Almost every small business wants to rank higher in search results, and why wouldn’t they, having a highly optimized site allows you to rank higher thus allowing you to catch more qualified leads and reduce your overall cost per acquisition (only true if you are targeting the right keywords). When talking to owners of small businesses they want the web traffic and they want it done magically. Most owners think SEO is basically magic that some geek can come in and fix in a weekend like a misbehaving server. Unfortunately this is not true, if it were I would be underemployed. While SEO does require having a website that is technically sound and has all of the necessary onsite optimization, search engines, like people, really like quality and relevant content. What this typical means for small companies is writing and producing that content.

This is the portion of the pitch which usually draws pushback. Owners think they don’t have the time or that an SEO or that their website design shop can write the content for them. While this would be possible, your visitors will not appreciate it. Small business owners and their employees are truly the subject matter experts in their field, often filled with interesting knowledge and insights that customers or potential prospects would love to know. An SEO or internet marketing firm is here to help facilitate and draw out that knowledge. I love to learn about my customer’s business and help find great opportunities for new content, but the customer needs to buy in. When engaged in an optimization project the owner of the firm needs to allow enough access to the subject matter experts. Doing so allows the SEO firm to guide the firm in to what content they should be producing or allowing the SEO company to take outlines and ideas from the subject matter experts and turning them into optimized content for the web.

Once the owners buy into the content creation mantra an SEO project can truly begin to gain traction. Enough good content will be rewarded by increasing search engine rankings and happier visitors. Having great content is also the best way to keep existing customers. After a sale is complete many small businesses may find it hard to keep making soft touches with clients. Having great content makes this tremendously easier by making your existing customers keep coming back to you as the source of their information. If you have provided them with a great product or service they want to keep learning more about other offerings from you or just learn about new things you may be working on. Trust me if your clients don’t have you to keep coming to for great information they will not need to look far for someone who is more than willing to provide them with it.

When an Owner, President, or Marketing Executive of a small business looks at SEO and overall web presence optimization they need to keep in mind that the costs associated with it should see a high return. They also need to keep in mind that internet marketing firms are exactly that. They do not sell your widgets or provide your services and really can’t touch your level of knowledge in the field. SEO Companies are there to help guide you through the process of creating great content that is optimized.