4 SEO Tips for DC Small Business Owners

Do you own a small business in Washington DC? Want to attract more customers and earn more revenue?

Search engine optimization (SEO) can take your business to new heights.

On this page, we’ll take a look at four SEO tips for small businesses and how SEO plans from Old City Interactive can grow your business online.

Let’s get started!

1. Have a functional, clean website

Your website is the heart of boosting your SEO rankings. A website is the first impression that people get of your business. It can be a make or break moment for potential consumers.

Layout/Design

If your website appears old, outdated, or unappealing, consumers will be turned away. They want a modern website that is easy to navigate.

Your website should be well-structured. The flow of the pages should be natural and connect one idea to the next.

You don’t want to have too much text on your pages. An abundance of text can be an immediate turn off for people because they don’t want to read through it. The text on your site should be broken down into small, manageable parts.

This doesn’t mean you should skip out on information. Make sure you provide consumers with all the information they need. This will make your visitors feel more informed and guide them through the sales funnel.

Include visual elements

If your site doesn’t include visual elements, you need to add them. People love images, videos, and infographics. These things will help keep people interested in your page and stay on longer.

Navigation

Your navigation should be simple and functional. You don’t want people to get lost or be confused. They should be able to find pages easily. An easy to navigate website will keep people on it longer.

Page speed

The last thing you want to analyze is your page speed. Users won’t waste their time waiting for a page to load. They’ll return to their original search and choose a different website.

You can use Google PageSpeed InSights to see how well your page is running. It will report on your speed and how you can improve your speed to make your website run faster. A faster running website will keep users on your page long enough to learn about your business and potentially become customers.

2. Create a Google My Business account

Have you set up your Google My Business account? If not, you’re missing out on a great opportunity to advertise your business.

Google My Business helps people find your business when they search online for businesses like yours in their area.

The picture above is an example of a Google My Business listing. These listings include your address, hours of operation, website URL, and contact information.

Creating a Google My Business account is a great opportunity to entice people to visit your small business. It allows you to include pictures in your listing, so people can see the work you do. You can also post articles and special offers in your listing.

Your listing will also include reviews from consumers. This feature gives you the opportunity to thank people for their comments or address anyone who had an issue with your business. It’s a great way to interact with your consumers and build a relationship.

Google My Business is an essential tool to help with your SEO plan. If you’re a small business owner, people are going to be conducting local searches to find businesses like yours. They’ll search “pizza shops near me” or “florist near me” to find their options.

People conduct “near me” searches when they are looking for businesses in the area. These searches produce results in based on where users are searching from. It will also produce results if users attach a location to their search (ex. “Pizza shops near Harrisburg, PA”)

When you have a Google My Business listing, you will show up in these searches. If your business is more updated and has more information listed in your Google My Business listing, consumers will choose you over a business that doesn’t have a listing or has an outdated one.

Google My Business also allows you to see where people are searching from to help you better target and attract customers. Best of all, this tool is completely free for your business to use.

3. Make sure your site is responsive

When people are conducting searches, they aren’t just doing them on a computer. There are more Google searches on mobile devices than on computers in 10 countries, including the United States.

Mobile searches outweigh the number of desktop searches. This means that your website needs to be optimized to work on mobile devices. If it isn’t, it can lead people to turn away from your website.

4. Build up your content

Content plays an important role in boosting your rankings, and it keeps users on your site long enough to get them interested in your business.

Does your business have a blog? If not, you may want to start one. Blogs are very beneficial because they drive traffic to your website. The content you post on your blog can be what brings a consumer to your page.

Content is important because you create exposure for your business. People want helpful information about things. It could be about changing a tire, fixing a leaking pipe, or how to prep your home for winter.

When people conduct these searches, they can come across your business. If you’re an automotive business that posts a blog about how to change a tire, someone will find that post of value. They will read through the blog, get the information they need, and put it to use.

So how does this help your business? First, you get exposure for your business.

People may not convert right away. When they need your services, however, they will remember your helpful blog. It will push them to choose you over the competition.

Blogs keep people on your site longer. This signals to Google that your website is valuable. It will help increase your website’s ranking.

Second, you build trust with your consumers. They will see that your business provided the helpful information. Consumers will see you as an authority in your field, especially if your tips work.

If you set aside some time to blog each week, you will see improvements in your search rankings. It will take time and some self-promotion, but it is worth the time and effort.

SEO services from Old City Interactive

At Old City Interactive, we offer SEO plans that fit every business. We’ll take care of the SEO aspects while you worry about taking care of your leads and running your business.

We have years of experience creating results-driven campaigns for our clients, and we’ll do the same for you.  Just look at our 350+ client testimonials. Our customized plans will help you reach your goals.

In addition, we offer transparent pricing. You’ll never have to wonder where your money is going. You’ll have an experienced team of 150+ people helping you on your campaign.

We are dedicated to your SEO success. Contact us today to get started.