DIY SEO Tactics for StartUps

Many small businesses owners would probably run from the phrase SEO or Search Engine Optimization if they could. Why? Well, for many small businesses SEO campaigns can be pricey and too sophisticated to invest in. The downside to this is that Search Engine Optimization plays a major role in boosting your web presence and your entire business for that matter. Successful SEO campaigns could bring flocks of customers running your way...and in a reasonable amount of time. It's not a process that takes years if you know what you're doing. 

For small businesses who are on a shoestring budget there are various DIY SEO tactics that you can take advantage of. The article below discusses ten of these tactics--and all for little to no money:

Bootstrap SEO: An Affordable Solution

Bootstrapping, or do-it-yourself SEO, suits most small players who’d prefer to attempt SEO all by themselves instead of spending a large chunk of money. After all, SEO is not rocket science, and many website owners have amplified their traffic to spectacular numbers without having to become SEO specialists. 

Bootstrap SEO doesn’t guarantee success — and it’s not “free,” because you have to invest a ton of time. If you’re facing a tight budget where you can’t afford SEO services but want to optimize your website right away, however, this is the way to go. And if you’re already familiar with SEO ideas and concepts, the DIY method can be enormously beneficial. 

The Catch

#1: I’ll let you in on a little secret: DIY SEO is fun, interesting, simple, and straightforward… but it’s not easy. A consistent and prolonged effort is required if you want to see good results or returns.
#2: You’ll need basic on-page optimization knowledge. Check out this wonderful resource for on-page SEO. 

1. Write For Your Blog
Action: Write highly valuable and unique content and post it on your blog.Constantly updated content is the key to establishing value and making Google notice your website/blog. And in an increasingly competitive world, producing content that is unique and valuable (actionable) is mandatory. This helps you build keyword-rich and relevant content, which can then be used to generate traffic and drive business. 

2. Build Relationships & Publish Guest Blogs
Action: Connect with other businesses, websites, and blogs by emailing the authors personally.Somewhere along the line, you’ll figure out that interaction is a key factor in establishing brand reputation and authority. Guest posts are particularly useful for driving establishing credibility and authority, and generating powerful inbound links from established websites and blogs.
To reach that level, first you’ll need to build relationships with fellow bloggers in your field, get to know their work, and pitch them for guest posting opportunities. Along the way, you might even pick up a few ideas straight from the other horses’ mouths. 

3. Follow People/Businesses In Your Industry
Action: Follow relevant people/businesses on Twitter, LinkedIn, FacebookNothing gets instant visibility like following the right people on Twitter, Facebook, and other social media sites. After you create a social profile (on Twitter, Google+, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.), you should start following relevant businesses and people.
There are usually hundreds, if not thousands. You can start by following 10 people every day. Pretty soon, you’ll get followed back by folks. You can use tools like FollowerWonk or WeFollow.com to find relevant users and businesses in your niche.
The benefit here is that you’ll align your business and your brand with industry movers and shakers. Engaging and interacting with these folks will result in exposure to other industry-related folks, driving inbound links, referral traffic, and credibility.

Read the rest of the article here.

Aside from the tips mentioned in the article above, there are plenty of affordable marketing companies that will work within your budget to create a solid SEO and social media campaign. The great thing about utilizing companies is that they will manage the campaigns in their entirety, so you just sit back and focus on what matters most--growing your business.