10 SEO Fixes Every Small Business Needs for Success
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is essential for businesses trying to gain online visibility and attract potential customers. Yet, many small business owners fall into common traps that could be costing them clicks, leads, and sales. Whether you're just starting out or looking to refine your SEO strategy, knowing what mistakes to avoid can be the key to improving your website’s ranking.
Let’s break down the top 10 SEO mistakes small businesses make—and, more importantly, how to fix them! We’ll also look at examples across industries like floristry, interior design, and creative businesses.
1. Not Targeting the Right Keywords
The Mistake: Many businesses focus on keywords that are either too broad or irrelevant to their niche. For example, an interior designer might target “interior design” instead of more specific terms like “modern interior design in Portland.”
How to Fix It: Keyword research is vital. Start with specific, long-tail keywords that match your business, location, and services. Many businesses focus on keywords that are too broad or irrelevant to their niche. For example, a business selling eco-friendly home goods might target “sustainable products” rather than more specific terms like “biodegradable kitchen sponges” or “reusable cotton produce bags.”.” Tools like SEMrush and Google Keyword Planner can help you find relevant keywords with low competition.
2. Ignoring Local SEO
The Mistake: Small businesses often neglect local SEO, assuming a general SEO strategy will cover it all.
How to Fix It: Local SEO is a game-changer for businesses that rely on customers in a specific area. Whether you’re a floral designer or an interior designer, optimizing for local search terms like "Los Angeles wedding florist" or "New York loft interior designer" can drive highly targeted traffic. Make sure your Google Business Profile is up to date with your location, hours, and services. Incorporating location-based keywords and encouraging customer reviews can further boost your local rankings.
3. Poor Website Structure and Navigation
The Mistake: If your website is difficult to navigate or not mobile-friendly, visitors won’t stick around—and neither will search engines.
How to Fix It: Simplify your website layout. Interior designers, for example, often showcase portfolios. Make sure your portfolio pages are easily accessible and categorized by project type, such as “residential,” “commercial,” or “renovations.” Use internal linking to guide users from one page to another, and ensure your site is optimized for mobile. Creative businesses should also make services or galleries prominent so potential clients can quickly view your work and reach out for a consultation.
4. Neglecting On-Page SEO
The Mistake: Many small businesses don't properly optimize their web pages. This might include skipping meta descriptions, unstructured content, or missing strategic keyword placement.
How to Fix It: Every page should be optimized with relevant title tags, meta descriptions, and headers (H1, H2, H3). For example, an interior designer’s project page should have a unique title like “Modern Living Room Design in Los Angeles,” with a detailed meta description that highlights the project’s style and location. Creative businesses, like photographers or web designers, should similarly focus on describing their services in a way that incorporates relevant keywords. Don’t forget to use alt text for images, which is especially important for visual-based industries.
5. Writing for Search Engines, Not People
The Mistake: In an attempt to rank higher, some businesses stuff their content with keywords, creating robotic and unreadable content.
How to Fix It: Content should always be written for your audience first. While keywords are important, they should fit naturally into your content. Focus on answering your target audience’s questions and providing valuable insights. For example, an interior design blog might focus on “How to Create a Cozy Living Room for Fall,” whereas a graphic designer might write about “Top Branding Tips for Small Businesses.” These topics provide value and naturally incorporate keywords without overwhelming the reader.
6. Overlooking the Power of Blogging
The Mistake: Some businesses don’t prioritize blogging, thinking it's irrelevant or time-consuming.
How to Fix It: Blogging is one of the most effective ways to boost your SEO, attract traffic, and position your brand as an authority. Regularly updated blogs signal to search engines that your site is active and valuable. For example, an interior designer could blog about “2024 Home Design Trends,” while a creative business like a photographer could write about “5 Tips for Capturing the Perfect Golden Hour Photo.” Each post offers an opportunity to target new keywords and connect with potential clients by answering their questions or solving their problems.
I have a downloadable guide to optimizing your blog for SEO HERE.
7. Not Investing in Quality Backlinks
The Mistake: Backlinks—links from other websites to yours—are often overlooked, but they are a major factor in SEO rankings.
How to Fix It: Invest time in building high-quality backlinks. Reach out to industry-related blogs, local directories, and partners who can link back to your website. For instance, an interior designer might partner with a real estate blog or a furniture brand for guest posts or features, while a floral designer might collaborate with a marketing agency or event planner. High-quality content, like guest blogging or creating sharable resources (such as design guides), can also help earn backlinks.
8. Ignoring Analytics and Data
The Mistake: Some small businesses aren’t tracking their SEO efforts, which means they’re missing out on valuable data that could improve their strategy.
How to Fix It: Set up Google Analytics and Google Search Console to track your site’s performance. For instance, a wedding or brand photographer can track which blog posts are driving the most traffic or which portfolio pages are most viewed. Creative businesses, like photographers or graphic designers, can measure how long users stay on certain project pages. Regularly reviewing this data can help you understand what’s working and where you need to refine your content or keyword strategy.
9. Slow Website Load Time
The Mistake: A slow website doesn’t just frustrate visitors—it also hurts your SEO. Google considers load time when ranking pages, so if your site is sluggish, you’re likely to lose rankings.
How to Fix It: Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTMetrix to check your site’s speed. For visually heavy industries like interior design or creative services, where high-quality images and videos are essential, it’s crucial to balance design with load time. Compress images, use lazy loading (where images load as users scroll), and consider upgrading your hosting if necessary. A fast-loading website keeps visitors engaged and helps you rank higher on search engines.
10. Ignoring SEO for Images and Videos
The Mistake: Many businesses don’t think to optimize their media files for SEO, missing out on potential traffic.
How to Fix It: Always use descriptive file names for images and videos before uploading them (e.g., "mid-century-living-room-los-angeles.jpg" instead of "IMG12345.jpg"). Use alt text to describe what the image or video is about, incorporating relevant keywords. For example, an interior designer showcasing a remodel should use alt text like “Modern craftsman kitchen remodel in Austin.” Creative businesses should apply the same principle for visual content, describing their work in ways that both users and search engines can understand.
Final Thoughts
SEO might seem daunting, but once you identify and fix these common mistakes, you’ll be on the right path to improving your website’s visibility. Whether you’re a florist, interior designer, or creative business owner, targeting the right keywords, optimizing your site for both users and search engines, and tracking your results will set you up for SEO success.
If you have any questions or need help with your SEO strategy, feel free to get in touch—I’d be happy to assist you in boosting your online presence! You can contact me HERE.
