Search engine optimization (SEO) is the practice of optimizing websites in an attempt to make them more visible in search engines. One of the major components of good SEO is creating high quality Content.
Content – A web page’s content should be unique and valuable enough that it references other reputable sources, like Wikipedia or even government agencies. This helps establish the page as authoritative on the subject matter.
For content to be deemed valuable, it is also important that the content not simply rephrase what has already been said by other content providers. Developing good content will help set search engines rankings higher than the competition and give local small businesses an edge in their industry when consumers are looking for information online.
Another benefit of developing quality content is that this content will become more visible in search engines such as Google and Bing through people sharing links to your website on social media because they value the content you are sharing with them.
For example, if someone is looking for nearby cafes and the keyword “coffee shops” or something like it appears in your website’s keywords (which would be determined through doing keyword research), then they might stumble across your page when searching for specific places or types of businesses near them. This could potentially lead to more customers finding your small business!
The content should be written in an acceptable tone of voice. This is very important as consumers will often brand your content as they would content on their own website; with your company’s name and image at the forefront of their minds. So, if consumers were to read content that was blatantly promotional or packaged like corporate speak, they would most likely disregard it online.
SEO content does not need to be unprofessional but it should read well for your readership. Keeping things simple and relatable helps you stand out among other businesses online that are also vying for consumers’ attention.
All this high quality content will help you stand out among your competitors and give local small businesses an edge in their industry. SEO content is very valuable for local small business websites as consumers are looking for information online, either before or during a purchase. You can be that content source with content development specific to the needs of your audience.
This content strategy should be part of your larger content marketing strategy with content being made available across multiple channels with different value propositions for each channel.
Local small businesses that want to grow their online presence should start by developing content of value for their consumers. Content can include but is not limited to blog posts, content on the business website itself and videos uploaded to popular video hosting websites such as YouTube. Developing content that is relevant will help build authority in the eyes of search engines which will allow local small businesses the ability to compete with larger companies within their industry.
Search engine optimization has evolved over the years where it used to be easy for webmasters or marketers to manipulate search results for clients or themselves by using tricks like manipulating keyword meta tags or hiding content from users. Today, content is king. Techniques utilized by SEO content marketers are the same methods used to produce content for websites or blogs, but content built with an aim of helping search engine bots may not always be considered valuable to users. Thus it becomes difficult to separate content marketing from SEO content marketing. The best way forward would be that content marketers understand the changing face of internet marketing to develop quality content that will help small businesses customers find the information they are looking for.
