3 Reasons Why So Many Small Businesses Fail at SEO

SEO has been marketed by shady marketers as a magic method to bring thousands of targeted visitors to your website. However, search engine optimization is no simple affair, and even the biggest experts in the field fall flat after a sudden switch in algorithms. Getting sustainable results demands education and, more often than not, small businesses who try to do everything on their own end up failing. Here are some of the top reasons why.

Not Doing the Proper Updates

A lot of people still think that SEO is a “set it and forget it” process. But, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Algorithms are always changing and Google is doing everything in its power to improve its user experience. If one day, Google decides that one aspect of your website doesn’t fit with their objectives, your site may suffer.

For instance, over the last few years, sites that aren’t mobile-friendly and sites that did not have a sufficient level of security have both been penalized by Google. And to this day, many people are still unaware of that fact. SEO is a work in progress and this is why you should always be on top of the most recent changes and do everything you can to stay compliant.

Having Unrealistic Goals

Many people think that they’ll be able to instantly dominate Google and Bing for their products or services, and once their demands aren’t met, they simply dismiss the method as not working. But you have to understand that the competition on search engines is very fierce, so you have to set realistic goals for your campaigns. You have to take things such as competition and the size of your niche into consideration. If you have multiple products to offer, ranking for one of your products would be a good start. In some cases, your blog might be the first to gain traction.

Poor On-Page SEO

However, if there is one area where many small businesses end up falling flat on their face it is poor on page SEO. And I’m not simply talking about content that is published, but content on their website as well. You need to pay attention to things such as page titles, non-visible content, navigation, your sitemap, etc.

Google bots don’t just search for visible content. They also search for content that is invisible to the naked eye as well. On-page SEO should also take local visitors into consideration, too, as local searches play a major role in this day and age. This is why it would be wise to work with SEO experts to perform an SEO audit on your website and make recommendations. Try to stick with local SEO agencies if you want better results. If you live in New York, for instance, only an NYC SEO expert will understand local searches better and give you more relevant keyword choice depending on your area.

While SEO demands significant effort, it can be one of the most powerful tools to generate steady traffic when done the right way. Whatever you do, make sure that your on-page SEO is done properly, make sure that you do not neglect local searches and have realistic goals. Also, make sure that you update your site regularly and make changes immediately to stay compliant with the most recent changes.