The Small Business SEO Checklist: 10 Tips to Boost Ranking

With the right Small Business SEO Checklist, you can improve your online visibility and drive more organic traffic to your site. SEO is not a big mysterious phenomenon, it’s a road map.

Here are ten essential tips to boost your ranking and outshine your competitors.

SEO Checklist for Small Business Owners

1. Do Your Keyword Research

Keyword research is something that has to be done regularly. How do people find you? Through keyword searches. Know your keywords and make sure they’re regularly used. Streamline the process by generating a list of primary and secondary keywords and give it to everyone who makes content for your site.

Understand the difference between long-tail and short-tail keywords. Short-tail keywords are good for capturing a broader audience but can be competitive. Long-tail keywords are less competitive and can attract more qualified customers because they tend to be more specific.

For most small businesses, focusing on long-tail keywords is the best strategy. You can compete effectively, attract the right audience, and achieve better conversions. Then, as your business grows and gains authority, it will be good to start using short-tail keywords to attract a wider audience.

Analyze your competitor’s keywords. A SERP competitor analysis will help you identify opportunities to improve your keyword strategy.

2. Build Content For Your Customers

Content is king in the digital world, and crafting high-quality, relevant content is a key ranking factor in search engine optimization.

Build content that’s relevant to your business and customers. This includes blog posts, how-to guides, or infographics that solve your customers’ problems or answer their questions.

The search intent of your audience should align with your content. Analyze keywords that your potential customers are likely to search for. Then, tailor your content to meet those needs.

3. Set Up Your Google Business Profile

Setting up a Google Business Profile helps customers find your business easily online. Google Business is a free service offered by Google that lets you claim and update your business information at any time. This gives you visibility in regular searches, photos, and videos for all search engines, further enhancing your business ranking. Ensure your content, address, phone number, business hours, and website link are accurate.

Setting up Google Analytics and Google Search Console lets you identify areas of improvement. These tools allow you to

Track website performance
Monitor search traffic and rankings
Understand which keywords you rank for

4. Optimize Your Local Business Listings

Reach out to your network. Encourage your network of partners, suppliers, and customers to link to your website on their own and social media platforms to boost your local search presence. This improves your visibility and adds credibility to your business, enhancing your local SEO strategy. Here are some other ideas to leverage your network for local ranking:

Connect with local newspapers or media outlets to run a piece on your business.
Partner with local bloggers with a small but engaged community in your area.
Sponsor local charities or events and have them list your business on their website.
Work with local businesses to feature you on a “businesses we love” page.

The point is to get the locals interested in your business.

Make sure listings are relevant to your business. And, make sure that the categories or services listed for your business are relevant. This increases the chances of your business appearing in relevant and local searches.

Regularly manage your local listing. Check and update your business details on platforms like Yelp, Bing Places, and Apple Maps. Consistent information helps search engines verify your business’s legitimacy and can improve your local SEO.

5. Add Internal And External Linking

Backlinking is a powerful tool in SEO, helping to establish your site as an authority in your niche.

Internal backlinks are key to building a solid foundation. Link relevant content within your website to guide visitors through your site and keep them engaged longer. This also helps search engines understand your website’s structure and the relevance of its content.

For example, suppose you’re writing an article entitled “Five Tips to Stop Procrastinating.” In your back content, you have a video from your site showing the use of the Pomodoro Technique. It would be wise to link or embed your video onto your page or article to create a more solid connection.

External linking from authoritative sites in your industry can also boost your SEO ranking. You can use your network with other local businesses or websites to gain valuable backlinks.

Learn more about link building.

6. Optimize Your Images And Video Content

Image optimization is the next step. Make sure every image on your site is indexed with tags, descriptive filenames, and keywords that show its relevance. If you have amazing product images, but no description, how will people be able to find you through the photo search?

One technical SEO tip is to compress your images to reduce page load times.

Optimize your video content to make it relevant. It should have a short engaging title (like your content mentioned above), with a target keyword, tags, and a full description explaining your topic and what your audience should expect. Effectively reach your audience by making your videos emotionally compelling or educational.

7. Fix Technical SEO Issues

Checking and fixing your technical SEO will help your website run smoothly and efficiently. Technical SEO issues can negatively impact your website’s ranking. But, by addressing key technical aspects, you can enhance your site’s overall performance and user experience.

Make sure your site is loading fast. Optimize your website’s performance by reducing the size of your files, using a content delivery network (CDN), and enabling browser caching. Maintaining a fast site speed will keep visitors engaged and reduce bounce rates.

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Use HTTPS, not HTTP. Using HTTPS ensures that data transmitted between your site and a user’s browser is encrypted via an SSL certificate. An HTTP is not as secure and can lead to users’ sensitive information being exposed, hurting trust and negatively affecting your search engine rankings.

Use clean and consistent URL structures. Your URL should be descriptive, keyword-rich, and easy for users and search engines to understand. Likewise, maintain a logical and consistent URL structure throughout your site.

Fix your broken links and 404 errors. Regularly check for and fix broken links and pages to maintain a clean website structure. This will also help you avoid penalties from search engines and maintain a strong business website.

8. Optimize for On-Page SEO

Use compelling title tags and meta descriptions to attract clicks from search results.

Use H2 tags and subheadings to enhance your small business website’s structure for better SEO. They break your content down into easily scanned blocks. This also makes it easier for search engines to understand your content. Remember that H1 tags are typically reserved for your main title.

There are also H3s and H4s, but they should only be used hierarchically by number. For example, an H3 should only ever fall under an H2, and so forth.

Avoid truncated links in your content. Truncated links are shortened URLs, often created by shortening services like bit.ly. They can be useful for sharing and tracking but are more relevant for off-page SEO. Use keyword-rich anchor text instead for on-page links.

9. Add Schema Markup

Schema markup helps search engines understand your content and provide richer search results. Implementing schema can improve your visibility in search results and enhance your listings with additional information like ratings, reviews, and business hours.

10. Cultivate And Respond to Reviews

Customer reviews are a powerful factor in local SEO. Here are some effective strategies to cultivate customer reviews for your small business website:

Just ask! After a positive customer experience, ask for a review. Simply asking can easily increase the number of reviews you get.
Offer incentives for customers to share feedback like discounts, loyalty points, or special offers.
Send “thank you” emails to customers and gently remind them to leave a review.

Respond to reviews promptly and professionally, addressing any concerns and showing appreciation for positive feedback. This interaction builds trust and enhances your online reputation. Additionally, your customers can even ask you questions from the search engine. Keep on top of that so you can get their answers as needed, further engaging with your audience and improving your visibility.

Final SEO Tips

As you optimize your website, remember that SEO is a long-term commitment.
Regularly adapt to changes in search engine algorithms and user behavior by focusing on valuable content and audience engagement.

By implementing effective SEO strategies, you’ll be well on your way to improving your search engine ranking and attracting more customers. Consistent effort and attention to detail in these areas will help you achieve better online visibility and drive success for your small business.

Other SEO Tools and Resources

Want to continue expanding your SEO skillset? Check out What is Local SEO?