SEO for Small Business: 9 Steps to Help Business in Singapore Grow

Nowadays, having an online presence is no longer optional but essential! So, how can small businesses get potential customers to find them before they find their competitors? The answer is SEO for small businesses.

According to a recent survey, there was an incredible increase in the uptake of technology by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Singapore. From 74% in 2018, it went up to 94% in 2022.

The results of the survey highlight that many small businesses have realised the significance of having an online presence amidst increasing digitisation, such as developing a website for their businesses so they can receive more leads and expand their operations.

So, what exactly makes SEO important for small businesses in Singapore, and how can you use it to grow your brand? Let’s dive into this article below!

What Is SEO for Small Businesses?

SEO for small businesses is a search engine optimisation practice that specialises in small businesses to make their website and online presence as search-engine-friendly as possible.

This kind of SEO optimisation focuses on gaining website organic traffic and reaching a wider audience to increase brand visibility. SEO can also be beneficial for small businesses because there is no need to invest more budget for paid ads. Unlike paid ads, SEO can also give businesses long-term results.

Why Is SEO Important for Small Businesses?

SEO practices for small businesses play a crucial role in making a business presence well on search engines. With a comprehensive SEO strategy, the target audience will easier to find you, be interested in your business and use your services or product.

Based on data, there are 288.000 small businesses in Singapore and this will be increasing over time. This shows that small businesses face a big challenge to stay competitive among others. 

Small businesses also have limited resources and budgets to do big marketing campaigns and paid advertisements. So, to stand out from other businesses that have similar markets and intents, the implementation of SEO practices can be the best option. 

In addition, for small business that has a physical location like restaurants, cafes, bakeries, florists, etc., you can customise SEO to appear on Google Maps or local listing to attract local audiences and encourage them to call, visit stores, or come to the office.

Benefits of SEO for Small Businesses

An effective SEO strategy can help small businesses get more traffic from a wider audience and make it easier for buyers to find them through search engines.

There are some benefits you will get by implementing SEO for small businesses, including:

• Build brand awareness.
• Develop trust and credibility for small businesses. 
• Better user experience.
• Enhance conversion rate.
• Generate more leads.
• Increase sales.

SEO Strategy for Small Business

Here are some strategies that you can use to implement SEO optimisation for small business websites in Singapore:

1. Make an Engage Website

First, you need to make sure that your website includes clear information about the company and product you sell. Optimise your website’s key pages like the Homepage, the About Us page, the contact information page, also the Products and Services page.

Make your website look clean and professional, use a simple layout, well-structured navigation and most importantly, it should be the reflection of your business.

Since your website is the first thing that can interpret your business image and value, you can make deeper connections to your target audience by using a brand-specific tone of voice. 

In addition, you need to use main and variant keywords on key pages and also pay attention to technical website optimisation such as mobile-friendliness and loading times, to maximise user experience.

2. Set Up Google Analytics and Google Search Console

After optimising website performance, the next SEO strategy you can do is set up your Google Analytics and Google Search Console. Start setting up your Google Analytics by following the steps:

• Sign up or log in to your Google Analytics account. 
• Enter the URL of your business site.
• Adding some tags to get data collection. 
• Make your preferred configurations.

In addition to getting more website performance insight, you can set up your Google Search Console. With these tools, you can see how well your site ranks by the search engine and know which areas need improvement.

3. Set Up a Google Business Profile

The third SEO strategy that can be beneficial for small businesses is building Google's business profile.

Google Business is a tool that helps your small business gain a presence on Google Search and Google Maps. This can be an effective way to ensure that customers are able to find you.

Some of the information that can be posted on Google Business includes the business name and address, business operating hours, the website link, and business photos and/or videos. You can customise your business information as you need and make it engaging to your target audience.

4. Conduct Keyword Research

Keyword research is a really important part of doing SEO. Of course, it’s all about selecting keywords and phrases that have maximum chances to be typed by customers in the process of the search for business goods or services.

For example, if you are running a restaurant in Singapore that targets both local and foreign clients, then you need to select the most appropriate keywords.

Let's look at how to research keywords and some examples for a restaurant in a tourist area, such as:

• Use core keywords: “traditional restaurant Singapore,” “fine dining Singapore,” and “authentic Thai food Singapore.”
• Include location-specific options: “restaurant near Marina Bay Sands,” “dining at Sentosa Island,” and “restaurants on Orchard Road.”
• Focus on tourist attractions: “restaurants near Gardens by the Bay,” “dining options near Singapore Zoo,” and “restaurants close to Singapore Flyer.”
• Use long-tail keywords: “best seafood restaurant with a view in Singapore,” “romantic dinner spots near Singapore Marina,” and “affordable local food near Singapore’s Orchard Road.”

5. Optimize On-Page Elements

Another SEO optimisation for small business websites is optimising on-page elements that include all components inside your website, such as content, site architecture, and HTML elements.

Here are some key aspect on-page SEO elements that every business should know:

• Page URLs: You should keep it simple, short, and keyword-rich
• Page titles: These title tags inform visitors and search engines about the page's content. Include the main keyword in each page title.
• Headers: Also known as body tags, headers structure content for both readers and search engines. When possible, include relevant keywords.
• Meta Descriptions: These snippets appear below titles in search results. They should accurately describe the page and entice clicks while incorporating relevant keywords.
• Content: Ensure your content is SEO-optimized by including relevant keywords in the text and alt text.

6. Create High-Quality Content

The next strategy is producing high-quality and relevant content. To make SEO-friendly content, make sure your content meets several aspects, including local keywords, giving clear and trusted information, being well-structured, and being relevant to your target audiences.

The more often you create content on your website, the more traffic you will get, but it's important to maintain quality over quantity, and duplicate content should be avoided.

7. Use Link Building Strategy

Link building is one of the SEO strategies that can improve your small business’s search engine ranking. 

There are two main types of link building:

• Internal Link Building: Internal links involve adding links within your own website to help users use and navigate your sites. 
• External Link Building: This linking practice involves getting backlinks from other websites to your own. This can be a signal for search engines to know that your website is credible. To build this, you can collaborate with other websites, bloggers, and influencers.

8. Do Local SEO

Local SEO for small businesses is a very important practice to implement. It is because everyday local people who have high purchase intent search for their needs. They want products or services that can be used immediately, so you can take that opportunity to increase your sales.

Here are the Local SEO key components you can set for your business:

• Google Business Profile: As explained before, Google Business Profile is important for making your business website appear in local searches. So make sure it’s updated regularly.
• Local Keywords: The main point of local SEO is using local keywords, a simple example is adding a specific area/city/place to your keyword.
• Localised Content: You can also create content that resonates with the local audience, such as making articles about local events and cultures.
• Online Reviews: Getting as many positive online reviews as possible is very important,  this can build local customer trust and encourage them to choose your product.
• Local Citations: Lastly, you can make your website listed on local online directories, such as Yellow Pages Singapore, Singapore Business Directory, or specific industry directories.

9. Analyze SEO Performance

It should also be noted that SEO improvements might possibly take more time to get the desired results, and your current rankings can be different due to the new content you create. SEO needs to be managed and measured constantly to ensure that it is competitive enough. 

Free tools such as Google Analytics or Google Search Console can offer a lot of relevant information on SEO results. Or, If you want to get a more in-depth analysis of your SEO performance you can contact SEO companies for small businesses to help you.

But somehow, implementing SEO practices can feel overwhelming for small business owners, but don’t worry! You can use SEO Services by cmlabs, a professional agency with experience and expertise to optimise your online presence. 

Let us handle the complexities while you focus on growing your business. Contact our marketing team today and take the first step toward SEO success!