What Are Some Affordable Ways To Improve SEO For A Small Business Website?
What You’ll Learn at a Glance
If you're a small business owner wondering “what are some affordable ways to improve SEO for a small business website?”, you’ll find practical answers here. This article delivers actionable techniques—from DIY keyword research and on-page SEO tweaks, to leveraging Google Business Profile and gaining natural backlinks. We’ll also cover technical SEO tips, content creation strategies, and tools that cost you nothing but deliver real results.
Need more help? Start with a free audit of your site to identify where your SEO needs the most attention.
Why SEO Matters for Small Businesses
SEO is the digital road that leads customers to your business. And unlike paid advertising, it keeps working long after the campaign ends. But many small business owners assume it requires big budgets or technical wizardry.
Spoiler alert: it doesn’t.
With some time, the right tactics, and a bit of guidance, even the smallest website can compete in search.
“SEO rewards effort, not just investment. A small site that’s consistently optimized can outrank a bigger one that’s left to gather digital dust.”
Let’s break down the affordable, impactful steps you can take—starting with the foundation of it all: keyword research.
1. Start with Smart Keyword Research (No Budget Required)
Before you change a single word on your site, you need to understand what your customers are searching for. This is where long-tail keywords become gold.
Instead of competing for terms like “t-shirts,” go for “eco-friendly cotton tees for sensitive skin.” These search phrases are:
Easier to rank for
More targeted
Often lead to higher conversions
Free SEO Tools for Keyword Discovery:
Google Keyword Planner
Ubersuggest
AnswerThePublic
Google Search Console (check which keywords are already bringing traffic)
These tools reveal not just keyword volume, but search intent—what your customer actually wants. That insight will shape your entire SEO strategy.
If you're unsure where to start, our services page outlines everything we can assist with.
2. Optimize Your On-Page SEO Like a Pro (Even If You're Not One)
Now that you’ve got a solid keyword list, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and optimize your content. On-page SEO means aligning every page with keywords, while still writing naturally and for real humans.
Here’s a simple checklist to get started:
Include your keyword in the H1 tag, subheadings, and naturally within body copy
Write engaging meta titles (around 60 characters) and meta descriptions (up to 155 characters)
Use alt attributes for all images, with relevant descriptions
Ensure your URL structure is readable and includes keywords (e.g.,
/eco-friendly-shirts/not/product12345/)Internally link to other relevant content on your site using descriptive anchor text
This isn’t just about getting seen—Google rewards sites that provide better user experience (UX). Clear headings, fast load times, and mobile responsiveness all feed into this.
3. Create Quality Content That People Want to Share
Forget the idea of blogging just for Google. Instead, write for your customers. Answer their questions, solve their problems, and inspire trust.
Some low-cost ways to do this:
Write a blog post answering common customer queries
Create how-to guides for your products
Interview a customer or team member and share it as a feature
Refresh old posts to improve content freshness
Not sure how this fits into your business model? Look at content ideas we’ve explored on our homepage—it's all about giving before asking.
The added bonus? User-generated content SEO (like reviews and comments) also boosts engagement and helps build trust with new visitors.
4. Set Up and Optimize Your Google Business Profile (For Free)
If you’re a small business with a local audience, Local SEO is your secret weapon.
Your first move? Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile. It’s free, fast, and incredibly powerful. Here's what to do:
Fill in all your business details, including services and products
Add photos and logos that represent your brand
Use keywords in your business description
Ask satisfied customers for reviews and respond to each one
Ensure your NAP consistency (Name, Address, Phone) matches across the web
“Local SEO can help you rank even if your main website isn’t highly optimized yet. It’s the low-hanging fruit that converts.”
5. Earn Backlinks Without Cold Pitching (Really)
Backlinks are still one of the top-ranking factors—but buying them is risky, and begging for them is exhausting. Here are a few DIY SEO tactics to get backlinks naturally:
Write helpful blog content that people actually want to reference
Share your articles in relevant Facebook groups or Reddit threads
Partner with a non-competing business for a guest post exchange
Get listed in niche directories or local chambers of commerce
Also, don’t forget to use anchor text properly when linking to or from your own content—context matters.
Optimize the Invisible: Technical SEO That Makes a Visible Difference
Most small businesses ignore technical SEO—not because it’s unimportant, but because it sounds intimidating. The truth? A few smart tweaks can drastically improve how Google crawls and indexes your site.
Here’s where to focus:
✅ Mobile-Friendly Website
With mobile-first indexing, Google uses the mobile version of your site to determine rankings. If your site isn’t responsive, you’re not just losing traffic—you’re leaving money on the table.
Test your site using Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test, and ensure:
Text is readable without zooming
Navigation is touch-friendly
Content fits within the screen width
✅ Improve Page Speed
Page speed is a confirmed ranking factor. Slow sites increase bounce rates and destroy user trust.
Low-cost ways to boost performance:
Compress images using tools like TinyPNG
Minimize plugins and scripts
Use a caching plugin if you're on WordPress
Choose a fast, reliable hosting provider
If you're not sure where your site stands, our free audit highlights performance issues and how to fix them.
Trust Signals: Build Security and Clarity Into Your Site
Security and trust matter—not just to users, but also to search engines.
✔️ Use HTTPS (SSL Certificate)
If your website still shows “Not Secure” in the browser bar, you’re overdue for an upgrade. An SSL certificate encrypts communication and is a Google ranking signal.
Most hosts offer SSL for free, and platforms like Shopify include it by default.
✔️ Clean URL Structure
Readable URLs are not just better for Google—they help users navigate your site more confidently. Compare:
/products/handmade-bamboo-cups✔️/item.php?id=783645✖️
Also ensure URLs stay short, contain your target keywords, and reflect the page content.
Use Google Tools to Guide Your Strategy
You don’t need an expensive analytics suite to understand your website. Google offers two essential tools—both free, both powerful.
1. Google Search Console
This is your SEO dashboard. It shows:
Which keywords bring traffic
Which pages are indexed (or not)
Technical errors like broken links, mobile issues, and crawl problems
Use it to perform a site health check, submit sitemaps, and fix crawlability issues.
2. Google Analytics
Understand how users behave:
Which pages they visit most
Where they bounce
How long they stay
These insights allow you to refine content, fix conversion bottlenecks, and boost overall engagement.
“SEO is about iteration. You don’t need to get it perfect—you just need to get it moving, then adjust based on the data.”
Structure Matters: Internal Links and Schema Markup
SEO isn't just about external factors. Internal structure tells search engines what matters most on your site.
Internal Linking Strategy
Linking between your own pages:
Helps distribute authority
Keeps users exploring
Makes site crawling easier
Use descriptive anchor text that reflects the destination page’s content. Don’t just write “click here”—use something like “view our SEO growth services” instead.
Schema Markup / Structured Data
This is code added to your site that helps Google understand your content. It powers rich snippets—star ratings, FAQs, event dates, etc.
Use tools like Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper to add schema for:
Products
Articles
Local business info
Keep It Fresh: Content Updates & SEO Calendars
Stale content gets buried—fast. One of the easiest ways to rank better is by revisiting what you already have.
Update Old Content
Refresh stats and links
Add new images with updated alt attributes
Re-target content using long-tail keywords
This tells Google your content is still relevant.
Plan Ahead with a Content Calendar
Consistency wins. A simple editorial calendar helps:
Track blog posts, updates, and refreshes
Align posts with seasonal trends or launches
Mix formats (how-tos, case studies, guides, etc.)
Our approach to content follows a similar structure—see our strategy on the homepage for inspiration.
Stay Visible With Social & Zero-Click SEO
Social media doesn’t directly impact rankings—but it does influence visibility and search intent optimization.
Share posts across platforms with keyword-rich captions
Use hashtags aligned with your SEO strategy
Encourage followers to engage with and share your content
Zero-click searches (where users get answers directly from the search page) are also rising. To stay competitive:
Answer common customer questions directly in your content
Use FAQ schema for snippet eligibility
Keep meta descriptions concise and informative for CTR optimization
Voice Search Optimization: Capturing the Way People Speak
As voice assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant become mainstream, voice search optimization has turned from a trend into a necessity.
Unlike typed queries, voice searches are often longer and more conversational. They’re also more likely to be local and urgent (e.g., “Where can I buy eco-friendly kitchen items near me?”).
Tips to Optimize for Voice:
Focus on natural language in your content
Use question-based headings (e.g., What’s the best eco-friendly cleaning product?)
Incorporate FAQ sections using schema
Prioritize page speed and mobile responsiveness
This not only helps voice search—it also increases your chances of appearing in zero-click snippets on Google.
Spy (Ethically) on Competitors for SEO Wins
If you’re not sure which keywords to target or what topics to write about, just look at what’s already working… for your competitors.
Here's how to do competitor keyword analysis:
Use tools like Ubersuggest, Semrush, or Ahrefs (they all have free versions)
Enter competitor URLs and look at:
What keywords they rank for
Which blog posts get the most backlinks
What pages attract the most traffic
Now you know where the gaps are—and where you can leap ahead. This is especially effective when paired with your own Google Search Console data, helping you spot low-hanging fruit.
If this feels overwhelming, explore how we help brands with growth-driven SEO via our services page.
SEO Plugins and Sitemap Submission: Automate Where You Can
Don’t underestimate the power of SEO automation tools. They don’t just save time—they prevent costly errors.
Best SEO Plugins:
Yoast SEO (WordPress)
Rank Math (WordPress)
Smart SEO (Shopify)
SEO Manager (Shopify)
These plugins help you:
Edit meta tags
Create XML sitemaps
Add canonical tags to prevent duplicate content
Optimize social sharing previews
Sitemap Submission
Once your sitemap is ready, submit it to Google Search Console. This helps search engines:
Index your pages faster
Understand your site structure
Avoid missing newly added content
It’s a quick win and should be part of any DIY SEO checklist.
Final Checklist: Affordable SEO for Small Business Websites
You’ve now seen dozens of tactics, but here’s a compact checklist to keep your efforts focused and structured:
✅ Quick-Win SEO Tasks
Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile
Run a free site audit
Compress large images and add descriptive alt text
Make sure your site has SSL/HTTPS
Add internal links to guide users and Google
📅 Ongoing Efforts
Publish or update blog posts 2–4x per month
Monitor performance in Google Analytics and Search Console
Refresh product or collection page content regularly
Request customer reviews and engage on social media
🔧 Technical Must-Dos
Submit an XML sitemap
Use schema markup for products and FAQs
Optimize your site for mobile and page speed
Final Thoughts: SEO as a Long-Term Game (Not a One-Time Fix)
To circle back, when small business owners ask “what are some affordable ways to improve SEO for a small business website?”, the real answer is consistency.
There’s no secret sauce or instant hack. But there is a repeatable, effective path that works if you commit to it.
“SEO is less about tricks and more about building trust—through clarity, relevance, and value.”
With the strategies outlined across this guide, you now have everything you need to start ranking, start attracting, and start growing—even on a tight budget.
Ready to take the next step? Start with a full free audit from Easy Ecommerce Marketing and let us show you exactly where your biggest opportunities lie.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. How long does it take to see SEO results for a small business?
SEO is a long-term strategy. You may start to see improvements in rankings within 3 to 6 months, but it depends on your industry, competition, and how consistently you implement best practices. Quick wins like optimizing your Google Business Profile or fixing technical issues can bring results faster.
2. Can I do SEO myself without hiring an agency?
Yes, absolutely. Many small business owners successfully use DIY SEO strategies. Start with free tools, keep your website updated, and follow guides like this one. If your time is limited, consider outsourcing only specific tasks like technical audits or content writing.
3. Are free SEO tools effective enough for beginners?
Yes. Tools like Google Keyword Planner, Search Console, Ubersuggest, and Google Analytics offer powerful data at no cost. These are perfect for small businesses just starting out, allowing you to track performance, research keywords, and fix issues without a paid plan.
4. Is blogging necessary for small business SEO?
Blogging is one of the most effective affordable SEO tactics. It allows you to:
Target long-tail keywords
Answer common customer questions
Improve content freshness
Earn backlinks over time
Even posting twice a month can make a difference.
5. What’s the difference between organic SEO and local SEO?
Organic SEO targets broad keyword rankings across the web. Local SEO focuses on ranking in location-based searches (e.g., “bookshop near me”). Local SEO is especially critical if you have a physical location or serve a specific area.
6. How do product descriptions affect SEO?
Optimized product descriptions help:
Rank for transactional keywords
Improve click-through rates
Reduce duplicate content penalties
Avoid using manufacturer descriptions. Write original, keyword-rich copy that highlights benefits and answers buyer questions.
7. Can social media really help with SEO rankings?
Indirectly, yes. While social signals aren’t direct ranking factors, they:
Drive traffic
Encourage content sharing
Increase brand awareness
This can lead to more backlinks, better engagement, and a stronger overall online presence.
8. Should I optimize images beyond adding alt text?
Yes. Aside from adding descriptive alt attributes, you should:
Compress image files for speed
Use descriptive filenames (e.g.,
organic-cotton-shirt.jpg)Include images near relevant content to provide context
This boosts both SEO performance and user experience.
9. How often should I update my SEO strategy?
SEO is not “set and forget.” You should:
Check analytics monthly
Refresh content quarterly
Revisit keywords every 6 months
This ensures your site stays aligned with trends, algorithm updates, and customer behavior.
10. Can I improve SEO with customer reviews or testimonials?
Definitely. Reviews contribute to:
Local SEO rankings
Fresh content on your site
Trust and conversion
Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on Google, your website, and niche platforms. They also provide long-tail keywords naturally.
