More than 70% of online consumers start their quest for a product, service or support call using a search engine. If you’re a small business, how can you honestly afford NOT to be associated with this massive audience?

The bottom line is that you cannot afford to miss such opportunities — and today — we’ll discuss how you as a small business owner can use search to drive more business from people who have never even heard of you before.

It really is a beautiful thing.

Why You Need SEO

As a small business owner, you probably have a tiny marketing budget if one actually exists at all. The beauty of search engine optimization though is that it’s completely free for you to take advantage of assuming that you have the courage to edit some web pages.

There are literally hundreds of tools available to use that will allow you to download, edit and even research some simple elements of search engine optimization.

Beyond that, search engine optimization will provide your business with a long history of leads without any recurring costs. For example, if you optimize your site effectively as a Florist in Menlo Park — visitors can find you years from now. If you were to actually spend money advertising the same message — your newspaper, magazine ads and radio commercials would’ve all been out of print or in the trash by that same time.

So, to recap here — we’re talking about free traffic, from qualified leads, who are interested in your service. And all that’s required from you is a little bit of passion and patience.

Ultimately, you should consult with a professional search engine optimization service provider to make the most of your plans. Out of the box though, there are a number of things that you can do to help market your business on the Internet.

Quick Tips to Get You Started

There’s no excuses left for your brick and mortar business to be left on the outside of Google Local. If you have a Google Account, you can quickly submit your business profile to the industry giant and receive free promotion.

To add or edit your business on Google Local, head on over to:
http://www.google.com/local/add

Better still, you have the opportunity to have your customers’ rate your business using the same Google Local features — so if you’re proud of what you bring to the table, encourage your clients to get involved!

Now, head on over and do the same exact thing on…

• local.yahoo.com local.live.com
• www.citysearch.com

Now that you have informed the biggest search providers in the world with information on your business — start researching the basics of on site optimization or hire a professional to assist you with a solid plan to follow through on!

Sujan Patel is Director of Search at Single Grain, which specializes in Search Engine Optimization and Social Media Marketing