Demystifying SEO and Online Presence for SMB Owners - Part 1

This is the first of 4 articles on this topic. First, we highlight the best video explanation summary of SEO for novices that we’ve seen. You can read our summary or view the entire presentation on YouTube (see below) in less than 8 minutes. The next 3 articles will examine the “chaos” and evolving nature of “online presence” brought on by the explosion of Artificial Intelligence and changes in customer search habits.

Introduction to SEO and its importance

• Search engine optimization, or SEO, is a powerful tool for growing a business, and it involves making a website more attractive to search engines like Google, with the goal of showing up higher in search results without paying for ads. This is known as organic traffic.
• A business's online presence is often compared to a physical storefront, and just like a real shop, a website needs to be built on a solid foundation, have a welcoming and easy-to-navigate layout, and be in a great location where customers can find it, which is achieved through technical, on-page, and off-page SEO.

The three main components of SEO

• The three main parts of building a digital storefront are the foundation, which is technical SEO, the interior design, which is on-page SEO, and the location and reputation, which is off-page SEO, with a focus on the last two as they are where most of the action is.
• On-page SEO involves everything done on the actual website, such as writing words, using pictures, and structuring pages, and is entirely within one's control, whereas off-page SEO involves actions taken off the site, like getting other websites to link to it, and can only be influenced rather than directly controlled.

On-page vs. off-page SEO

• The key difference between on-page and off-page SEO is that on-page SEO is about making sure the website is clean, organized, and relevant, while off-page SEO is about building a reputation across the internet so that Google sees the website as a trustworthy and authoritative source.
• Having both on-page and off-page SEO is necessary to win, and high-quality content, such as articles, videos, and guides, is like having awesome products on the shelves, while keyword optimization is like putting clear signs on the aisles.

Key factors for website success

• Page speed, mobile responsiveness, and reputation are crucial factors for a website, as a slow website can make people leave instantly, and high-quality backlinks are like a shout-out from another respected business, indicating a massive vote of confidence.

Local SEO

• Local SEO, including a Google Business Profile and online reviews, is essential, as it proves to customers and search engines that a business is trustworthy and loved, and it is like making sure a business is listed correctly in the local phone book and on the map.

Measuring SEO success and ROI

• The payoff of SEO can be calculated using a simple formula based on four key things: how many people search for what a business offers, what percentage of them will click on the site, how many visitors turn into leads or customers, and what an average customer is worth to the business.
• SEO is an investment that builds on itself over time, and the work done today can keep paying back for months or even years, unlike paid ads, which stop generating traffic once the payment stops.

Long-term nature of SEO

• Building a reputation across the web with off-page SEO is a long-term play that can take a few months to see meaningful results, and it is essential to have realistic expectations and avoid black hat SEO tactics.

Ethical SEO practices

• White hat SEO is about creating an amazing and helpful experience for human beings visiting a site, while black hat SEO involves sneaky shortcuts and tricks that can lead to penalties, such as keyword stuffing and using hidden text.

Getting started with SEO

• To get started with SEO, a simple five-step plan can be followed, which includes auditing the site, optimizing content for keywords, setting up and optimizing the Google business profile, and starting a simple monthly plan.

The ultimate goal of SEO

• The ultimate goal of search engine optimization is to increase visibility and ensure that potential customers can find a business when they are searching for solutions to their problems online.
• Potential customers are actively searching for businesses like yours every day, and the key to success lies in being visible and findable when they conduct a search, making it crucial to have an effective search engine optimization strategy in place.