Effective search optimization is not only attainable for large corporations. You don't need to spend your entire marketing on search engine optimization (SEO) because there are clever strategies that you can implement with little money and reap measurable results. Yes, budget SEO is a thing, and once you understand the basics, your business might grow enough to compete with the big ones.
Budget SEO Tips
Budget SEO does not mean cutting corners; it means understanding the fluctuating nature of the beast and knowing where to aim. There are many creative SEO solutions. Search Engine Watch explains that optimizing your SEO can be expensive and highly unpredictable because of the frequent Google algorithm updates. Large companies benefit from quality content, high numbers of quality backlinks, and domain age, all of which take time and money. Companies with small budgets and newer companies can use other methods for their search engine optimization, and some of these ideas might be just what your company needs to get ahead.
Smart Insights' first SEO tip is to refine your keyword strategy. In order to do this, you have to understand how browser SERPs (search engine results pages) work. Competition for high rankings is brutal, especially for high-volume, broad terms like "men's clothing." Instead, you can target long-tail alternatives; these are usually three or more words long and quite specific. The search volume for these is lower, as is the competition, but the quality of the keywords is higher, leading to better conversion rates.
To get the right long-tail keywords, you will have to spend time doing your research. This research can also help you find more keywords to put into your blog posts. You can also consider putting your keywords into question form, as this is how many users enter their inquiries into search bars. Instead of only using one specific term, incorporate different keyword variations into your content.
Local SEO and Free Tools
Small businesses that are not using local SEO are missing out; approximately 46 percent of all Google searches seek local information. Local SEO is a massive opportunity for optimizing your online presence, and at the core is Google My Business (GMB). This free tool is easy to use. To claim a GMB listing, all you have to do is fill out their online form. Then, when someone Googles "snow blowers in Cincinnati" or something similar, your business has a better chance of ranking higher.
There are plenty of excellent SEO tools out there, like Moz and Ahrefs, but these require upfront fees or monthly subscriptions. Besides GMB and other free Google Tools, Search Insights also mentions Answer the Public, IIS SEO Toolkit and, wait for it, Screaming Frog SEO Spider. Not all of these gloves fit every hand, so you will have to try them to see which one meets your needs.
Blogs and Links
Unlike clothing trends, quality content will never go out of style, but experts disagree on the right blog length. For 2022, the trend is toward longer articles and blogs stretching out to between 2,000 and 3,000 words. Remember that content matters! Creating new posts doesn't cost a lot of money, and it is crucial because your websites and social media have to stay fresh and engaging. Embedding your posts with photos, visuals, and infographics is also helpful and is another trend for 2022.
Back to those backlinks: Google has more than 200 ranking factors for their SERPs, and one of the biggest ones is backlinks. These links are on other websites and send audiences to you. In essence, links represent votes of confidence between different websites and hold high SEO value. Establishing backlinks is not always straightforward, particularly if you don't have a big budget. You can work on this by writing quality thought leadership and advice articles for industry publications and blogs, which will sometimes earn you links. Another way to encourage backlinks is to list your company on business directories like Yahoo and Yelp.
Search Engine Optimization Budgeting
Search Engine Land has a few options if you don't know how much you need to budget for SEO. Some businesses allocate a percentage of their marketing budgets for SEO, but it makes more sense to establish some goals before doing that. Determine your SEO objectives, and consider where they fit into your broader marketing plan. For example, are you trying to expand brand awareness, meet revenue goals or both?
You should look at your competition, too. Are these competitors ranking higher on SERP, and how does your company compare? You can easily measure the opportunity cost of losing potential customers to your competitors using these metrics. Remember, the benefits of organic traffic flowing in from SEO last longer than a one-time purchase when you follow up with customer satisfaction and retention efforts.
If you have a marketing budget that incorporates pay-per-click (PPC) ad spend and SEO, know that Search Engine Land claims SEO usually creates two times as much traffic. One reason for this is that, although PPC might generate fast results, your visibility drops when the ads stop running. An optimized website, including ones that leverage the SEO tips described above, can gain significant momentum and keep driving traffic to your company over the long term.
For professional help, a dedicated team of experts is standing by. Contact Wordsmyth Creative Content Marketing today for help with your SEO and content needs.
Want more advice on marketing (or just some fun reads)? Check out these FREE resources:
Want a FREE SEO Audit of Your Site?
Get yours here. It’s chock-full of actionable intelligence that will help you boost your bottom line through powerful digital marketing techniques. Need help? We’re happy to assist!