Most small business owners have come across the term search engine optimization (SEO). Many of them know it is critical to their business online. But prod them a bit more and it becomes clear many don’t know what it really means.
According to a new survey by Memphis, Tennessee-based marketing agency HigherVisibility, 20 percent of small businesses still don’t have a website. What’s more, 54 percent of the surveyed respondents said they don’t have a budget for SEO.
Small Businesses Making Some Common SEO Mistakes
For a small business, SEO is essential because it helps drive more people to their website. But as the survey reveals, businesses are making some common mistakes that have an adverse effect on their website’s SEO.
For example, 38 percent of surveyed respondents wrongly believe keyword stuffing is a good thing. Twelve percent incorrectly think it’s okay to publish duplicate content that has been copied and pasted from another website or page.
Many Small Businesses Lack SEO Knowledge
Further, the survey highlights examples of how small businesses lack SEO knowledge they need. To give an example, 26 percent are unaware of the importance of onsite optimization for SEO.
Likewise, 21 percent of respondents don’t know how important blogging and content creation is to SEO.
It goes without saying these lapses may have a serious impact on a small business’ SEO initiatives.
What Businesses Need to Do Differently
This is not the first time a report has highlighted the problems with how small businesses are approaching SEO. The Web.com Small Business Digital Trends Report published earlier found that 43 percent of businesses have no plans to change or improve their online presence in 2017.
In 2017, no small business owner can afford to take SEO lightly. Otherwise there’s a risk of losing customers to competition.
That’s why, it’s essential for small businesses to pay special attention to their SEO activities. A well-planned SEO strategy can go a long way in making a significant difference. A long-term strategy can help make the most of SEO trends in 2017 and will have an impact on how these businesses connect with customers.
For the study, HigherVisibility surveyed 500 people involved in marketing for small businesses.
SEO Photo via Shutterstock; Other images via Higher Visibility
This article, “Many Small Businesses Lack SEO Knowledge” was first published on Small Business Trends