How relatable is this to you: You’ve put in the effort, done your research, and maybe even read a few SEO guides, yet your small business’s website just isn’t climbing the search engine ranks. You just want your business to become successful, but on the SEO side, nothing just seems to budge.
Now here’s the thing; there’s actually many small businesses that take on SEO themselves to save money, but this DIY approach can backfire, leading to wasted time and missed opportunities. So, if you’re doing that, then that’s the first problem. So, let’s dive into why your SEO strategy might not be working out and what you can do about it.
Keyword Missteps
Okay, by now you might already know this, but keywords are at the heart of SEO, but getting them right can be harder than it seems. For the most part, a lot of small businesses out there will either overload their content with keywords or don’t use enough.
So for starters, it’s really going to help to just read up on the Three Key Considerations When Evaluating Keywords for SEO, but that’s not the only thing either (granted this is super helpful). If you’re targeting high-competition keywords, you might be going head-to-head with bigger businesses that have larger budgets for SEO. Meanwhile, targeting keywords with little to no search volume means you could be focusing on terms no one’s actually looking for. Basically, this is SEO 101, and it essentially means there needs to be balance.
Skipping the Basics
It’s easy to dive into advanced SEO techniques, but if you’re missing the basics, your strategy is doomed from the start. Yes, it’s a harsh reality, but it’s definitely a real one. So, on-page SEO elements like meta descriptions, title tags, and alt text are often overlooked by small businesses trying to DIY. Plus, there are algorithm changes too that happen frequently.
Essentially, these elements help search engines understand your content, and without them, your website might not rank as high as it could. Simply put, if Google can’t properly “read” your site, it’s not going to help push you up the rankings.
Your Content Needs Work
“Content is king”—you’ve heard it before (who hasn’t?), and it still rings true. However, small businesses sometimes believe that just having a few blog posts up will be enough. The reality? If your content isn’t useful, fresh, or engaging, it won’t drive traffic or improve your ranking. Now, you need to understand that Google rewards sites that offer value to users.
So, if you’re only publishing content sporadically or it’s not adding much to the conversation, your SEO will suffer. Plus, updating your content regularly keeps your website active and signals to search engines that your site is worth ranking.
Not Keeping Up with SEO Changes
SEO is constantly evolving, and what worked a year ago might not be effective today. While sure, it’s understandable that small business owners often get caught up in day-to-day operations, this does mean you might miss out on staying updated with the latest SEO trends.
Relying Too Much on DIY Tools
There are a lot of SEO software and tools out there designed to help small businesses, and while they can be useful, they’re not a substitute for a solid strategy. Many DIY SEO tools offer surface-level fixes or automated suggestions, and sure, they’re nice, but they don’t always help as much as you’d hope. Generally speaking, SEO is a long game, and it requires human insight to craft a strategy that works for your specific business and audience.
