Search engine optimization is a goldmine for small businesses, delivering new leads, returning visitors, and more sales. But in a recent survey, only 50% of small business owners had an SEO program. Budget and complexity were the main obstacles. Can you do SEO yourself to save money, or is hiring an agency the only option?
Is It Hard To Do SEO Yourself?
Do-it-yourself SEO is absolutely possible. Even better, SEO isn’t that difficult once you get the hang of things.
Doing keyword research? Easy as pie.
Creating blog articles and web pages? With a little practice, you can write head-turning guides in no time. In fact, as a business expert, you may even have an edge.
So, why do SEO agencies exist? For one thing, not all business owners have time to juggle marketing. Second, certain areas of SEO can be more complex.
What Do You Need To Do SEO Yourself?
Doing SEO yourself is like taking on a handyman project instead of hiring a contractor. Fixing a leaky faucet requires know-how, a few tools, a healthy dose of common sense, and the right parts. SEO is the same. Here’s what you need.
1. Keyword Research Tool
SEO success is all about the keywords. Using the right search terms the right way can be the difference between ranking in position #3 and hiding in spot #25.
Keyword research tools show you:
- How many people are searching for a specific keyword
- How hard it is to compete for that keyword
- Why users are searching for the phrase (i.e., to find information or to buy a product)
- What related keywords you can include in your content
- Which keywords your competitors are ranking for
Keyword research is a major part of SEO, so having a good tool should be one of your first priorities. You can find excellent free versions of SEO software online, and they’re plenty for most small businesses.
2. Content and Keyword Plan
Your goal with search optimization is to attract website visits from your target audience. When they search for “best plumbers near me” or “Honda CR-V replacement parts,” you want your website to show up in search results.
How can you figure out what your customers are searching for? One way is to look at competitor websites. Add their top-visited web pages to a keyword research tool, analyze the results, and create a game plan with a list of search terms and topics.
For ecommerce businesses, you can flip things around. Trending topics related to your main products are practically guaranteed to attract the people buying them. In this case, your keyword strategy is mainly about identifying low-competition search terms that are getting plenty of clicks.
3. Dashboard for Tracking Website Statistics
For long-lasting SEO results, you also need a tool to track how well your strategy is working. Some web hosting services provide a dashboard for monitoring key statistics. With a little time, you can also set up tracking tools yourself.
At the very least, use these:
- Google Search Console: A free platform that tracks your site’s click-through rates, search position, and keyword impressions
- Google PageSpeed Insights: An easy tool that checks how long it takes your pages to load on mobile and desktop devices
- Google Analytics: A website analytics program that shows you page visits, visitor type, traffic sources, and time on page
Metrics are life for your SEO program. They reveal which keyword strategies are working and which aren’t. You can also discover where most of your traffic is coming from (like YouTube, paid ads, or straight from search results).
4. Google Business Profile
Having a Google Business Profile is a must for local search results. This profile is like a mini social media page for your business. It helps you show up on Google Maps and in nearby searches, like “roof repairs in Phoenix, AZ” or “Thai restaurants near me.”
Save Time and Money With SEO for Small Businesses
Expert SEO services and content aren’t as expensive as you think.
Can SEO Be Self-Taught?
You can teach yourself SEO through trial and error, but we don’t recommend it. After all, it takes at least three to six months to see results from SEO, so by the time you learn from your mistakes, you’re behind the curve.
A better option is to learn SEO with educational resources from industry leaders:
- Free online SEO courses
- SEO guides and walkthroughs
- YouTube videos created by SEO pros
- SEO resource hubs
For example, at BKA Content, we have a huge repository of SEO guides, FAQs, and tips. You can find up-to-date answers on blog writing best practices, keyword research, mobile users, and SEO for specific industries.
Armed with reliable information, you’re ready to start doing SEO yourself. Real-world SEO experience is like riding a bike. Once you get the hang of it, the process gets easier and faster.
Should You Pay for SEO or Do It Yourself?
Most aspects of DIY SEO aren’t difficult with practice, but there are times when hiring an agency is still the better value. You only have so much time in the day, and even with the help of software, keyword research often requires several hours a month. The same goes for creating interesting, accurate, and exciting content.
An SEO agency can also help with technical SEO. For example, if you sell products online, you may want your goods to appear directly on Google with a “buy now” button. These “rich results” require a technique called schema markup.
Similarly, getting backlinks to your pages (inbound traffic from big-name websites) is hard without an SEO agency. Put simply, you can get good results by doing SEO yourself, but it takes more time and effort.
The Resources and Support You Need To Do SEO Yourself
DIY SEO doesn’t need to be all or nothing. Why not tackle SEO where you feel comfortable and outsource the tough parts? A good SEO agency should adapt to your goals and needs.At BKA Content, we’re happy to support you on your search optimization journey. Discover expert resources, friendly advice, and outstanding support, whether you use our SEO blog writing services or do SEO yourself.
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