Most business owners understand that search engine optimisation (SEO) is one of the many secrets to a successful website that drives loads of traffic.
However, for many SMEs, there simply isn’t the budget to invest in extensive SEO plans. That’s why it’s essential to make the most out of your budget by investing your money in the most effective ways.
Simply having a website isn’t good enough like it was 15 years ago – everyone has one, and yours needs to be optimised in just the right way to gain an edge on your competitors.
The good news is that effective SEO doesn’t always require a hefty financial investment. With strategic planning and a focus on high-impact activities, you can make the most of a limited budget and boost your website’s visibility.
In this blog, we’ll be running through 8 tips that you can use to help boost your SEO for less.
1. Keyword Research on a Shoestring Budget
Effective keyword research is the foundation of any successful SEO strategy. While premium tools can be expensive, there are free alternatives that can provide valuable insights.
Google’s Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest, and AnswerThePublic are excellent options for identifying relevant keywords for your business. Additionally, analysing your competitors’ websites can help you discover keywords that are driving traffic to their sites.
Keyword research can be very time consuming, and needs to be meticulous in order to be effective, but it’s worth the effort, as without research you’re just taking shots in the dark. If you’re struggling to find the time to execute your keyword research, we recommend getting in touch with reputable SEO experts who can take this job off your hands.
2. Optimise On-Page SEO Elements
Optimising on-page elements is a fundamental yet often overlooked aspect of SEO.
Ensure that your titles, meta descriptions, and header tags naturally incorporate relevant keywords.
Focus on creating high-quality, engaging content that satisfies user intent. Regularly update and add fresh content to keep your website dynamic and relevant to search engines. Don’t forget: Google now prioritises content that is genuinely interesting and valuable to the reader. Cramming your content full of keywords and hoping for the best doesn’t work, you need to ensure what you’re producing provides value, otherwise Google will ignore it.
3. Leverage Local SEO
If your business operates in a specific geographic area, prioritise local SEO.
Claim your Google My Business listing, ensuring that your business details, such as address, phone number, and business hours, are accurate. Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews, as they can significantly impact your local search rankings. Local SEO often provides quick wins with minimal financial investment.
4. Build High-Quality Backlinks
Building backlinks is an essential aspect of off-page SEO. While some link-building strategies may require a budget, there are numerous ways to acquire high-quality backlinks for free.
Reach out to industry partners, suppliers, or local businesses for link exchanges. Guest posting on reputable websites within your niche is another effective way to earn backlinks without spending money.
Again, as with all modern content, your content needs to be insightful and valuable. When approaching potential partners, ensure you’ve got a plan for what your content might look like so they know what the end result should look like.
5. Optimise for Mobile Devices
Google gives preference to mobile-friendly websites in its rankings.
Ensure that your website is responsive and provides an optimal user experience on smartphones and tablets. Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test can help identify areas for improvement and ensure your site is accessible to a broader audience.
Remember, around 57% of overall traffic comes from mobile. This can vary depending on your industry.
6. Monitor Performance with Free Analytics Tools
Tracking your website’s performance is crucial for refining your SEO strategy.
Google Analytics and Google Search Console are powerful tools that provide valuable insights into your website’s traffic, user behaviour, and search performance. Regularly review these analytics to identify areas for improvement and capitalise on what’s working well.
7. Social Media Integration
While social media may not directly impact search rankings, a strong social presence can contribute to increased brand visibility and traffic.
Share your content on social media platforms, engage with your audience, and encourage social sharing. Social signals may indirectly influence search engine algorithms, and a robust social media strategy can complement your overall SEO efforts.
Not only this, but when making buying decisions, 74% of consumers will visit the social media channel of the business they’re looking to buy from. Your socials are incredibly important validation channels, so keep them populated!
8. Avoid Cheap SEO packages
Everywhere you look, you’ll find low-cost SEO packages, many of which clocking in as little as £99 per month.
While their promises to get you to the #1 spot on Google might sound great, they often don’t perform as well as you’d hope.
If you don’t have the time to spend working on your website’s SEO yourself (many business owners and leaders don’t!), then we highly recommend partnering with an SEO agency who actually know what they’re talking about.
Yes, it will cost slightly more, but consider it this way – how much is the time you’re spending on SEO worth? Could your time be spent generating profit for your business instead? Partnering with a specialist SEO agency may be the best business decision you make this year, and fortunately we know just the agency…
Introducing Catalyst – Your New SEO Partners
At Catalyst, we prioritise one thing: helping our clients grow their businesses through commercially-focused digital marketing.
We’re not about fluffy stats or vanity metrics; we’re about results, and when it comes to an SEO agency, we’ve got some of the brightest minds ready to help your business grow in the long term.
From search experts with decades of experience to content masters ready to turn those keywords into brilliant enquiries.
