Ready to take your small business to greater heights? Then SEO or search engine optimisation is something that you must invest your time and energy in. In this digitally charged world, reaching your target audience has become much more manageable. With just a few clicks your target audience can access your business, avail of the required services or order anything from your product catalogue. But for that to happen, you must first reach your target audience. You must ensure that whenever a search relevant to your business is made online, yours is one of the websites that appear on top of SERPs (Search engine result pages). And that’s precisely what SEO helps you with. It helps boost your online visibility and build a credible online presence.
To help you make the best out of SEO, here’s our ultimate SEO guide for small businesses from our SEO agency in Melbourne. Read through, streamline your SEO initiatives and get ready to make your journey to the top.
Let’s get started.
Why SEO Matters for Small Businesses in Melbourne?
If you wish to succeed in the digital space, SEO is key regardless of the scale of your business. SEO is the process of optimising your website to rank higher on search engines. As per research, 75% of users never scroll past the first page of Google. So, to reach your target audience, you have to ensure your rank is at least on the first page. Also, the top 3 Google results get 75% of all clicks. So, those three spots are what you should aim for. And search engine optimisation is a proven strategy that can help you achieve that goal.
Moreover, SEO is both budget-friendly and cost-effective. Small businesses with a limited budget can highly benefit from SEO. You have to put in fewer resources and then find your way into the search results of your target audience.
Proven SEO Strategies for Small Business
Local SEO
If you operate within the local scene, you must pay close attention to your local SEO initiatives. It will help you build a credible reputation for your business within the local market. Here are some local SEO strategies you can implement –
- Begin by optimising your Google My Business Listing. GMB listings help Google determine relevance & proximity to searchers. So, whenever a location-specific search is made – “SEO agency in Melbourne” or “Cafes near me”, Google will give preference to your business and rank it at the top.
- Use location-specific keywords and include them in your headings, meta descriptions and overall content.
- List your business in local directories like Yellow Pages, True Local, Yelp, Hotfrog, and StartLocal.
- Encourage user reviews and incorporate them smartly into your website.
On-Page SEO
Next comes on-page SEO. Your website is the backbone of your search engine optimisation initiatives. So, you must design and develop a website optimised for search engines. Here are a few strategies to follow –
- Find keywords relevant to your website and incorporate them into your content without giving into keyword stuffing.
- Optimise your meta tags and descriptions. Include all primary keywords and keep the title and description under 60 characters and 160 characters, respectively.
- Target functionality and improve your website speed and navigability.
- Prepare your website for the mobile-first world by prioritising responsiveness or mobile-friendliness.
Off-Page SEO
Off-page SEO is about boosting the credibility and trustworthiness of your business through backlinks and social proofs. Here’s how you can target off-page SEO –
- Partner with local bloggers and directories and secure backlinks from local websites. Regularly posting blogs on local and reputable guest blogging sites is another way to up your backlink game.
- Make the best use of your social media handles, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and more, and always be on your target audience’s radar.
Technical SEO
A high-performing website is SEO-optimised and consistently ranks high on search engines. So, you must implement advanced technical features and regularly inspect your website to detect and fix any technical issues. Fix any broken links and errors, do a security check and submit your sitemap to Google for enhanced crawlability.
Should You Hire Experts for SEO in Melbourne?
SEO is about a lot more than just incorporating keywords into your content. It is a set of strategies that help your website rank well and gain the desired traction. While you can implement certain elements on your own, you will need professional assistance for a full-fledged SEO strategy. An expert SEO agency in Melbourne will be aware of effective strategies specific to your industry and business and help you develop and execute a personalised SEO strategy. They will follow a targeted approach and help you achieve the desired results within a limited timeframe. Moreover, you can focus on other aspects of your business while experts handle SEO.
Streamline Your SEO Initiatives with Make My Website
At Make My Website, we have a dedicated team of SEO experts who go above and beyond to help your business succeed in the digital landscape. They will understand your business, analyse your competitors and ensure you proceed in the right direction in your search engine optimisation efforts. We are a reputed SEO agency in Melbourne and a name trusted by small and large businesses alike. Trust us to implement a comprehensive SEO strategy covering all ends – on-page, off-page and technical SEO. Connect with us and learn more about how we can help your business reach the top.