What makes a great small business SEO website? It’s an easy thing to over think. If you cram too much information into it, making it too “busy” or too link-rich, you will simply turn people off.
When people are on the hunt for a service, they want to know three things:
- Is it what I want?
- How much does it cost?
- How soon can I have it?
If that information isn’t easy to find on your site, it’s time to give it a tune up. If you are among the 52% of businesses that do not have an online presence, do it right the first time. Even more important – get started! Your competitors are already there.
Content
What is written and how it is written are critical elements to your small business website. The best website content must have impact. To be favored by Google, it should be on the longer side and rich with carefully selected keywords. However, that doesn’t mean you can throw together a lot of meaningless gobbledygook just to fill space. Google can now discern between meaningful content and filler. It rewards the good stuff. And there is no benefit to being overly technical or educational – save that for when you are face-to-face.
Using carefully chosen keywords on the front and back ends is essential to helping people find you. Don’t think you need to sledgehammer just one keyword or phrase; that approach limits you. It can also be confused with spam and penalized by the search engines. A small business SEO company will be able to help you with keyword selection. Believe us; it’s not a job for amateurs!
Web Design
Strive for visual appeal that draws the eye in a logical direction. Choose fonts, colors and graphics that are appropriate to the tone you want to set. Professional, clear photos are the perfect visual short hand, and showcase your brand in a way that words cannot. Think about using white space to give some “breathing room” on every page, too. And be judicious about bells and whistles: many experts caution against using Flash, as it can actually impact search rankings negatively and will not load on some smart devices.
Simple Navigation
The easier it is to move around your site, the better prospects will like you; it’s that simple. A simple navigation looks professional and takes people exactly where they want to go. Why frustrate them? This approach is especially important if you want your site to be easily searched on smart phones. A reputable local SEO service can scale down your desktop site or re-create it with streamlined information and finger-friendly navigation.
Looking at this general checklist (there’s more to it), you will realize what a tall order it is to get everything just right. Consider hiring a local business SEO company to strike the right tone and get rewarded with a top position in search results. It’s an investment that pay offs – guaranteed.