Small businesses don’t need massive budgets to improve their search rankings. With the right tools, you can target keywords, track performance, and boost local visibility - all within your budget. Here’s a quick rundown of the best SEO tools for small businesses:
Quick Comparison:
| Tool | Main Features | Pricing | Local SEO Options | Reporting Formats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEO Werkz | Tailored SEO services, local focus | Custom pricing | Integrated strategies | Monthly reports |
| Google Keyword Planner | Keyword research, trends | Free | Basic local search data | Search volume, trends |
| SEMrush | All-in-one SEO suite | Flexible plans | Limited | In-dashboard analytics |
| BrightLocal | Local SEO tools | $39+/month | Comprehensive tools | Local performance reports |
| MonsterInsights | Google Analytics integration | Free & Premium | Not specific | WordPress dashboard |
| Ahrefs | Backlink & keyword analysis | Subscription-based | Not specific | SEO reporting |
Start with free tools like Google Keyword Planner, then explore premium options like SEMrush or BrightLocal as your needs grow. Each tool offers unique benefits, so choose one that aligns with your goals and budget.
SEO Werkz is a digital marketing agency that focuses on helping small businesses tackle their unique challenges. Instead of offering cookie-cutter solutions, they tailor their services to improve search rankings without straining budgets. Plus, they don’t lock clients into long-term contracts. Their month-to-month approach ensures they earn your trust through results, not obligations.
SEO Werkz has helped clients achieve rankings for over 1,000 first-page keywords. They use specialized tools and strategies to uncover opportunities that might otherwise go unnoticed. By focusing on long-tail keywords and local search terms, they create targeted campaigns that turn website visitors into paying customers.
To drive local traffic, SEO Werkz optimizes for location-based searches and "near me" queries. Whether it’s increasing foot traffic or generating more phone calls, their strategies aim to deliver tangible results.
"Our SEO campaigns are all-inclusive, meaning we are capable of optimizing every facet of your online presence, whether you're an established company looking to maintain authority or a small business seeking continuous growth."
- SEO Werkz
One standout example is Courts Unlimited. After SEO Werkz revamped their website, the company saw a 400% surge in traffic and started receiving 5 to 10 estimate requests daily, leading to a noticeable boost in sales. Their pricing is also designed to accommodate small business budgets, making their services accessible.
SEO Werkz understands the financial constraints small businesses face. That’s why they offer flexible, month-to-month pricing, allowing clients to adjust their investment based on performance.
Transparency is key for SEO Werkz. They provide detailed monthly reports that link SEO efforts to business growth.
"We create digital marketing campaigns that actually work by taking the time to get to know our clients. We don't cut corners. We don't use black hat strategies. Instead, our team leverages industry best practices to help your business see long-term results."
- SEO Werkz
For small business owners, Google Keyword Planner is a no-cost, user-friendly tool that lays the groundwork for effective keyword research. While premium services like SEO Werkz offer tailored plans, this free tool from Google provides essential insights without requiring any upfront investment. It’s particularly helpful for discovering what your potential customers are searching for online, making it a cornerstone for small business SEO.
Google Keyword Planner helps you understand search behaviors and competition levels by offering search volume data and keyword suggestions. Simply input seed keywords related to your business, and the tool generates hundreds of related keyword ideas, along with their average monthly search volumes. This information helps you prioritize terms that are worth targeting while steering clear of those that may be too competitive for a small business budget.
The tool also identifies seasonal trends, enabling you to plan content around times when certain keywords are more popular. This can be especially helpful for businesses that experience fluctuations in demand throughout the year.
For small businesses with a local focus, the ability to filter keywords by geographic location is a game changer. By honing in on search terms popular in your city, state, or region, you can ensure your SEO efforts are aligned with your service areas, boosting the chances of attracting nearby customers.
Although Google Keyword Planner isn’t specifically built for local SEO, it offers features that can effectively support location-based strategies. By narrowing down keyword data to specific geographic areas, you can uncover what people in your vicinity are searching for.
For example, you can identify searches like "coffee shop near me" or "emergency plumber downtown" that are likely to drive local traffic. This geographic filtering ensures your SEO efforts are laser-focused on attracting customers in your target area.
One of the biggest advantages of Google Keyword Planner is its free access, making it an excellent starting point for small businesses with tight marketing budgets. There are no subscription fees, setup charges, or hidden costs to worry about.
The only expense comes if you choose to run Google Ads campaigns based on your keyword research. Even then, there’s no minimum budget requirement, though spending less than around $30 per day may require more time to gather meaningful data. On average, the cost-per-click for Google Ads in 2025 is estimated at $5.26, but this can vary widely depending on your industry and local competition.
Google Keyword Planner provides detailed forecasts to help you plan advertising budgets effectively. You can input keywords, set bid amounts, and get estimates for clicks, impressions, costs, and potential conversions.
Its forecasting feature lets you see how much traffic you might generate from different keyword combinations and budget levels, giving you a clear picture before you commit to any campaigns. Historical performance data also highlights search trend patterns, helping you gauge whether specific keywords are gaining or losing popularity. This insight is invaluable for shaping long-term SEO and content strategies.
SEMrush is an all-in-one SEO platform designed to help small business owners streamline their SEO efforts. By combining tools for keyword research, competitor analysis, and site auditing into a single dashboard, SEMrush makes managing SEO more efficient and accessible.
SEMrush goes beyond basic keyword data by offering detailed competitor insights. It reveals which keywords competitors rank for, their estimated traffic, and ranking positions, making it easier to spot keyword opportunities. The Keyword Magic Tool organizes keyword suggestions into topic clusters and includes keyword difficulty scores, which are essential for planning effective content strategies. These features help businesses target terms that align with their goals and resources.
Additionally, SEMrush tracks various SERP features - like featured snippets, local packs, and image results - providing guidance on the best content formats to use for specific keywords.
It also caters to businesses targeting localized audiences.
For businesses with a local focus, SEMrush offers tools to fine-tune strategies. The Position Tracking tool monitors rankings down to the city level, ensuring businesses can track their performance in specific areas. For those with multiple locations, SEMrush provides multi-location tracking, enabling users to manage SEO efforts across different service areas from a single dashboard.
SEMrush offers flexible pricing plans tailored to small business budgets. The platform frequently provides free trials, promotional deals, and discounts for annual subscriptions. For many small business owners, SEMrush’s ability to consolidate multiple SEO tools into one platform makes it a cost-effective choice.
Its pricing structure is designed to deliver value while meeting the needs of small businesses.
SEMrush simplifies reporting with custom white-label reports, making it easy to share SEO insights with clients or team members. The Site Audit feature scans websites to uncover and prioritize SEO issues, helping business owners focus on impactful improvements. Meanwhile, the Traffic Analytics tool offers a detailed look at competitor performance by showcasing top-performing pages, traffic sources, and engagement metrics. These insights can be used to refine content strategies and improve overall marketing efforts.
BrightLocal is designed to improve local search visibility for brick-and-mortar and service-based businesses. Let’s break down its key features, pricing options, and reporting tools.
BrightLocal provides a comprehensive set of tools tailored for local SEO. Its local rank tracking helps businesses monitor their search rankings at the city level, while the citation tracker identifies and corrects inconsistent business listings across the web.
The platform also includes Google Business Profile management tools, allowing businesses to handle posts, reviews, and performance metrics all from one centralized dashboard. For companies managing multiple locations, this feature ensures consistent and accurate information across listings.
Another standout tool is BrightLocal's local search audit, which evaluates your online presence. It highlights missing citations, incorrect business details, and other areas to improve your local SEO strategy. This level of detail makes it a practical choice for small businesses aiming to optimize their online visibility without overspending.
BrightLocal offers three subscription plans - Track, Manage, and Grow - with pricing based on the number of locations you manage. For single-location businesses, the Track plan starts at $39 per month. Prices increase with location count, costing $59 per month for 2–5 locations and $79 per month for 6–10 locations.
If you opt for an annual subscription, you’ll receive a 25% discount, bringing the single-location Track plan down to roughly $29 per month. This makes BrightLocal a cost-effective option for small businesses, though the pricing structure can feel a bit complex.
For those on the fence, BrightLocal offers a 14-day free trial - no credit card required - so you can explore its features risk-free.
BrightLocal doesn't just stop at SEO tools; it also provides detailed reporting and analytics. Local search ranking reports show how your business ranks in location-specific searches, while citation reports track where your business information appears online.
The platform also lets you create customizable white-label reports with visual charts and graphs, making it easier to share performance updates with stakeholders. Additionally, integrated Google Business Profile insights provide valuable data, such as search views, map views, and customer actions, helping you understand how people interact with your listing.
However, it's worth noting that the entry-level Track plan does not include review management, a feature reserved for the Grow plan.
After exploring tools like SEO Werkz and top keyword software, let's dive into MonsterInsights, a plugin that brings Google Analytics directly into WordPress. Trusted by over 3,000,000 professionals, MonsterInsights simplifies analytics, turning complex data into actionable steps to improve your SEO and boost your search rankings.
MonsterInsights connects Google Analytics with WordPress, offering an easy-to-navigate dashboard that displays essential SEO metrics like top-performing keywords, clicks, and click-through rates (CTR). Its Search Console report integrates seamlessly with Google Search Console, providing a clear view of your best-performing keywords and their CTR. Plus, the Site Speed report pinpoints performance issues that could be slowing down your site - helping you improve both your Google rankings and user experience.
The platform also includes advanced features like AI Insights and Conversations AI, which analyze your data automatically and allow you to query information in plain language. These tools make it easier to uncover actionable SEO strategies without combing through endless data. On top of that, its headline analysis tools provide additional support for refining your content strategy.
When it comes to optimizing content, MonsterInsights shines with its Headline Analyzer. This tool evaluates your headlines based on criteria like emotional appeal, use of persuasive words, and ideal length - helping you craft titles that not only rank well but also grab attention. The analytics also shed light on audience behavior and content performance, enabling you to focus your efforts on pages that bring in the most organic traffic.
MonsterInsights offers both free and premium versions, ensuring there's an option for every budget. The free version provides basic analytics integration, while premium plans unlock advanced features like Search Console integration and detailed Site Speed reports. Investing in analytics tools can make a big difference - businesses using analytics have seen a 126% profit increase compared to competitors. For small businesses, this kind of edge can be a game-changer in competitive markets.
Ahrefs stands out as a powerful SEO tool, offering detailed insights to help small businesses analyze competitors and uncover new ways to grow organic traffic. With its massive backlink database and advanced features, Ahrefs makes it easier to refine your SEO approach by learning from what’s working for others.
The Keywords Explorer tool gives you access to a huge database of keywords from various countries. It’s equipped with features like keyword difficulty scores and search volume trends, making it easier to target realistic keywords and plan for seasonal shifts in search behavior.
One standout feature is Content Gap, which highlights keywords your competitors rank for but you don’t. This helps you identify missed opportunities and adjust your strategy. Plus, you can analyze top-performing pages for any keyword, offering a roadmap for creating content that resonates with your audience.
Ahrefs' Site Explorer is a treasure trove of data, showing you the pages driving the most traffic, the keywords they rank for, and the domains linking to them. It even estimates the monthly search traffic value (in U.S. dollars) for specific keywords, helping you prioritize high-impact terms.
The Rank Tracker keeps tabs on your keyword rankings across locations and devices, sending regular updates so you can monitor progress. For businesses targeting specific cities or regions, this tool is particularly helpful. Additionally, the Site Audit feature scans your website for technical SEO issues, prioritizing fixes based on their potential to improve performance.
Ahrefs offers several pricing tiers to suit different business needs. The basic plan includes essential features with limits on keyword tracking and site crawling, making it a practical choice for small businesses. While it’s on the higher end of the pricing spectrum, many small businesses find the competitive insights and actionable data well worth the investment.
Selecting the right SEO tool for your small business is much simpler when you can compare key features side by side. To help you decide, the chart below highlights essential details about each tool, making it easier to identify the one that aligns with your goals.
| Tool | Main Features | Pricing (USD) | Local SEO Options | Reporting Formats |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEO Werkz | Full-service digital marketing, including SEO, web design, PPC, reputation management, social media marketing, and content creation | Custom pricing | Integrated local SEO strategies as part of broader campaigns | Monthly reports with performance insights |
| Google Keyword Planner | Keyword research, search volume data, and insights on keyword competitiveness | Free (requires Google Ads account) | Basic (local search data available) | Essential metrics like search volume and keyword suggestions |
| SEMrush | All-in-one SEO suite with keyword research, competitor analysis, site audits, and local ranking tracking | Flexible plans with free trial | Limited | Detailed in-dashboard analytics |
| BrightLocal | Local SEO tools, including a local search results checker | Starts at $39/month | Comprehensive local SEO tools, including rank tracking, citation management, and local search audits | Basic local performance reports |
| MonsterInsights | Google Analytics integration for WordPress, SEO insights, and site speed monitoring | Free and premium versions | Not specifically designed for local SEO | WordPress dashboard analytics |
| Ahrefs | Site audits, keyword research, backlink analysis, and rank tracking | Subscription-based, starting at a competitive rate | Not specifically designed for local SEO | Basic SEO reporting |
If you're just starting out, Google Keyword Planner is a great choice for small businesses, offering keyword research tools at no cost. Check the table above for a quick comparison of features.
For businesses seeking a full digital marketing package, SEO Werkz provides an all-in-one service. Meanwhile, SEMrush and Ahrefs offer advanced SEO insights and powerful toolkits for those focused on deeper analysis.
When it comes to improving local search visibility, BrightLocal is specifically designed for local SEO needs. SEO Werkz also incorporates tailored local SEO strategies into its broader campaigns, making it another strong contender.
Start small with free tools to lay the groundwork for your SEO strategy, and as your needs grow, consider upgrading to tools that offer advanced analytics and features. The chart above outlines the core attributes of each tool to help guide your decision.
As we've explored, the right SEO tools can change the game for small business owners, giving them a real shot at competing with larger players in the online world. These tools help boost website visibility, bring in organic traffic, and improve search rankings - all critical for standing out in today’s crowded digital space.
What’s great is that many of these tools come with budget-friendly pricing and offer essential features like keyword research, site audits, and performance tracking. This means even businesses with limited resources can tap into powerful marketing capabilities.
For businesses focused on their local community - whether it’s a neighborhood café, a plumbing service, or a boutique shop - a solid local SEO strategy is key. Showing up in local search results can make all the difference in attracting nearby customers.
And let’s not forget usability. Many tools are designed with simplicity in mind, offering clear, easy-to-understand reports. This makes it possible to track SEO performance without needing to be a tech expert.
Small business owners can choose the right SEO tool by first pinpointing their goals. Are you aiming to boost local search rankings, dive into keyword research, or analyze your website’s performance? Once you’ve nailed down what you need, look for tools that match those goals and fit your budget.
For simpler SEO tasks, free tools like Google Search Console and Google Keyword Planner are great starting points. They’re reliable and won’t cost you a dime. If you’re looking for more advanced features - like in-depth site audits or local SEO insights - affordable paid tools can be a smart investment. When deciding, think about factors like how easy the tool is to use, the quality of customer support, and whether it offers solid value for its price. These details can make all the difference in finding a tool that works for your business.
Local SEO tools are a game-changer for small businesses aiming to attract nearby customers and stand out in their local area. These tools are tailored to optimize local search results, like those "near me" queries, and ensure businesses appear prominently in Google Maps and local listings. They also simplify tasks like managing your Google Business Profile, tracking local search performance, and building local citations.
What sets local SEO tools apart from general SEO tools is their laser focus on connecting businesses with their immediate community. Instead of targeting broad or national rankings, these tools help small businesses drive foot traffic, boost in-person visits, and foster stronger connections with local customers - all while being budget-friendly and easy to manage for smaller operations.
Integrating Google Analytics with tools like MonsterInsights brings website traffic data straight into WordPress, making it much easier for small business owners to grasp how visitors engage with their site. This streamlined setup helps identify areas that could use a little fine-tuning.
With this connection, you can keep tabs on user behavior, evaluate how campaigns are performing, and gain insights that can guide your content and strategy choices. Armed with this information, small businesses can make smarter decisions to boost their search rankings and draw in more organic traffic.
In part one of this two-part blog series, we discussed the importance of paid social media ads and some basic tips for a few of the largest platforms out there. While these services are free to access for individuals, internet marketing efforts that don’t include these paid ad features will be lagging significantly behind.
At SEO Werkz, our social media marketing professionals are here to help in this area. No matter the size or scope of your business or marketing efforts, we’ll help you identify the best social media channels for your paid ads and organic posts alike. In today’s blog, we’ll take a look at a couple of the other large players in this space, plus a few newer platforms you may want to also consider depending on your marketing needs
Instagram offers both video and image formats, but one immediate caution with videos: Instagram video ads begin playing as soon as they are scrolled over, without any audio, meaning any videos you create as part of these ads should be able to get its message across even without audio.
In other areas, Instagram is highly valuable. One great format is Instagram Stories, which help you grab a customer’s attention in their feed and allow them to click through various products or services all in one shot. Instagram also has a carousel ads much in the same vein as Facebook, allowing you to display multiple products in a story format.
If you’re looking for a bit more of a professionally-oriented social platform, LinkedIn is the way to go. LinkedIn includes sponsored content that’s meant to inform those in various industries of your business and its progress, and also offers message ads that are similar to email marketing in many ways. You can actually send messages directly into the inbox of potential customers, messages that will only show up when the user actively opens their profile – making the chances of them reading it very high. LinkedIn Social ad options are for desktop users only.
While Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn are the primary networks you need to know about when it comes to paid social media ads, there are others available as well. Small businesses often find success with channels like Pinterest, Snapchat, Spotify and even YouTube, which allow significant advanced ad formats that allow you to target specific kinds of audiences. If you notice, for example, that your target demographic includes a large number of people who spend time streaming videos online, you might target some ads to YouTube that will reach many people within this audience group.
For more on generating paid social ads that will benefit your internet marketing efforts, or to learn about any of our search engine optimization services, speak to the staff at SEO Werkz today.
In parts one and two of this three-part blog series, we’ve been discussing the importance of About Us sections on company websites and some tactics for creating them. Far from just a throwaway section of your site that gives basic contact information and little else, About Us sections are vital for several major purposes, including integration with other areas of your site.
At SEO Werkz, we’re proud to offer a full range of search engine optimization, PPC and web design services, including extensive expertise with About Us sections. In today’s final installment of this series, we’ll go over some of the technical aspects of About Us sections – the kinds of labels and structural elements to consider, stating your company’s purpose, and the importance of integrating review content.
The way you choose to structure your About Us page will depend on a few factors, from the size of your site and business to the kinds of information and user needs you want to address. Some businesses opt for a single About Us page, while others may prefer multiple subcategory pages for detailed areas. Here are some general tiers when it comes to About Us labels, both on the primary About Us page and in other areas of the site:
No matter which format you choose for your About Us page or pages, it’s vital to clearly explain what your company’s mission is and the products or solutions you provide to clients. Never assume that people already know this information – this is what this section is for, and it should be simple and easy to follow.
Finally, a vital area to consider for About Us pages is integrating review or feedback areas. If you’re able to include real, authentic user review content in these sections of your site – including the possibility for negative reviews – people who view the page will be more likely to trust the information present and view you as a transparent company.
For more on About Us pages, or to learn about any of our SEO or PPC services, speak to the staff at SEO Werkz today.
In part one of this multi-part blog, we went over some of the primary basics to consider when crafting your About Us page on your company website. Users of these sites want transparent, authentic information that’s presented to them in simple ways, and the value of a strong About Us page cannot be overstated.
At SEO Werkz, our web design and SEO professionals will work with you on every element of your site, including details of the About Us page. In today’s entry in our series, we’ll discuss the importance of integrating About Us content with the tone and style of other pages on the site, plus some factors to account for when it comes to user experience and expected user skepticism.
In many cases where users don’t have a ton of time, they’ll look for the same kind of information found in your About Us section from other sources – namely through searches on search engines. For starters, you should focus on making a robust enough About Us page that users are able to find it easily and are not turning to Google as a last resort.
Even once you do this, though, many users will continue to look for this information from other sources. For this reason, it’s vital to align and integrate content between various communication channels, including any site links or social media you use. Your story and branding need to be consistent at all levels, since you can never be sure which will serve as a user’s introduction to your business.
In addition to time concerns, some users just won’t trust the information in the About Us section (more on this in a bit). Many look at social media channels to find out what other people are saying about a business in these cases, while others look at user review locations like Yelp, Google Reviews or others.
What are some of the individual elements of your About Us page that will generally show a positive impact on users?
On the flip side, there are several factors that you should avoid:
We mentioned skepticism above, and it’s a vital area to factor in here. You have to understand that many users will naturally be skeptical of the self-reported information you’re placing on your About Us section, whether due to recent scams, negative experiences or plain old distrust.
Rather than dismissing these concerns, the goal of your About Us page and other areas of the site should be to reassure users in these areas. Provide legitimate, verifiable information in terms of shipping areas, returns, personal information security, and any financial payment processors that are used.
For more on About Us pages, or to learn about any of our SEO or PPC services for internet marketing pros, speak to the staff at SEO Werkz today.
For companies looking to brand themselves through online marketing and web design, an important area not to forget about is the “About Us” section of your website. No matter what kind of business you are, this section is a great opportunity to define your services and communicate what your company stands for.
At SEO Werkz, our web design team will work with you on every important section of your site, including the About Us section. This multi-part blog will dig into several vital areas of research on the About Us page, from the groups who are accessing it to the characteristics that are important, plus some factors that play a big role in whether users are satisfied by your About US page.
The About Us page is not a secondary concern – it’s an important part of any company site that will be accessed by several different user groups. These groups include each of the following:
Based on several areas of research by Nielsen Norman Group, one of the most important trends in About Us pages today is the expectation from users of transparent, authentic information. This trend is also present for several other major web design areas.
Simply put, website users are intelligent and want to be treated as such. They’re skeptical of companies who try to doubletalk them or impress them with fancy terminology without providing actual, substantive information. On the flip side, they love areas like peer reviews and customer-focused elements that make digesting legitimate information simple and easy.
What are some examples and elements that go into providing a transparent, authentic About Us page? Here are a few:
For more on About Us pages, or to learn about any of our SEO, PPC or web design services for internet marketing experts, speak to the staff at SEO Werkz today.
If you’re building a new company website from scratch, one of the most important areas to consider is content creation. Content is a vital part of several internet marketing areas, including a popular buzzword in the industry: Blog content, such as the content you’re reading right now.
At SEO Werkz, our web design and SEO experts will explain to you precisely how content creation impacts the visibility of your site to search engines, plus several other important related areas. What are some of the general blog content areas we’ll go over with you? Here are some general themes for building a company blog from the ground up and turning into a valuable piece of your online marketing.
For starters, it’s important to evaluate the timing and needs of your site when it comes to blog content. First of all, this involves determining whether you yourself will be writing the content needed, or whether you’ll be hiring this service out elsewhere – both options may be valuable depending on your business type and other factors.
From here, get to work creating a blog calendar. If you’re outsourcing blog writing, much of this will depend on your budget available. If you’re doing the writing in-house, it will depend on the time you have available. Blogs should be between 350 and 450 words in length, so plan for that range and go from there.
Once you have the schedule laid out, it’s time to determine the kinds of content you want on the blog – and to communicate that to writers, if outsourcing. For starters, begin with some of the simplest areas of the business, including the problems you help solve, the solutions you provide for customers, and similar areas.
Throughout blog content, the major theme should be helping customers or potential customers. You want to specifically show how what you offer can benefit them and solve the issues they have, including how long-term solutions within your business can prevent future issues.
Once you’ve begun to produce consistent content and attract a larger audience, it’s time to split this audience up into two primary groups: Those who actually become (or already are) customers versus those who just share the content. While both these groups are good for you in the long run, you can create different kinds of content to speak to each of them.
For engaged customers, look for new ways to put products and services in front of them that pique their interest. For those who have not purchased anything, try to find out why they’re interested in your content and what will keep them coming back – and potentially even crossing over into the other group.
For more on building a blog and strong website content, or to learn about any of our SEO, web design or PPC services, speak to the pros at SEO Werkz today.
There are several factors that go into creating strong, useful social media posts as part of internet marketing and branding efforts, and one that’s near the top of any list is images. Social media posts featuring images produce engagement that’s 650 percent higher than text-only posts, serving as a way to quickly capture people’s attention and draw them toward your brand.
At SEO Werkz, we’re here to help with all areas of social media marketing, including helping you locate and choose the best images for your posts. There are a number of resources available for obtaining free photos online, but it’s important to understand a few basic terms here so you don’t step out of line and use images you aren’t licensed to use. In today’s blog, we’ll go over a few important themes and terms to understand in this realm.
The first important term here to know is Creative Commons, the title of a non-profit organization that handles many areas of copyright licenses and their use among creators. Creative Commons features six different license types, each with different details in terms of what level of permission they grant the public.
So in a case where a photo you’re attempting to use is labeled with an Attribution license, those who use this work in any way will be required to grant credit for the image to the original creator. If the photo has a NonCommercial license, on the other hand, all commercial businesses and brands will be barred from using that photo.
Royalties are an important area to understand within public images. In many cases you’ll see what are called royalty-free images, which, as the name suggests, allows you to use the image without paying royalties or license fees for each individual use.
It’s important to note, though, that “royalty-free” does not necessarily mean “free.” Many such-labeled images will have a one-time fee, one that isn’t considered a royalty but still must be paid before you can download the image. The royalty-free section only refers to you not being required to pay more than once.
In other cases, you might find photos that are labeled as public domain. In these cases, there is no intellectual property right or exclusivity applied to this image at all – the image is owned by the public at large, rather than any individual. You will not require any permission to use this photo, and can do so at your convenience.
Again, a note here: Just because you have located a picture on the internet, and can view it on a device, does not mean the picture is considered public domain. You have to confirm this elsewhere, and ensure you are not using work that needs to be attributed or paid for without doing so.
For more important information on how public image rules work for social media posts, or to learn about any of our SEO, PPC or social media marketing services, speak to the staff at SEO Werkz today.
In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some of the primary benefits of PPC, or pay-per-click, advertising. A cousin to search engine optimization, but very different in a few important areas, PPC is enormously beneficial to many brands when combined with SEO and other marketing efforts.
At SEO Werkz, we’re proud to offer a wide range of PPC services to all our clients. Apart from performance tracking areas, ease of entry and the huge amount of control PPC allows you – all areas we covered in part one – here are several other reasons why you should strongly consider investing in PPC if you haven’t already.
As we noted above, PPC is often most beneficial when used in coordination with other marketing channels – and part of its overall benefit is how easy this kind of integration is. PPC is particularly valuable when used alongside SEO, utilizing similar audiences and traffic sources to direct people into the right areas of Google Ads and creating conversions. Organic traffic data is often used to inform PPC decisions; PPC programs can often target groups not being reached in enough volume by SEO.
There are other situations available here as well, including some where PPC can be used as a stand-in for traditional marketing formats like direct mail. In a majority of cases in 2019, PPC will shake out as the more affordable option in terms of cost per impression and conversion rates.
You can obtain huge amounts of data about your brand and marketing efforts within PPC and Google Ads areas. This starts with basic impression, click and conversion data, which is available for every single keyword you’re targeting and will be used to help modify your overall strategy on a regular basis.
In addition, consider items like the built-in keyword planner, or display planner tools that let you locate the audiences you’re trying to target. There are also numerous third-party data tools available, such as those like SpyFu that allow you to see what the competition is doing and how you can better compete with them.
Google ads and PPC options also offer numerous targeting options, whether we’re talking text ad targeting, remarketing, or specific audience targeting based on their demographics. Best of all, you can do some trial and error here, testing out various combinations of targeting until you settle on the sweet spot for your business. You can reach people who may not have already been in your audience previously but would have interest, plus bolster the interest already obtained from people who have seen the brand.
For more on how PPC can benefit your internet marketing efforts, or to learn about these or any of our SEO services, speak to the staff at SEO Werkz today.
In part one of this two-part blog series, we discussed the retail giant Amazon and how smaller companies in the e-commerce space can compete. Amazon may feel like they control the entire industry, but there are actually plenty of weak points they present where competitors can find their niche.
At SEO Werkz, we’re here to help with this and numerous other internet marketing services, including mobile-responsive web design and general user experience. These are the areas where the right strategies can help you carve out a nice presence for your targeted market despite the presence of Amazon. Here are a few other areas we recommend prioritizing.
Amazon is known for having something for absolutely everyone, but they’re not as well-regarded when it comes to specialized, personalized products and services. There are ways you can distinguish yourself here to many customers, both online and offline:
Offline: For many businesses, a physical storefront is highly valuable for many reasons. Not only do you offer customers the experience of looking at and touching products in person, you also have a location to build a presence in the community through various events. If it’s right for your business, you can do things like host classes, promote product testing events and find numerous other ways to engage with your potential client base. These are all areas Amazon simply can’t compete with you in.
Online: We can help you find customized, personalized online solutions to make customers feel special and prioritized. Some businesses might look at specific product customization or individualized packaging, while others might look for various mailers or social media connection opportunities that promote products through the customer.
Mobile shopping is a massive segment of the overall retail experience, and it only continues to grow as mobile payment technologies like PayPal and Apple Pay become more and more popular. This is another area where Amazon can be beaten – it has a mobile site, of course, but there are fewer opportunities for it to be engaging and properly branded.
On the flip side, smaller businesses like yours can dominate this area. Ask our pros about several ways you can optimize your site for mobile usage and draw clients into an experience that feels much more unique and individualized.
Through every other effort you make here, maintaining great customer service is vital. For online-only services, this means great pages and solid support information, complete with a phone number that, if at all possible, connects customers to a real person to handle issues. Customers should have ways to find solutions to their issues online if possible, normally through an FAQ or similar page, but there needs to be a backup here in case they still can’t resolve things this way. Amazon doesn’t provide phone numbers to call in many cases, meaning this is a huge area where you can distinguish your business from them.
For more on how to separate your e-commerce business from Amazon, or to learn about any of our online marketing services, speak to the staff at SEO Werkz today.
If you’ve had some experience in the search engine optimization world in the past, you may have heard of structured data and the need to implement it on a given business website. There are a few distinct methods for implementing such data, and two of the most common within this realm are Google’s Data Highlighter (found in the Google Search Console) and the direct addition of schema code to your site, known as a schema mark-up.
At SEO Werkz, we’re proud to offer comprehensive SEO services, from on-site optimization areas to link building, content optimization and numerous related areas. We’ve helped numerous clients understand and implement the proper structured data on their sites, and we’re here to do the same for you. This multi-part blog series will dig into what structured data is and why it matters, the look at both these common methods for implementing it to help you determine which is best for your site.
Simply put, structured data is a standardized format that’s used to mark up basic information about a given web page. Basically, it’s code that’s written in a way that’s meant for search engines like Google and others to understand it – such engines read the code and use it to display search results for a given query in more specific, richer formats.
When the engine understands the content of a given page or site, it is now capable of providing proper search queries within it. A common use of structured data, for instance, is within rich snippets meant to make the search experience simpler for those browsing.
Structured data mark-ups can be completed for a variety of different objects and pieces of information on a website. This information is summarized on Schema.org, which has a list of supported schemas within structured data markup. As an example, items supported by Google search engines for structured data markup include:
There are several direct benefits of marking up structured data on your site, including each of the following:
For more on structured data and the methods to use to implement it, or to learn about any of our SEO, PPC, web design or other online marketing services, speak to the staff at SEO Werkz today.
