SEO for Small Businesses: What Still Works
Most small businesses think SEO is this mysterious, expensive thing that only giant companies can afford. But honestly? SEO is really just a series of simple tweaks that help Google understand who you are, what you do, and who you’re trying to serve.
And when you break it down into smaller steps, it becomes totally manageable — even on a budget.
At Tingalls, we work with a ton of small businesses who want better search visibility but don’t want to get sucked into endless monthly retainers or confusing “SEO packages.” Good news: you don’t need any of that to start seeing results.
Here are the real ways to make SEO affordable in today’s world — and actually move the needle.
Start With the Stuff You Can Control
Think of SEO like maintaining your car. You don’t need a full engine rebuild every month, but you do need oil changes, clean filters, and air in the tires.
Your website works the same way.
Here are the easiest, lowest-cost wins:
1. Clean up your website structure
A confusing website makes Google work harder, and when Google works harder… it ranks you lower.
Your site should read like a clear outline, not a maze. That means:
Each service has its own page
Each page has a clear headline
The text talks plainly about what you do
No confusing or vague navigation
Squarespace often shines here — everything is automatically cleaner and easier for Google to read.
2. Add helpful content, not keyword stuffing
Google cares far more about usefulness than density.
What works now:
Answering real customer questions
Writing in plain English
Including keywords naturally
Using headings to organize ideas
If your content sounds like a human wrote it, Google is happy.
3. Make sure your website loads quickly
A slow site is like making someone wait in line at a gas station behind a guy buying 42 scratch-off tickets. They bail.
Quick fixes:
Compress images
Use modern hosting
Reduce plugins (WordPress)
Skip giant background videos
Squarespace users get a head start here.
4. Nail your Google Business Profile
It’s free and powerful.
Winners:
Update photos often
Post updates
Ask for reviews
Reply to reviews
Keep hours accurate
This step alone can land you in the local map pack.
5. Build internal links
Internal linking helps Google understand:
What topics you’re an expert on
How your content relates
Which pages matter most
Cheap, strong SEO win.
When It’s Time to Call in Backup
DIY SEO hits a wall when:
The website has technical issues
You’ve outgrown your platform
Content isn’t converting
You don’t know which keywords matter
You're too busy to maintain it
That’s why we created the Tingalls SEO Audit.
We check:
Content
Keywords
Competitors
Structure
Mobile experience
Speed
Google Business Profile
Quick-win opportunities
As Tara says:
“SEO doesn’t have to be expensive — it just has to be intentional.”
Final Thought
You don’t need a giant marketing budget to show up on Google. You just need a clean, clear, well-organized website and a little consistency. If you want help getting there, we’d love to take a peek.
