By Eric Schiffer 

  1. Use Responsive Design for Mobile Optimization – A flawlessly functioning mobile site is simply a necessity to conduct business and stay ahead in search. It’s no secret that Google ranks mobile sites that don’t work well technically lower than those that work properly. First use a traffic analyzer to see how many users come to your site on their mobile device. Then look at how your site translates to the mobile environment using readily available online tools. A good design firm can transform your site to be more responsive, which should give your traffic a boost.
  2. Credibility is Important – While you may hear that content is always the most important driver to a build a brand, the content must be credible. The SMB needs content marketing via blogs and social channels in order to build credibility. Blogs are a very attractive content delivery channel that allows the brand to become an industry expert through content. Blog entries can be set via scheduling to go out at important times, such as during big tradeshows. How does this relate to SEO? When setup the right way, this content will be shared and connected to customers who are interacting on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google+ and are able to become brand advocates. You can also enlist the help of a content marketing expert to aid in the development of infographics, interviews, and whitepapers. This expert will understand the needs of industry bloggers and pertinent online publications so they can get your credible content in front of the right people. Always ask for references and examples of other successful campaigns, the expert needs to be able to demonstrate positive results.
  3. Streamline your FAQ – Proper keywords within the FAQ are vital within both the questions and answers in order to improve search results. You need answers to be accurate and thorough and they should also feature links to social channels and other websites where appropriate. Why is this so important? Google wants the right mix of relevancy, links, and the proper keywords, and the FAQ is the ideal platform to perfect this mix.
  4. Get out there socially – SMB’s really need to have a social media presence where they can interact with the broader community. Building social relationships helps grow the brand over time, making it more relevant and a viable option when it comes time for a purchasing decision.
  5. Look local – Local exposure can be gained by listing the SMB on sites such as Google Places and Yahoo! Local. Optimize those listings with the right keywords to boost their impact so you can secure more revenue opportunities within the local market. Local sites also give customers an outlet for interaction and the posting of reviews, which give brands a chance to tout their quality service.

Eric Schiffer is a world-leading expert in digital marketing as CEO of Digitalmarketing.com and is the best-selling author of Emotionally Charged Learning.  Schiffer’s newest book called, Build, will be in bookstores later this summer. He can be followed on Twitter @EricSchiffer or his website EricSchiffer.com.