Common Questions Small Businesses Have About SEO

If you’re a small business owner trying to understand SEO, you're not alone.

SEO is the practice of optimizing your website to improve its visibility in search engines like Google, Bing, or Yahoo. The goal is to make your website more appealing to search engines so they can rank it higher in search results when users look for keywords related to your products or services.

For small businesses, SEO is crucial because most people today start their buying journey with a Google search. If your website doesn’t show up on the first page of results, you’re missing out on valuable traffic. By investing in SEO, you're increasing your chances of being found by potential customers and standing out in a competitive market. Read on to learn more about how it works, and how Design Wizards can help.

One of the most common questions small business owners have is how long it will take to see results from their SEO efforts. Unfortunately, there is no quick answer. SEO is a long-term strategy, and results typically take time—often anywhere from three to six months, sometimes even longer.

Several factors influence how quickly you’ll see results, including:

• Competition: If you're in a competitive industry, it may take longer to outrank established businesses.
• Current website health: If your website is new or hasn’t been optimized for SEO, it may take more time to get recognized by search engines.  Design Wizards websites are regularly updated and optimized for ever changing SEO guidelines.
• Content quality: Regularly publishing high-quality, relevant content can speed up your SEO results.

While SEO doesn’t deliver instant results, it’s a sustainable and cost-effective way to attract long-term traffic and build a strong online presence.

Keywords are the words and phrases that people type into search engines when looking for information. In SEO, keywords are used to help search engines understand the content of your website and match it with relevant search queries.

When selecting keywords for your business, think about what potential customers are likely searching for. For example, if you own a coffee shop in Bismarck, some keywords might include "best coffee in Bismarck" or "coffee shop near me." We use a variety of tools like Google Keyword Planner to help you identify popular and relevant keywords for your business.

Once we've identified your target keywords, it’s important to integrate them naturally into your website’s content, including titles, headings, meta descriptions, and body copy. However, overstuffing your content with keywords can negatively impact your rankings.  The Design Wizards team has years of experience in optimizing content and websites for SEO best practices, and we can make sure your site features valuable content without stepping into keyword stuffing.

On-page SEO refers to the optimization of individual pages on your website. The goal is to make each page as search-engine-friendly as possible while also providing value to your visitors.

Here are some key on-page SEO elements we focus on when building and maintaining websites:

• Title Tags and Meta Descriptions: The title tag is the clickable headline that appears in search results, and the meta description is the short text beneath it. Both should include relevant keywords and be compelling enough to encourage users to click.
• Headings and Subheadings: Use headings (H1, H2, etc.) to structure your content and include keywords where appropriate.
• Image Optimization: Ensure your images are compressed to improve site speed and include descriptive alt text.
• Internal Linking: Linking to other relevant pages on your website helps both users and search engines navigate your site.

By optimizing each page on your website, you improve the chances of ranking higher in search results.

Off-page SEO refers to actions taken outside your website to improve its search engine rankings. The most important off-page SEO factor is building backlinks, which are links from other websites that point to your pages.

Backlinks act as a vote of confidence from other websites, signaling to search engines that your content is valuable and trustworthy. The more high-quality backlinks your site has, the more likely it is to rank higher.

To build backlinks, consider:

• Local listings and directories: Ensuring your business is listed on relevant local directories like Google My Business, Yelp, and others.  Design Wizards offers Local Listings Management, including Google Business Profile claiming and optimization.
• Engaging on social media: Sharing your content on social platforms can drive traffic to your site and result in backlinks.
• Guest blogging: Writing articles for other websites in your industry and including a link back to your site.

A strong off-page SEO strategy can significantly improve your website’s authority and search engine rankings.

Local SEO is a subset of SEO that focuses on optimizing your website for location-based searches. If you have a brick-and-mortar store or serve customers in a specific geographic area, local SEO can help you attract nearby customers.

Key aspects of local SEO include:

• Google My Business: Claim and optimize your Google My Business profile to appear in local search results and Google Maps.
• Local Citations: Ensure your business is listed with consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number) information on local directories and review sites.
• Customer Reviews: Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews on Google and other platforms. Reviews are a key factor in local search rankings.

By focusing on local SEO, we can increase the likelihood that people in your area will find your business when they search for relevant keywords.

As a small business owner, you might be wondering whether you need to hire an SEO expert or agency to help with your SEO strategy. While it’s possible to learn and implement SEO on your own, it can be time-consuming and requires ongoing effort to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and algorithm changes.

If you’re not comfortable handling SEO on your own or don’t have the time to commit to it, hiring an expert can be a worthwhile investment. An experienced SEO professional, like our local Design Wizards team, can help you identify opportunities, implement strategies effectively, and track your progress.

SEO may seem overwhelming at first, but with our expertise and consistent effort, it can be a game-changer for your small business. By understanding the basics of SEO—such as the importance of keywords, on-page and off-page optimization, local SEO, and backlinks—we can help you start making informed decisions about how to improve your website’s search engine visibility. While results may take time, SEO is an essential long-term strategy for driving organic traffic and helping your small business thrive online. Contact Design Wizards today and let us help you get started on your SEO journey!