The Basics of SEO
In this post, we’re going to look at an important topic for getting your business noticed online – SEO.
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. It’s the practice of making changes to your website and online presence to increase the visibility and ranking of your business in search engine results pages.
How does SEO work?
To understand how SEO works, it’s important to understand how search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo operate. These search engines scour the internet, find web pages (like yours) and index them based on a variety of factors. These factors include relevance, authority, and user experience.
So, when a user (potential customer) types a query into Google, like ‘plumber near me’, Google attempts to provide the most useful results based on SEO factors.
Why should you care about SEO?
Now, you might be thinking: “why is this important for my small business?” The fact of the matter is; the majority of people turn to search engines like Google when looking for a product or service. If your business isn’t showing up on the first page of search results, you’re missing out on potential customers and sales.
How to improve your website’s SEO
So, how can you improve your website’s SEO? Here are four basic tips:
Start with keyword research
Keywords are the terms that people enter into a search engine’s search field. To start practicing SEO you’ll need to identify the keywords and phrases that potential customers might use to find your business. Then, make sure those keywords are strategically discussed in your website’s content and meta descriptions.
For example, if you want people in Winnipeg searching ‘plumber near me’ to find your site, make sure that your website clearly and descriptively talks about the plumbing services you offer in Winnipeg.
Be authentic with your content
The algorithms that search engines use to index websites are pretty smart and are evaluating content less and less like robots and more and more like humans. Loading your website with the phrase 'plumber in Winnipeg', in an inorganic way, will red flag your website for 'keyword stuffing' and ultimately lead to a negative effect on your SEO. Balance authentic language with SEO intentionality in the way you write web content.
Optimize your website’s structure and accessibility
Ensure your website is easy to navigate and has a clear structure. Use headings and subheadings to organize your content, and make sure your website is mobile-friendly. Having an accessible site is also essential for SEO. Make sure images have alt tags, that font size is legible and has sufficient contrast with the background.
Build high-quality backlinks
Backlinks are links from other websites that lead to your website. The more high-quality backlinks you have, the more trustworthy and authoritative your website appears to search engines. Backlinks essentially prove that your website is a referenced source.
A few ways you can get backlinks to your website include:
- Join an organization (like a chamber of commerce) and ask them to link your organization profile to your website
- Work on a collaborative article or blog post with another organization and swap backlinks to each other's website
- Reach out to business partners that might be willing to list a link to your website on their website
Regularly update your website with fresh content and stay patient
Search engines love fresh, relevant content. So, make sure to update your website regularly with blog posts, news articles, or other content related to your business.
Remember, SEO is an ongoing process. Kind of like a workout regiment, the results of the work you put in will build slowly. It takes time and effort to see results, but the benefits are worth it.
By improving your SEO, you can attract more visitors to your website, increase your online visibility, and ultimately, grow your small business.
Choosing a Domain Name for Your Small Business
Choosing a domain name is a crucial step in establishing your online presence. I’ve often been asked to advise on domain name selection and I’ve seen some not-so-great choices.
Your domain name is not only a key piece of your brand that will show up on business cards, signage, merchandise etc., your domain name also plays a role in SEO. Here are some best-practices to help you select a well-branded, SEO-friendly domain name for your business:
1. Keep it Short and Sweet
Your domain name should be easy to remember and type. Avoid using long names, hyphens, or numbers that could confuse your potential customers. Ideally not much more than 15 characters. Think of a domain name as the nickname for your business.
Also, avoid filler words. ‘The’, ‘and’, ‘of’ — these are words that might exist in your business’ full name, but they’re unnecessary for a domain name.
Let’s apply this to an example. If your business is ‘The Market on Fourth Street’ consider the domain name ‘marketonfourth.ca’ rather than ‘themarketonfourthstreet.ca’. The first domain name is much shorter and sweeter. You get the idea!
2. Make it Keyword Relevant but Most Importantly: Brand Related
Using keywords of your product or service in your domain name can help improve your website’s SEO.
For example, say you own a local cafe named ‘Bartley’s’. Your domain name could include your service offering and be ‘bartleyscafe.ca’ to help indicate to search engines that you’re a local cafe. Or if you’re the owner of an auto shop in Morris named ‘Bill’s Auto’ you could consider ‘billsautomorris.ca’ to both indicate your services and location.
That being said, use discretion. If using a keyword makes your domain too long or detracts from your brand — don’t use it.
Your domain should be unique and specific to your business, making it easy for customers to remember and share with others. Ensure that your business’ brand is still reflected in your domain. On occasion I’ve seen businesses entirely exclude any part of their business name from their domain name. Just because ‘winnipegplumber.ca’ is available and has the perfect service and location keywords for your business, doesn’t mean you should use it if your business is named ‘Diamond Drain Repairs’.
3. Consider your TLD (.com, .ca etc.)
TLD stands for top-level domain, it’s the extension at the end of your domain. If you’re primarily targeting customers in Canada, stick with a “.ca” domain extension. Using a “.ca” lets search engines know that you’re Canadian and can help your website rank better in Canadian search results.
I only recommend ‘.com’ extensions if you’re a company that also services American clients.
4. Check Availability
Before finalizing your domain name, make sure it’s available for registration. Use a domain name registrar or hosting service to search for available domain names. Here’s a great place to do that.
Conclusion
Remember, your domain name is an essential element of your online identity. By selecting a good domain name, you can help your business establish a strong online presence and improve your search engine ranking.