Gaining traction online can be complex, and you might struggle to stand out as a new business. However, organic search is the top traffic source for all websites, so getting your SEO right is hugely important if you’re new to the business world.
This guide will run through the basics of SEO for small businesses so you can get set up and gain more traffic. From on-site to off-site practices, technical SEO, and the benefits of SEO for new business enterprises, we’ll teach you how to attract more customers to your website.
Where to start with startup SEO
SEO helps you generate more leads from your website, so let’s explore where to start with your SEO strategy as a small or new business.
Define your goals
Every organisation is different, and your objectives will be different, too. Whether you want to increase traffic across your entire website, generate more leads, increase brand awareness, or sell specific products, learning what you want to achieve will guide your strategy.
With SEO for startups, it’s important to be realistic and specific. So, pick measurable goals like a certain percentage increase in traffic, time spent on your site, or conversions, and don’t be put off if you fail to reach them because they’re too ambitious.
Instead, revisit your goals regularly and tweak your strategy if you need to.
Build a website
Your website is where visitors end up as a result of SEO, making it an important aspect of your organisation and effectively the face of your business.
Make your website user-friendly and simple to navigate for the best results and ensure pages are organised and that your site is secure. Pages must also load quickly to keep people’s attention, and everything must be built with your customers in mind.
The elements of an SEO strategy
With goals and a website in hand, it’s time to get started on your SEO strategy. This encompasses three core aspects: on-page, off-page, and technical SEO.
On-page SEO for startups
Keyword analysis
Keywords are the backbone of an SEO campaign and the best place to start is with competitive keyword analysis. This shows you what keywords your competitors are ranking for. You can use this data to your advantage and take steps to beat them to valuable search engine results positions.
Content planning
Next, it’s time to implement your keywords into your website content. As well as your main pages, you could also consider writing a regular blog. This should include high-quality advice and content that benefits your customers and instils trust in Google and other search engines. The result will be higher rankings and more clicks.
Off-page SEO for startups
Link building
Off-page startup SEO practices go hand-in-hand with on-site efforts and get your content in front of more people. Link building is a key aspect of off-page SEO and is the process of getting your articles and website pages onto other websites in your industry.
The better your content is, the more likely you are to get backlinks, and you should ensure that you end up on authoritative businesses in your industry for the best results.
Link building can be achieved through guest blogging, being listed in directories, and promoting yourself in relevant forums.
Social media marketing
Social media marketing helps you boost traffic to your website and build your brand’s reputation and awareness. A strong social media marketing strategy is important for new businesses looking to make an impact and it can complement your SEO strategy.
Technical SEO for startups
Technical SEO ensures Google and other search engines can index your site. This leads to higher trust and rankings, which in turn, leads to more clicks and enquiries.
Start with a technical SEO audit which will flag issues such as:
- Broken links and error codes.
- Poor page speed.
- Poorly optimised title tags and meta descriptions.
- Mobile friendliness.
- Site safety with SSL (secure sockets layer) and HTTPS (hypertext transfer protocol secure).
- Poorly optimised XML sitemaps.
- Duplicate content.
- Site structure issues.
Technical SEO for startups is complicated and it pays to use the help of an SEO expert.
Benefits of SEO for startups
As a startup, SEO is of huge importance and there are many benefits to getting it right. These include:
- Save money and can achieve great ROI (return on investment).
- Improve brand awareness, trust, and credibility.
- Drive engagement with your target demographic.
- Direct high-quality traffic to your website.
- Stand out as a startup.
- Boost your bottom line.
- Increase footfall to physical sites with local SEO optimisation.
Make an impact online with startup SEO practices
It can be difficult to get noticed if you’re a new business, but SEO is a great way to build long-term success. By following these SEO for new business tips, you can start your journey to digital success both now and in the future.
