marketing techniques. One of the most effective is search engine optimisation or SEO. You may have heard this term before – in this article I break it down so you can apply it easily to your business.

What is SEO?
Search engine optimisation is incorporating keywords and key phrases that are used by potential customers in search engines like Google or Yahoo! when they are looking for information on products or services that you offer into the content that is either on or linked to your website. For example, if you sell ‘school shoes’, people who are looking for information on or to buy ‘school shoes’ may type into search engines “Where to buy school shoes”. The automated algorithms used by Google will then match the query to content that best fits what the person is searching.The more your content incorporates effective keywords or key phrases, the higher up it will appear on search results pages.

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The more your content incorporates effective keywords or key phrases, the higher up it will appear on search results pages. There are other contributing factors as well, including the overall quality of the content, backlinks, social media connections and so forth. SEO is the amalgamation of all these passive techniques that put your website near the top of search results pages where more potential customers choose from to find the information that they seek. In fact, there are five good reasons why your small business should be incorporating search engine optimisation techniques.

1) The enormous use of Search.

For consumers, search engines are the modern day version of the Yellow Pages. Once upon a time if you needed to find a local plumber, dentist or carpet clear you‟d use the Yellow Pages. Nowadays the go to‟ to find anything is search – on a computer, mobile or tablet. So if this how consumers are finding businesses, as a business owner you MUST consider search in your marketing mix.

2) SEO brings customers to you.

Outbound marketing efforts can be expensive and challenging. So it’s an attractive proposition for any business to have customers come to you instead. SEO is perhaps the most efficient means of attracting new customers to your website since the people who are guided there through your SEO efforts are already interested.

3) Build up your business brand.

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Good brand awareness helps your small business achieve greater sales in the long run. Effective SEO techniques keep your content near the top of search results pages, resulting in greater, overall brand awareness that pays off.

4) Raise conversion rates.

Because SEO techniques are relatively simple to employ with mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, you can speed up the process where people find you and make purchases. This is because an SEO optimised site is built to be fast and clean, making it more likely to convert those who come to your site into customers.

5) Create a better, customer friendly website.

The use of proper SEO techniques means that your small business website will become cleaner, faster, easier to navigate and overall more user-friendly. This is very important to potential customers who find you through search results pages. By having a simple, attractive website that is easy to navigate, you generate more sales from your customers.

By Karen Godfrey

JIVE offers a free marketing consultation which includes:

  • An evaluation of current marketing activity.
  • 45 minute phone meeting to discuss.
  • Expert advice and recommended next steps to generate more leads and sales.

Click here to register for Jive’s free marketing consultation.

About JIVE Marketing & Communications
JIVE Marketing & Communications is an independent consultancy dedicated to small business owned and run by Karen Godfrey, a marketing communications professional with over 18 years experience. With experience in above and below-the-line marketing communications, Karen’s clients have primarily been FMCG and Retail companies. She has worked with some of the world’s leading advertising agencies in Australia and the UK, on key consumer brands – such as Yoplait, Holeproof, Sainsbury’s, Twinings and Barbie – and is now keen to assist local brands and companies with their marketing communications. JIVE’s mission is to offer affordable smart marketing to small businesses.For more information about how SEO can help your small business, you can visit our website. We offer smart marketing services that don’t break the bank.


One reply on “Running a small business? 5 reasons why you need SEO

  • Janie Bartlett

    Hi Karen
    Couldn’t agree with you more. Since starting my business My Best Friend is a Bag 18 months ago, SEO has become my obsession! It’s so important with online retail. I do something to aid my SEO every single day. It takes a huge amount of time but its worth it.
    Janie

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