Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing your website for people and search engines. With the proper SEO strategy, you can raise your rank on search engine results which helps drive traffic to your website. It is an ongoing process that needs to be monitored for best results. This may seem like a service exclusively for large companies, but Teddslist offers affordable SEO to small, independently owned business.

How SEO works

Google and other search engines do their best to produce a list of results that best fit their users’ (customer’s) query. SEO incorporates a variety of techniques to show search engines that your website is going to be useful to the viewer. These techniques range from simply using keywords, to the more technical details of how your website runs. When SEO best practices are used, you can see results that will yield very positive results for your business.

Some aspects of SEO include:

Keywords

Adding the right keywords lets search engines know that you have related content on your site. This can make people think it’s good enough just to over-saturate their site with certain keywords, but keywords need to be added organically through great content. It’s also important to choose the keywords and phrases that will best translate into sales. A highly skilled content writer can both make a huge difference in user satisfaction and appeal to search engines.

Link building

Link building helps connect your website to other locations on the web. You want your site to have a high number of links from a diverse group of trusted sites. If you’re linked to trusted sites, Google and other search engines know your site can be trusted too. Links can come from many sources like news sites, blogs, forums, and sites like Teddslist, just to name a few.

Social metrics

We all know the importance of social media sites. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. are where we get our news, reviews, and connect with friends. So, it’s only natural that search engines will check to see if you have a strong social media presence. Positive reviews and buzz around your brand can go a long way in improving your small business’ ranking on search engines.

Traffic

Traffic is basically the amount of viewers that see your site. Businesses can increase their traffic by strengthening their online presence and/or running pay per click (PPC) ads. PPC ad campaigns are great for small businesses because they allow you to set a strict budget and only pay when someone clicks on your ad.

Clickthrough rates

Clickthrough rates are often used to judge the success of PPC or email ad campaigns. This measures how many people went to your site as a result of clicking on your ad. Clickthrough rates allow you to see which ads are working best and which need adjustments. PPC ads are convenient because they allow you to quickly implement changes in your campaign.

The more technical side

SEO can be highly technical. The way your website is coded and laid out will have an effect on your user’s experience and affect your ranking. Improving loading times, eliminating broken links, and creating a proper XML sitemap are just a few examples of the many ways more technical SEO improves your site. Teddslist understands that the more technical aspects of SEO can be very expensive and may not be cost-effective for all small businesses to do right away. Therefore, we can spread this work out over time to accommodate smaller budgets.

Why SEO is important for small businesses

Small businesses are often working with smaller budgets, so they need to use every dollar wisely. Having a business in the Raleigh area means there are many opportunities for growth, but it also means you face a lot of competition. SEO can give you an edge over your competitors and allow your business to thrive.

Advantages of SEO

High-quality traffic

SEO boosts the quantity of traffic as well as quality. It doesn’t matter how many people visit your site if they have no interest in acquiring your product or service. SEO improves your ability to be found by customers searching terms closely related to your business. This can lead to higher sales and more qualified leads.

Improved brand awareness

Traditionally businesses needed large marketing budgets to attract customers from another state or country, but now a website is easily accessible worldwide. There is always room to improve your brand locally and you can avoid missing out on possible sales from all the business travelers coming to Raleigh.

Better first impression

First impressions are extremely important. Having a beautiful, well-designed website reflects the quality of your business. A poorly designed website doesn’t necessarily mean a poorly run business, but that’s often how it’s perceived by the customer. A great website also allows you to tell your story. Let your customers see your passion for the business.

Better user experience

There is nothing more frustrating than trying to navigate a poorly designed website. If your potential customers can’t easily find what they’re looking for, they will likely move on. A better user experience helps you gain more positive reviews which increase recommendations and boost your ranking on search engines.

Move ahead of your competition

The difference between page one and page two of a search result is night and day. Chances are you are losing potential customers if you are not in the top five. It doesn’t matter how great your business is if your competition is getting to the customers first. SEO allows you to move up the rankings and lets your business shine.

Why chose Teddslist for your SEO services?

Teddslist has always been and always will be for locals only. Our deep roots in the community mean you can trust us to help you grow. We only focus on small locally owned businesses in the Raleigh area and know what it takes to help you succeed. This focus on small business means we have the expertise to create an SEO strategy that fits within your budget. Feel free to contact us with any questions you may have. We can walk you through what you need to know and create a plan for your future with SEO.

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