In this instalment of our eBay Elevate webinar series, SEO expert Mark Tomkins shares his top tips and tricks to help you gain a basic understanding of Search Engine Optimisation - and how to improve your online visibility.

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) basics for small businesses

In today’s increasingly digital world, improving your online visibility and reaching customers is key - but it isn’t easy. Knowing a thing or two about SEO is therefore vital to help you get ahead of your competitors, get your business in front of more customers and increase your sales online. But where to start?

This eBay Elevate webinar, hosted by SEO expert Mark Tomkins, is ideal for small business owners who are just starting out or are looking to improve their online visibility but have little knowledge of ‘SEO’. In this practical and highly actionable 30-minute session, Mark explores the basics of SEO and what it means for your website and where you sell online. Complete with some of the ways you can start mastering the art of SEO to improve your online visibility.

If you missed it, fear not! You can watch the webinar on demand, which explores:

Search engines 101

Search engines are the beating heart of the internet. But for all their complexity, they have a very simple job to do: deliver the user to a website that most closely matches their search criteria. But underpinning this is trust. Or rather, trust that the content it's returning is accurate and that it provides a good user experience.

Trust is also key to your online success - but what defines and builds trust?

Good content:

• Well structured content per page – start, middle & end

• Use headings – people skim, so do search engines

• Tell people about the benefits THEN the features

• Write for people NOT BOTS!

• Be accurate

• Content is still king

Good metadata:

• Clear, concise page titles

• Clear, accurate and succinct page descriptions

• It’s the initial signpost for search engines

• It’s the first thing users see in search results

Good user experience:

• Page headings

• 300-500 words per page in good, plain English

• Images have ALT text (descriptions)

• There’s clear call-to-actions

• Buttons & links are clearly labelled - avoid ‘click here’

• Avoid pop ups and overlays

Good inbound links:

Inbound links are when someone else provides a link to your website. This shows search engines that your website is a trustworthy source of useful information and is one of the most powerful ways to increase your online visibility. Build links by asking:

• Professional accreditation sites

• Local newspapers’ websites – write some PR!

• Collaborate with other local businesses – link to each other

This article is a whistle-stop tour of what Mark covered in his session. So be sure to watch it back for a deeper dive into the essentials of SEO - and how you can start optimising your website to help it climb up the rankings.

If you found this content useful, subscribe to our Events page to keep up-to-date with upcoming eBay Elevate webinars and in-person events, where we’ll be delivering a jam-packed schedule of expert-led sessions tailored for small businesses.