262.853.7998 kimmunitee@gmail.com

Keyword for Small Business Do-It-Yourself SEO: Don’t

by | Jul 25, 2018 | Feature Article

Do Yourself a Favor and Hire a Professional for Your SEO Campaign

If you’re thinking about conducting a do-it-yourself search engine optimization campaign for your business website, here’s my hard-earned opinion: don’t do it. Don’t assume it’s a quick study. It’s not. Don’t download a beginner’s SEO guide that promises to steer you clear of confusion and frustration. It won’t. Don’t think you’ll save money by doing it yourself. Not a chance.

Instead, take advantage of my SEO experience; learn from my pain. Continue reading what I’ve prepared for you, pay close attention to the advice provided by an SEO professional, review the resource materials provided and talk to others about their own SEO campaigns. Lastly, even though you’re a small business owner who is accustomed to doing everything yourself, be open to the idea that, in this case, you’re better off hiring a pro.

What’s At the Heart of SEO

An activity, a set of tools, a technique, an act of influencing, a component of website development, methods used to drive website traffic—all are simple, straightforward definitions of search engine optimization. Some people with SEO experience and dry wit call it rocket science or brain surgery. Others define it as “a dense, confusing world” and I wouldn’t disagree.

My favorite definition, however, comes from Adogan Design: SEO is the word of mouth of the internet age. It’s also the foremost reason I can think of for small businesses to devote their resources to the endeavor. You probably already know why: word of mouth is one of the best (some would say the best) form of marketing and it costs nothing (except all the hard work that went into satisfying your customers in the first place.) Whether clients are spreading the good word about you in personal conversations, on the phone, with online reviews, in emails, on any social media platform, or with backlinks, most roads will inevitably lead to your website.

So, if people are recommending your services, thereby prompting others to search for you online, it makes perfect sense to provide those travelers with accurate directions and a really good map to get them quickly and easily to your site. Setting aside what you already know is on your website (all that content you worked so hard to create), chances are you don’t know what else exists online about your business. Be assured, it’s out there and it’s floating randomly on the web.

At some point, you really do want to verify that all that data is accurate and complete. Together, it should be a well-integrated online presentation of your business. That includes providing enticing, valuable and up-to-date content to potential customers AND the search engines which are ranking your site. That’s what is at the heart of SEO.

Related Articles

How Much Do You Know About the SEO Process? Let’s Find Out.

Can you define Google algorithms? Where does your business appear in an organic search? What is local SEO? Is it the same as hyperlocal SEO? How well have you written your site’s title tags and meta descriptions? How does user experience factor in? Have you performed a listings scan? Why is it important to establish goals for your campaign? What are those goals? Would one of them be writing for above-the-fold text?

All of the above—and so much more—are basic concepts and terms that lay the foundation for any SEO activity. They must be understood before you do further work with your site. It’s no different than stating a carpenter has to know how to hammer a nail before building a home. So if algorithms and title tags just bewildered you, you will make no more sense out of local link building, web metrics, ALT text, keyword density or SERP.

Please don’t assume that a working comprehension can be achieved if you read numerous articles, use several SEO beginner’s guides, watch some YouTube videos or swap SEO tips at a networking event. Each of these can help guide your journey, but they absolutely will not prepare you for all of the deep, dark rabbit holes that are intrinsic to SEO. My advice? Hire an expert.

Related Articles

Whatever You Do, Don’t Be Forced Into SEO. Wait.

Many services will try to convince you that your small business will fail without comprehensive SEO. Fellow Chamber of Commerce members could make you feel guilty (usually unintentionally) because you haven’t started a campaign. A competitor’s new SEO strategy has you intimidated. Based on the buzz you just got at a free 1-hour SEO session, you suddenly realize how far behind you are compared to other small businesses. 

These can be strong motivators, but they’re built on fear. With all its mind-numbing complexities, it’s far better to step into SEO with a positive approach and only when the time is right for you. There is that saying, you know, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” 

 

Related Article

When You’re Finally Open to SEO

Four months ago, I was ready and Rachel Howe became my teacher. My site had been up for quite awhile, SEO had been a steady drumbeat in my ears for years and my profession is all about sharing small business stories with quality content (a big component of SEO). Also, I was on the lookout for an informative article to write and had the opportunity to interview Rachel. In other words, I was primed. Also, I was determined to conduct an SEO analysis on my own. What better way to learn a topic and save money?!

Are you at that point, as well? Perhaps you’ve got some down time between clients and you’re thinking, “I enjoy challenges and pesky computer issues don’t slow me down. I know myself to be a quick study and can condense and comprehend the SEO terms and strategies I need to know. I’m smart enough to stay away from black hat usage and optimized anchors. I’m all set; what do I do next?” My suggestion? Hire an expert.  

 

Related Article

The Biggest Pitfalls of a Do-It-Yourself SEO Campaign. (There Aren’t Any If You Have Unlimited Time and Patience.)

SEO is an art and it’s a science. Each of those disciplines requires hard work, years of experience, repetition and dedication. Oh, and one last thing…passion. When I look back now at the decision to conduct my own basic SEO audit, I chuckle over my naiveté.

Pitfall #1 Overconfidence

While I knew it wasn’t going to be smooth sailing, I did have several things on board that I assumed would get me over the big waves: ALT and Header Tags don’t intimidate me; I’ve designed several websites; as a writer I know how to use keywords; cutting and pasting short code is fairly simple; my Google+ account has already been established; I’m good with details.

Any SEO professional would laugh at the do-it-myself arguments I just made. Experts know that a few skills here, a little confidence there, some superficial knowledge over there would never get me through the SEO challenges ahead. I was unprepared and, in effect, headed out toward high seas on a surfboard. 

Pitfall #2 Nothing Is Ever Simple

I forgot this cardinal rule: No matter how simple people tell you something is going to be—especially computer-related—it almost never is. I got tricked into reading and believing Google juice such as, “Do Your Own 5-Minute SEO Audit,” “Save Money On SEO with 12 Do-it-Yourself Tips,” and “A Simple Step-by-Step Guide to SEO.” Every article I read implied success if I just followed along. I should have seen trouble ahead because none of the authors could even agree on exactly which SEO step to take first. Listing directories? Web design? Keyword research? Quality content? Link building?

I decided to start with a web directories scan to see how my site looked and ranked on different search engines. The results showed, across the board, that lots of inaccurate information was posted about my business.

For example, in place of my zip code was Kanji. A simple error, I thought, that could be knocked down with a few keystrokes. I was wrong. This seemingly easy correction took an inordinate amount of time and, ultimately, required an account verification code. Such bizarre twists were waiting for me around every corner; they’re waiting for you, too. Avoid them by hiring an expert.

Pitfall #3 Underestimating the Time Required

The third pitfall I encountered was grossly underestimating the amount of time required for SEO.

To help with title tags and meta descriptions, for instance, I searched for just the right SEO WordPress plugin. That took hours and once I found what I wanted, the installation then had issues. After sorting those out, I had to concentrate on writing a 70-character or less title tag to go at the top of the HTML code between the <HEAD> and </HEAD> tags. Of course, before I could complete this task, something else popped up to redirect my path. My precious time was being consumed at an alarming rate.

It’s Decision Time

There are many questions to ask yourself if you’re still considering a do-it-yourself SEO campaign. The most important one is this: “Do I have the desire to walk each slow, tedious step in the SEO process?” If not, and remember I mentioned earlier that passion is required in studying a discipline, it will be near impossible to summon up all the time and careful attention needed to continue with the do-it-yourself campaign. Instead, you will resent the precious time you’ve wasted, time you could be spending working with clients and earning a living. I know I did.

It’s smart for small business owners to educate themselves on why SEO could be important to their success. It’s an excellent idea to gather as much input from as many sources as possible before making a decision. It’s also realistic to hire professionals to launch SEO campaigns. We want pilots to fly our planes, dentists to pull our teeth, and construction crews to build our bridges. SEO is no different.

Tips From an SEO Specialist

SEO Expert and Bite-Sized Media Owner Rachel Howe was an integral part of this article. More about her, her services, and where she’s appearing next are shown below. Right now, here are some tips she provided for you:

Proper vetting is so important when hiring a specialist. Make sure the SEO experts you’re talking to have the experience you’re looking for. Ask what their processes are. If they’re not very specific and/or can’t provide examples of what they do, be careful. Lack of transparency could be an indication of black hat SEO (unethical or spammy tactics).

Another question to ask your potential SEO consultant is this, “How many search engines will your service check?” What you need to know is that, ultimately, it’s best to optimize for all; but the three biggies are Google, Yahoo and Bing. Google has 70% of the market share; so it’s best to follow their guidelines.

As with everything, you get what you pay for. Avoid selecting an SEO expert just because s/he offers the cheapest rate. Knowing that small businesses typically don’t have substantial budgets for SEO, there are some sites that might be able to provide a service or two that fit your budget. Rachel recommends these:

• Upwork.com
• Freelancers Union

About Rachel Howe

photo of young woman

Rachel Howe of Bite-Sized Media

Her company’s core offerings are:

  • Local SEO: Directory cleanup & submission
  • Google My Business setup & optimization
  • Local marketing strategy & development
  • Facebook & Instagram advertising strategy
  • Content & micro blogging strategy
  • Analytics & reporting

With her expertise and background, Rachel primarily works with mid- to large-sized companies, although she does make some exceptions. One thing she has available to anyone who needs a little SEO guidance is 60-90 minute phone sessions.

An opportunity to run a free listing report is offered on Bite-SizedMedia.com.

Coming in Fall 2018, she’ll be teaching an interactive and engaging Google My Business course on Skillshare.com. Kudos to Rachel as she was sought out and asked to teach the course.

Watch the Faceted Navigation and SEO webinar, hosted by SEMRush.com, that has Rachel as a featured speaker. (The webinar is most applicable to people who have larger sites.) SEMRush, headquartered in the UK, heard about Rachel and invited her to participate.

Author’s Note: Thank you, Rachel, for being so generous with your time and expertise. Your growing reputation as a thought leader in the industry is remarkable to watch. ~ Kim