How important is SEO for small businesses in the UK?

1) Customers prefer shopping locally

According to research by DJS, 63% of shoppers prefer shopping locally [1]. This principle can be applied to physical stores and SEO. For example if someone is looking for a gym to join in Leeds, they may head to Google and type “Gym in Leeds”. If you’re top of the results then it’s likely they would visit your website, and consider joining your gym.

People intrinsically trust local businesses more, due to familiarity. Ranking top for keywords in your local area can really benefit your business, especially for physical stores. SEO can really put you on the map, and ensure local people know about your business and what it offers.

2) Free leads for your business

Lead generation can be an expensive process, but with SEO it doesn’t have to be. Once you’re ranking top for relevant keywords, you can generate leads for free! According to research by WordStream, the average cost per click of Google Ads for insurance keywords is $54.91 [2]. That could turn into a huge cost in the long term. By ranking top for your keywords, you can eliminate the need to run ads.

By investing in your SEO in the short term, you can reap great rewards in the long run. You should research what keywords your customers are searching for, then aim to rank top for all of those keywords. It may take some time, but the end result is often free leads and increased sales for your business. This is key for a small business, because they usually have a small marketing budget.

3) Being on the first page is key

According to research by Backlinko, the top 3 Google search results get 54.4% of all clicks [3]. That’s an overwhelming majority, and highlights the importance of ranking top. 75% of search engine users also don’t click beyond the first page of results [4]. If you want your website to get noticed, you need to be aiming for the top.

It’s important to know where you are ranking currently, and put together a plan to rank higher over time. Tools like Google Search Console let you know where you are ranking, and exactly how many clicks and impressions you are getting. This makes it easy to analyse performance, and find out which keywords you are actually ranking for.

4) Outshine your competition

Being top on Google gives a perceived sense of power to potential customers. You will be seen as more authoritative and further up the hierarchy in your industry. As a small business this is vital, you need to compete against larger businesses and stand out.

Being number one also suggests you invest in your website, and that your business is active. A strong SEO strategy can give you the edge over your competitors, and secure a lead before they do. If you are ranking first and your main competitor is #7, it’s likely a customer will visit your site before theirs and become a lead.

5) SEO is an affordable long term investment

A strong SEO strategy does require some up front investment. This is an affordable amount, depending on your specific goals. Your existing website will need to be optimised for on-page SEO, then you will also need to invest in off-page elements like backlink building.

You can complete an SEO course if you’d like to do SEO work yourself, or employ the help of an SEO agency like ourselves. SEO is scalable to your budget, you can start off small with just a few keywords then build over time. The long-term rewards of SEO can be huge. It can result in thousands of website visitors, and a high volume of free leads for your business. It’s one of the most effective organic marketing methods, and can help small businesses flourish in the long run.

Conclusion

During these unprecedented times, a strong SEO strategy is more important than ever. Being top of Google can bring in free leads for your business, and increase brand exposure. Every business should regularly review their website, and where it’s ranking on search engines. You can have a fantastic website, but if it’s getting no traffic it’s not serving its purpose.

At Angelo Marketing, we provide affordable SEO services to businesses in the UK. We have a range of packages available, tailored towards different budgets. We can help you towards the top for relevant keywords. Find out more on our SEO Services page, and feel free to contact us for a quick chat. Our team will be happy to answer any questions you may have.