The website is completed, the logo is in place and your networks have begun to buzz about this new site that is capturing people's attention. Great, but there might be just one thing missing to complete the full package that will take your company to the next level: search engine optimization (SEO). There is a ton of misinformation regarding SEO expertise online, so any small business owner should take precaution before jumping into the mix. Do your research and understand and develop your goals before hiring an expert to take your site to the next level. Search engines are playing an even larger role today than they did five years ago, and with that comes more risk. Many of the so-called “experts” out there do not understand what they are doing, so be on the safe side and look into companies with a history of success. As a small business owner be aware of the traps that manipulating the system can have on your site. If the person you hire attempts to circumvent the existing SEO regulations, your site can quickly be removed altogether from search engines, eating into your budget and future revenue. The Internet is not set in stone, so you'll have to update your SEO optimization every now and then. A company is the best means of meeting the challenges that you'll face on a daily basis. The best thing you can do as a small business owner, is research, research and research what your goals are before hiring someone. That way you will avoid the pitfalls that have seen many small businesses lose too much capital while trying to attract new customers. The key is to keep it simple. Choose those right words that will connect users to your site and bring in the revenue to push your company to the next level. It may seem like a massive operation, but in the end, it is quite simple. Do some sample searches and see that you can be the leader of your own fate. BM
