As a small business, you’re probably already familiar with search engine optimization or SEO.
You may not, however, already be implementing it to your advantage.
This may be because of your lack of knowledge about how to go about it or a limited budget to work with.
Either way, in today’s digital world, SEO is essential, and worth the time it takes to include in your marketing strategy.
If optimizing your website and ranking higher in search engine rankings still seems challenging, it helps to know that there are affordable SEO services and related strategies that can make all the difference for your small business.
Here is what you will learn in this post:
How Much Does SEO Cost?
An SEO strategy for small businesses can be surprisingly affordable.
SEO service agencies today can create a customizable SEO campaign for your small business, and this commonly ranges anywhere between $800 to $1500 a month.
Another option is to take it in-house with the help of the various affordable SEO tools available online today.
Start by designating an SEO marketing budget, then create a plan to make the most of what you have.
Why Should You Invest in SEO Services?
Without investing in SEO services, you leave it up to chance whether potential customers find you are not.
But with these SEO services, you can gain more visibility and brand recognition, generate leads, and create more conversion opportunities.
While your marketing budget may be small, there’s a lot you can do with those smaller amounts when it comes to SEO, and knowing which best practices to focus on will be key.
Affordable vs. Cheap Services for SEO
Today you have several options to help increase your business visibility and bottom line.
However, the last thing you want is a cheap, one-size-fits-all SEO strategy that will more than likely leave you disappointed.
You can recognize these cheap SEO services by their boilerplate or generic characteristics, designed to reach quick website optimization for a lower cost and with no ability to customize for your small business needs.
Your small business is unique, so your SEO strategy should be also. To help with this, seek out affordable, not cheap, services for the best effect.
To be more exact, seek out the affordable SEO services listed below and use them to your advantage to obtain beneficial results.
9 Affordable SEO Services
Whether you want to work with an SEO agency or keep it in-house, you’ll want to be sure the following SEO services and related strategies are included to help your small business achieve higher success.
1. Technical SEO
Technical SEO refers to the process of back-end website optimization.
This process will include the invisible elements of your website which make it work correctly for crawlability and indexing.
Important Technical SEO strategies your small business needs include:
- Website architecture/structure
- URL structure
- Caching
- Page speed optimization
- 3xx or 4xx Error detection and repair
- Log file analysis
- Image Compression
During your website design, applying these technical SEO strategies can prevent issues from occurring later on, saving you excess time and money in the long run.
Affordable SEO Tools for technical SEO include:
- WordPress, to create a mobile-friendly, optimized website.
- PageSpeed Insights by Google.
- GT Metrix, for website testing and monitoring.
- Xenu Link Sleuth, to identify 404 errors and missing tags.
- CognitiveSEO Toolset, to help with the structure of your website.
2. Content Marketing
Content is the heart of your digital marketing strategy. It can make or break your SEO strategy as well.
Optimizing your website content is essential, then, whether that content is text, images, or video.
Your content will alert search engines and potential customers to the value you offer, and this can move you up higher on search engine results pages (SERPs).
To create that valuable content, start by conducting keyword research.
Don’t just focus on single keywords but also on what is known as long-tail keywords, which have less competition.
There are many beneficial online resources available to help with this, including many that are free.
However, you may want to spend part of your marketing budget here on a paid resource, as your keyword research is crucial to everything you do in SEO.
Some online keyword research tools include:
- Google Autosuggest
- Google Keyword Planner
- KeywordTool
- SEMrush
- KWFinder
Also, to help you find topics that searchers are asking about today, try using the free tool AnswerThePublic.
Include different types of content, all surrounding your keywords. These may include blog posts, videos, or visual content such as infographics.
Also, consider adding interactive content, which can engage viewers and keep them on your website longer. This longer dwells time, in turn, will get you noticed by the search engine algorithms.
Finally, to help you stay on track, plan your content with the help of an editorial calendar and any other content governance tools you find helpful.
3. Link building
Links are a recognizable and valuable SEO element.
However, link building is not a simple process where you determine who will link back to your website.
Instead, you’ll need to create a link-building strategy that includes both internal and external links, then continue to monitor these links to ensure they remain relevant and continue to work over time.
Include the following in your strategy:
- Research Competitors’ Links
Start by analyzing what other businesses in your field or niche are linking to, especially those businesses already ranking high in search engine results.
Become familiar with what your competitors are doing right, and this will help you improve your own strategy.
For help with this, locate one of the available backlink analysis tools online, such as the one offered by CognitiveSEO.
- Link to High-Quality Sources
Within your content, such as blog posts, always link to relevant, high-quality sources.
- Include Internal Links
Use internal links in your content to direct potential customers to other information on your website. This internal linking will also help search engines index your site’s content.
- Try Guest Posting
Guest posting is the process of creating content for publishing on a website owned by someone else.
Along with the content, you can include your name and usually a link back to your own website. This tactic will bring recognition from a wider audience.
- Comment on Other Websites or Blogs
Comment on other blogs or websites on topics relating to your business in some way.
By doing so, you can build relationships and create potential opportunities for others to promote your small business website.
In other words, commenting allows you to mention your brand and lure viewers to your website.
4. Video marketing SEO
Video marketing is big today, but you don’t have to be a big business to benefit.
Before getting started creating your videos, however, begin with your keyword research. From there, create videos around what people are already searching for and showcase what you have to offer.
Making these videos today can be as easy as picking up your Smartphone. You can also find affordable online video editing software for whatever your needs may be.
A few tips to help you optimize your videos better include:
- Add keywords to titles and descriptions of each video (and maybe source links).
- Repurpose content into video format, such as a popular blog or podcast episode. Interlink the two for double exposure.
- Include attractive thumbnail images.
5. Social Media Platforms SEO
With so many consumers using social media today, you don’t want to leave these platforms out of your SEO strategy.
A well-thought-out and planned social media marketing strategy can boost the number of visitors to your website and improve your SEO.
To be successful, create thorough, consistent profiles on your chosen platforms which will more than likely include Facebook.
Build a community on these social media platforms by providing useful, engaging, or entertaining content and by responding to comments.
6. Local SEO
Search engines value providing users with local results to their queries. To make sure you are one of those results, you need to optimize for local SEO.
Here are specific ways you can accomplish this:
- Claim and update your free Google My Business Profile.
- Ask customers to post reviews.
- Use social media marketing.
- Ensure NAP (Name, Address, Phone) citations are consistent across all platforms.
- Partner with another local business for promotions or backlinking.
7. Keyword Optimization
Keyword optimization is a key part of any SEO strategy, both initially and as an ongoing practice.
If you do it right, you’ll begin to see your content move higher up on search engine result pages (SERPS) and experience more organic traffic to your website.
Optimization of keywords means including them in a variety of locations, such as:
- Title tags
- Image alt tags (images/photos)
- Links (e.g., internal, inbound, and navigational links)
- Content (blogs, webpages, social media posts)
- Meta Titles and Descriptions
- URLs
If you already have content online, but it’s not getting the results you hoped for, reviewing for keyword optimization will be beneficial.
Evaluate the following when optimizing keywords.
- Keyword Competitiveness
Are you targeting just the most popular keywords? If so, you are competing with other established websites and content. Try incorporating less competitive ones into the mix, and also consider adding geo-targeted or thematic modifiers.
- Keyword Relevance
Are your keywords relevant to your particular products or services? How valuable are they to your branding? You want your keywords not just to increase your audience but to bring you the right ones that are more likely to purchase what you offer.
8. SEO Audit
An SEO Audit is a beneficial process for evaluating your website and determining how your technical, on-page, and off-page SEO are performing when it comes to search engine indexing and ranking.
SEO auditing helps you understand website behavior, diagnose optimization issues or problems, and more. Use it to:
- Locate any technical issues with your website
- Identify potential issues on-page (internal content)
- Find problems and opportunities off-page (external), coming from other domains
Once you have the results of the audit, review any issues and determine ways you can change or improve on them to increase the performance of your website.
For example, making even slight adjustments to on-page SEO will increase the chances of search engine algorithms finding, indexing, and boosting your ranking.
Affordable SEO Audit Tools to help include the following:
Google Analytics: to review your website and identify actionable steps to take for SEO improvement (Free)
Ahrefs: an all-inclusive tool with a Site Audit feature that can provide you with actionable steps to correct SEO issues. (Free access to Site Audit tools upon signup)
SE Ranking: an all-in-one tool for conducting an SEO audit and generating reports of issues and actionable recommendations (Plans start at $39.20/mo.)
SEO Site Checkup: a suite of tools to help identify the most common SEO issues and provide tutorial videos on how to resolve them. (Plans start at $26.95/mo.)
SEOmator SEO audit tool: provides detailed SEO audit and actionable insights for optimal website performance. (Free SEO audit report and no signup requirement, paid plans start at $49)
9. SEO Consulting
For those who have little spare time or prefer to have someone with special expertise come in, SEO consulting is a good option. It can also be surprisingly affordable.
SEO consulting specialists can help identify where your SERP ranking issues are currently and make specific recommendations on how to overcome them.
Going this route can save you time and get your website and content SEO working for you sooner. It can also be a good way to start your SEO auditing strategy and for periodic audits throughout the year.
Before hiring, however, be sure to request references and then contact a few to become familiar with the SEO consultant’s methods and what they can accomplish.
Ask candidates if they have experience in your particular industry, field, or sector. The reason this is important is that, ideally, you want to choose someone familiar with the keywords and topics relating to your business.
Ultimately, you’ll need to determine if the consultant’s experience, approach, and personality are a good fit for you and your business needs.
Where to Find SEO Services?
When it comes to applying SEO best practices to your website and content, you have options in how to go about it. You may choose to take it all upon yourself or hire an agency or consultant to accomplish your SEO goals initially or on an ongoing basis.
Another way to accomplish your goals, however, is to explore online marketplaces that offer you access to freelancers specializing in SEO services for small businesses.
Most of these marketplaces provide you with access to several experienced service providers, each specializing in different areas and at different fees.
To find what you need, you’ll need to conduct a search specifically for SEO services or ask for recommendations from others.
Once you have the results, read through each profile to determine which one(s) may be right for your small business needs. You can then interview them and get a feel for how they work and communicate.
Look for affordable SEO services on platforms such as Upwork or Fiverr.
Upwork focuses on quality service by qualified service providers. The staff will even help identify the best freelancers in a particular area to help you start your search. Each freelancer profile includes reviews and work samples to help you gain a sense of their abilities and work product.
Fiverr is one of the biggest freelancer marketplaces online today, fueled by specialists from a variety of industries. A freelancer will usually offer different packages and price them accordingly.
You can also break down the services you need, conducting some in-house while outsourcing others, like your SEO content writing.
SEO content alerts Google algorithms that you are a serious provider of relevant information for searchers. To help get this part of your small business marketing strategy right, consider hiring freelance SEO writers.
WriterAccess gives you access to experienced writers who understand the role of SEO and who will incorporate it into the projects they work on for you. These projects may be content for webpages, blogs, social media posts, white papers, case studies, or eBooks.
Optimizing SEO on a Budget
Affordable SEO doesn’t mean compromising on quality. With the right tools and strategies, you can enhance your site’s SEO without breaking the bank. WriterAccess offers a solution by connecting you with expert writers, designers, and strategists who understand the nuances of SEO.
This platform ensures that even budget-conscious businesses can access high-quality, search engine optimized content.
Leveraging WriterAccess for Cost-Effective SEO Strategies
WriterAccess stands out by offering access to over 15,000 professionals, combined with powerful AI tools and an extensive image bank. These resources help streamline the content creation process and enhance SEO efficacy.
With the addition of the WriterAccess Humanizer, the platform ensures that AI-generated content maintains the genuine warmth and authenticity needed to engage readers effectively and align with search engines’ preferences for high-quality, user-centric content.
For businesses looking to improve their SEO strategies without substantial financial investments, WriterAccess provides scalable solutions tailored to various budget sizes. Flexible pricing models make professional SEO services accessible to startups and small businesses, ensuring that investments in content are both effective and economical.
Start Your Journey to Enhanced SEO Today
Don’t miss the opportunity to elevate your content and SEO strategies. Explore our tools and services and see how easy and affordable it is to improve your SEO with the help of professionals. Get started today and take your SEO to the next level!
Sign up for a free 14-day trial with WriterAccess and experience the impact of expertly crafted content on your site’s search engine rankings.
