BLUF: Yes, SEO is still worth the costs for small businesses.
Thank you for attending my Dag-X talk…
Oh, you’re still here? Damn, I guess I’ll have to explain a little more…
The Old-School Ways: Referrals, Local Ads, and the Good Ol’ Yellow Pages
Let’s take a quick trip down memory lane.
Do you remember when word-of-mouth referrals were the bread and butter of every small business? A neighbor mentions your shop, and suddenly you’ve got a new customer. Maybe you ran a little ad in the local paper or—dare I say it—listed your business in the Yellow Pages. (fun fact: when I started at Dagmar back in the olden days of 2013 one of my first projects was an online yellow pages client…)
Sure, these methods can still bring in customers. But let’s be real: the game has changed.
Nowadays, potential customers aren’t flipping through a directory—they’re scrolling through their phones. If your business isn’t popping up when they search online, you’re basically invisible. While old-school tactics like referrals and local ads still have their place, SEO has become the secret sauce that small businesses need to stay competitive in today’s fast-paced, digital marketplace.
Why SEO Matters (Possibly More Than Ever)
So, why exactly is SEO so important? Simply because it’s how your business gets found online — more than 80% of consumers search for a local business weekly.
Let’s discuss this a bit more:
- Visibility and Competitiveness: When was the last time you went past the first page of Google results? Right, almost never. That’s where SEO comes in—it gets you in front of the right people, right when they’re looking for your products or services.
- Credibility: High rankings build trust. If you’re on page one, your (potential) customers see you as more credible than the competition buried on page five.
- Long-Term Results: Unlike paid ads, which stop working the moment you stop paying, SEO is an investment that keeps on giving. Once you’ve put in the work, it can continue to drive traffic and leads for months or even years.
Local SEO: Your Small Business Secret Weapon
Local SEO is where small businesses can truly shine. When people search for “coffee shop near me” or “best plumber in [your city],” local SEO helps make sure your business is in the running. It’s the digital equivalent of a prime storefront on Main Street. Let’s break down the key elements:
Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile (GBP)—formerly known as Google My Business—is a critical tool for local SEO. Think of it as the first impression your business makes online. To maximize your chances of ranking high in local search results, you need to:
- Completely Fill Out Your Profile: Include accurate information like your business name, address, phone number, website URL, and hours of operation. Don’t skip sections—Google prioritizes detailed profiles.
- Optimize Key Fields: Pay attention to ranking factor sections like the business description, categories, and attributes. Add relevant keywords naturally, especially ones tied to your location and services.
- Show Off with Photos: Upload high-quality images of your business, products, services, and even your team. Profiles with photos receive significantly more clicks than those without. Aim for at least 5–10 photos to start.
- Maintain Accuracy: Regularly check and update your profile to ensure all information remains current, especially if your hours or offerings change.
For more detailed steps, check out this guide to elevating your Google Business Profile in just 5 minutes.
Customer Reviews
Customer reviews on your Google Business Profile play a big role in building credibility and improving local search rankings. Here’s how to approach them strategically:
- Keep the Reviews Coming: Don’t let reviews stagnate. Consistently ask satisfied customers to leave reviews, and make it easy for them by providing direct links.
- Respond to All Reviews: Show that you care by replying to both positive and negative feedback. For positive reviews, a simple thank-you goes a long way. For negative reviews, stay professional, address the issue, and offer a solution where possible.
- Avoid Review Pitfalls: Don’t offer incentives for reviews or engage in fake review schemes. These can lead to penalties from Google and damage your reputation.
Local Citations
Local citations—mentions of your business’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) on other websites—aren’t as critical as they once were, but they still play a supporting role in local SEO. Think of them as breadcrumbs that help search engines confirm your business information.
- Focus on Accuracy: Ensure your NAP is consistent across all major directories like Yelp, Bing Places, TripAdvisor, and industry-specific sites. Google uses your GBP as the primary citation source, but these secondary mentions still matter.
- Prioritize Quality Over Quantity: It’s better to have accurate listings on a few key sites than hundreds of outdated or irrelevant citations.
- Track and Update: Keep a running list of citation sites where your business appears. Regularly check for outdated information, especially if you’ve changed your phone number, address, or business name.
What You Can Do with Different Budgets
Alright, now that we agree SEO is important (I hope), let’s talk about what you can do with various budgets. Because let’s face it, not every business has the funds to dive into a full-blown SEO campaign right off the bat.
1. DIY/Doing It Internally
If you’re a hands-on, roll-up-your-sleeves type, you can start with some basics:
- Learn the Basics: There are tons of free resources online that can teach you about SEO. Google offers courses, and many blogs (hey, like ours) provide practical tips.
- Google Business Profile: Set up and optimize your Google Business Profile. Add your business hours, services, and photos. It’s free, and it’s one of the quickest ways to show up in local searches.
- Optimize Your Website: Use relevant local keywords in your content, update your title tags, gather customer reviews, and make sure your site is mobile-friendly. These simple changes can make a big difference in your visibility.
If you were to go this route and you have office staff that are comfortable with technology and being online, I would recommend incentivizing one of them to work on this.
2. Shoestring Budget
If you have a bit of budget but not a lot, you can still make some solid moves:
Basic Local SEO Services: Look into getting a local SEO audit from an expert to identify key areas for improvement. Consider using minimal services, like optimizing your website’s content and ensuring your business is listed accurately across local directories.
Hire a Freelancer: If you can’t afford a full agency yet, consider hiring a freelancer to handle specific tasks like building local citations or writing content.
3. Full SEO Campaign with an Agency
Got the funds to go all-in? This is where the magic happens. A full SEO campaign doesn’t just sprinkle a little optimization here and there—it’s a comprehensive strategy that covers every aspect of your online presence to drive sustainable growth. Here’s what you need to know:
Partnering with a Professional SEO Agency
When you invest in a full SEO campaign, you’re partnering with experts who know how to make your business visible, competitive, and trusted online. Agencies like Dagmar Marketing specialize in creating data-driven strategies tailored to your business and market. Here’s what to expect from a top-notch agency:
Technical SEO Mastery: A professional agency will dive into the nitty-gritty of your website, ensuring that it’s optimized for speed, mobile responsiveness, crawlability, and user experience. Often, they’ll also handle technical fixes like eliminating broken links, improving site architecture, and implementing Schema markup for better search engine understanding.
Content Creation Meant to Convert: Agencies don’t (or at least shouldn’t) just churn out keyword-stuffed articles—they create valuable, high-quality content that resonates with your audience and ranks well in search engines. They’ll also do the research to figure out what’s the best type of content to work on at a given point in time. This includes blog posts, service pages, location-based content, and FAQs and more.
Link Building with Integrity: Backlinks are still a ranking factor, but not all links are created equal. Agencies tend to focus on building quality links from reputable sources, avoiding the spammy tactics that can get your site penalized. This also tends to go hand-in-hand with quality content that attracts new links.
Local SEO Expertise: If you rely on nearby customers, a professional agency will optimize your Google Business Profile, manage local citations, and help you generate and respond to customer reviews.
Why You’re Probably Better Off With an Agency
OK so as a small business you have some options with how you want to tackle an SEO campaign. Often the decision comes down to time and money (as with lots of things). Really small businesses may not have the extra wiggle room in their budgets to hire an SEO agency so it’s totally understandable to DIY or hire a freelancer. But once you have some room in a budget for specific marketing, I believe, an agency is the way to go.
I look at this way: if I need to run a new circuit for a TV in my house, I know I can figure out how to do that or even get one of my buddies who has a little experience to come help me. But I also know I could shock (or electrocute myself), destroy my walls, and short out a few other things. I have some extra funds: I’m hiring a reputable electrician to get this work done. That’s how I think you should approach whether to hire an agency for your SEO campaigns.
That’s an example but here’s the actual reasons why an agency is important:
Team of Specialists: With an agency, you’re not relying on a single person to wear all the hats. Agencies have teams of specialists—technical SEO experts, content strategists, link builders, and analysts—who work together to ensure no part of your SEO campaign is left behind.
Strategic Insights: Agencies use advanced tools and data to uncover opportunities and craft a strategy tailored to your business. DIY methods often lack the depth of analysis, while freelancers may not have access to the same resources.
Proven Track Record: Reputable agencies have a history of success with businesses like yours. They’ve navigated algorithm updates, industry changes, and shifting trends, so they know what works.
Scalability and Long-Term Results: Freelancers or DIY efforts might be enough for a short-term boost, but agencies provide the structure and scalability for ongoing growth. They’re not just trying to fix what’s broken—they’re building a solid foundation for the future.
Accountability and Reporting: A professional agency will provide regular, transparent reports on progress and results. They’ll explain what’s working, what needs adjustment, and what you can expect moving forward. No guesswork, just results.
So, is SEO still worth it for small businesses?
Absolutely. It’s not just a nice-to-have; it’s a neccessity for your business to be found, to build trust, and to help you stay competitive.
Ready to take the next step? Contact Dagmar Marketing to help you get started on your local SEO journey and make sure your business gets the attention it deserves.
Brian Valentin
Latest posts by Brian Valentin (see all)
- Is SEO Still Worth It for Small Businesses? - January 28, 2025
- Unleash the Power of Local SEO: Elevate Your Google Business Profile in 5 Minutes! - June 18, 2024
- Everything You Need to Know About Pest Control SEO But Were Afraid To Ask - June 14, 2024
Leave a Reply