Few years back having a website was enough for a small business, people used to just visit it from visiting card or from word of mouth. Now the situation is different and every customer first search on Google before calling anyone. So when a shop owner or a local service provider ask me what they should do for SEO, I usually share the same basic checklist which I am writing here.
1. Google Business Profile Comes First
Let me tell you that for a local business this matters even more than the website in starting. When someone search for a service near them, the map listing shows on top, so your profile should be complete with correct details and photos. And reviews from real customers is a big plus point here, so don't feel shy to ask them.
2. Keywords the Way People Actually Search
Most owners pick very broad keywords which are almost impossible to rank. People search in simple local way, like dentist in Kanke road or bakery near Main Road. Suppose you are running an agency, then targeting SEO Services in Ranchi will bring better enquiries than just SEO because the person searching it is already looking to hire someone.
3. Separate Page for Each Service
I have seen many small business websites where all the services are written on one single page. Now Google can not understand properly what you are offering in this case. Better to make one page for every service with its own title and good amount of content on it.
4. Speed and Mobile View
Since majority of the visitors come from phone, your website should open fast on mobile also. Heavy images and extra plugins that nobody use are the main reason of slow sites, and a visitor will not wait more than few seconds.
5. Basic On-Page Work
Title tag, meta description and alt text on images looks like small things but they does the job. Linking your pages with each other also helps a visitor to move around your site without getting lost.
6. Local Listings and Backlinks
Now if we talk about local directories, Justdial and Sulekha are still useful for Indian businesses. Just make sure your name, address and number is same everywhere, otherwise Google get confused. Few backlinks from local news sites helps a lot too.
7. Keep Writing Blogs
Write about the questions your customers usually ask on phone. Two good blogs in a month is enough for a small business.
At the end of the day SEO takes few months to show proper results, and most owners don't have that much time to manage it daily. If that is the case with you, my suggestion is to go with a team offering SEO Services in Ranchi who can show you some of their local client rankings first.
