55 Must-Know Facts for Small-Business Websites SEO
As businesses move to the online marketplace, the number of websites also grows by the minute. However, having a website is just a part of the big picture. In order to survive on the internet, a website must be able to bring in traffic and generate leads.
Why Small Businesses Need SEO
Search Engine Optimization sounds like fancy jargon used exclusively for big businesses when in fact, small businesses can benefit much from it.
Before contacting small businesses, consumers conduct online searches. About 72% of consumers who do these online searches end up visiting the store within 5 miles.
According to 61% of CMOs, search engines are an effective marketing channel. However, not many SMBs are making use of SEO. As a matter of fact, only 17% invest in search engine optimization.
Get to Googling
Google is the way to go for lead generation and traffic increase. As of 2018, the number of monthly Google users have reached 2.2 billion. Not to mention, Google handles at least 2 trillion searches per year.
Google is dominating the game with 81% of global desktop search traffic beating their competitors (Bing, Baidu, and Yahoo).
Google Analytics is a website analytics tool you should utilize to elevate your website. Analytics is a fan favorite with over 30 million websites using it.
Successful brands are also utilizing this tool. Thanks to Google Analytics, brands such as National Geographic, Airbnb, and LÓreal have experienced increased engagement, ROI and revenue.
Algorithm updates happen frequently in Google. They roll out around 500-600 minor updates a year and 9 major updates every few years.
Although the updates often go unnoticed, they can alter search results in a significant manner. For example, after Google’s latest algorithm update, voice searches increased to 10% of all searches.
Maximize your website’s SEO
It’s a no-brainer Google is the best choice for lead generation and traffic increase. Other than utilizing Google Analytics and keeping a close eye on algorithm updates, there are other things you can do to kickstart your site’s conversion rates.
First, make sure your website’s page speed is optimal. Google announced page speed as a ranking factor for SERP in 2010. When visitors approach a site that takes more than 2 seconds to load, 40% will leave immediately.
Second, is your website properly optimized for mobile use? A majority of Google users are mobile users. A whopping 94% of mobile/search traffic is from Google alone. When mobile users visit websites that aren’t optimized for mobile, 2 out of 3 won’t hesitate to leave.
Third, invest more effort into crafting longer content. Writing more sounds like a lot of work but it’s worth the effort. Content with over 1,000 words consistently receive more shares, links and rank higher on Google. So, don’t be scared of writing too much.
For more tips on SEO, check out this infographic below!
** About the Author: Andre Oentoro is one of the co-founder of Milkwhale, an internationally acknowledged infographic production agency. He helps businesses increase visibility on the internet with visual data and well-placed outreach campaigns. Read more on his latest guide to Viral Infographics and learn how to get the most value out of your website’s traffic.
