Living in this digital era, your website can stand tall to take on even the largest and most established of brands. The internet has remained open and accessible to all, so it essentially acts as the equalizer of everything. Be it Wall Street or Main Street, search engines rank all websites according to an unbiased algorithm that lets your small business website shine in full capacity.
The Playing Field: How Google’s Search Algorithm Works
First, there is a need to understand the difference between organic and paid searches. The fact that Google’s Ads operates on an auction system means some advertisers will be favored than others. This is in total contrast to organic search rankings, where the Google search algorithm considers completely different parameters for ranking, centered around the quality of a website’s content, best practices of SEO, and the experience users have on the website.
That means your small business has exactly the same potential to rank high in those searches as your larger competitors do. You can equalize the playing field with organic search methods instead of having to have a fat PPC advertising budget.
Smart Website Strategies to Compete with Big Brands
Next, here are some actionable strategies to help your website stand out and actually compete with the large brands:
Best Practice for SEO and Web Design
Core SEO and best web design practices will help you stand up against giant brands. Make sure your website is mobile-friendly, fast, and secure with HTTPS-if Google wants a seamless user experience when accessing a website.
Carry out keyword research and place them in relevant areas of your content, meta tags, and URLs. Target long-tail keywords that help in focusing efforts on niche markets. Quality and well-penned content answering a customer’s needs will go a long way in helping build greater relevance and authority of your site.
A user-friendly, intuitively designed website with a clear, understandable call-to-action (CTA) and easy navigation will keep visitors longer and will increase conversion rates. Set these practices in motion, and visibility of your small business will increase, reaping more.
Develop Good Customer Relationships
If there’s one thing in an advantageous position that small businesses are in, it’s knowing who your customers are and building strong, personal relationships. Unlike large corporations that are bound by red tape, your small business can make that necessary adaptation in the market with speed and toward customer needs. This makes your business more agile for customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Design Evergreen, Not Trendy Fads
The temptation to fall in line with the latest and greatest in design trends is always there-especially with the goal of simply standing out from the crowd. However, this can be to your detriment if your users can’t find their way around your site. It means, instead, you should create based on timeless principles of web design that put intuitive navigation and seamless user experience right at the forefront. Evergreen design simply means that your website will be in a place where it doesn’t have to change much over time, unlike trends.
Offer Great User Experience
Great user experience is not only about looks, but all about how simply the customers get the information they need and engage with your website. Today’s consumers are willing to pay more for a product or service on a website that offers a smooth, enjoyable experience. Provide ease with user-friendly design so customers would come back for more.
Establish Authority via Content Marketing
The best way to establish authority for your small business-actually competing with bigger brands-is through content marketing. Creating useful, informational content not only will capture the attention of potential customers but also optimize your site for better SEO. Blogs, videos, and other testimonial forms will be capable of addressing your customer pain points and make you a trusted resource.
SEO Best Practices: Competing With Giants
Many times, it’s a myth that the search engines favor big over small brands. Google’s algorithm doesn’t care about how big your company is-just your content quality, internal and external links, and user engagement. As a matter of fact, with good SEO practices like keyword optimization, quality content creation, and link building, your small business may take top ranking for specific terms against Walmart or Microsoft.
Your Website: The Next Important Customer Touchpoint
Much like your in-person service or sales collateral, your website is another important customer touchpoint. It must offer value, ensure a seamless user experience, and communicate the essence of your brand. A well-thought-out website will facilitate relationships, foster customer engagement, and assist in the competition for today’s digital marketplace without a Fortune 500 budget.
These are the very same web design and digital marketing strategies larger, more established brands have been leveraging to keep customers wanting more, and coming back for more. Which means it can be applied to any business size. With these tactics, a small business will compete, grow an online presence, and prosper in today’s competitive digital landscape. If you still need help with your small business website, contact us at Big Drop where our web design and development team can implement these strategies.