Is Your Online Business SEO-Ready? 12 Proven Steps to Grow Your Business Online

Are you wondering whether your online business is SEO-ready and capable enough to grow your business online? If you don’t have a confident answer to that, you’re likely missing out on valuable traffic, leads, and sales.

It doesn’t matter how great your products are or how well-designed your website looks—if your business isn’t discoverable, you’re leaving money on the table. In our latest webinar, Senior SEO Specialist Kumkum Thakur breaks down 12 powerful steps to help you grow your business online using effective and practical SEO techniques.

Let’s dive in.

Step 1: Competitor Research

To grow your business online, start by understanding your competition.

Identify top competitors in your niche.
Analyze their SEO strategies, website structure, and content.
Use tools like Sprout Social, Wappalyzer, and SEMrush to see what’s working for them.

Pro Tip: Reverse engineer what your competitors are doing successfully and implement the best practices in your own strategy.

Step 2: Research Your Target Keywords

If you want to grow your business online, selecting the right keywords is essential.

Focus on long-tail keywords for higher conversion rates.
Use tools like Google Keyword Planner and Google Trends to discover keywords your audience is searching for.

Pro Tip: Answer specific queries that potential customers might type on Google. It helps you rank for both high and low competition keywords.

Step 3: Track Website Performance

A well-optimized website helps you grow your business online efficiently.

Perform regular audits for:

Page load speed
Mobile responsiveness
URL structure
Image optimization
Duplicate content
Broken links
Meta tags
Backlink analysis

Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights, Screaming Frog, and Ahrefs for performance tracking.

Step 4: Use Simple SEO Tools

If you’re just starting and want to handle basic SEO, tools like Simple SEO by Bluehost are ideal.

Perfect for small businesses aiming to grow their business online.
Offers basic keyword guidance, on-page SEO tips, and content insights.

Need help? Reach out to Bluehost support for setup and assistance.

Step 5: Build Backlinks and Collect Reviews

Backlinking is essential when trying to grow your business online.

Get your website listed on Google My Business, local directories, and niche platforms.
Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews.
Check your competitors’ backlinks using tools like Ahrefs.

More backlinks = more authority = more visibility.

Step 6: Talk to Your Customers

Engaging with your audience is vital if you want to grow your business online.

Understand their search behavior.
Identify common queries and challenges.
Use this insight to craft your SEO and content strategy.

Engage. Learn. Connect. This is how you humanize your SEO.

Step 7: Create Long-Form Content

Long-form content plays a crucial role in helping you grow your business online.

Types of long-form content:

Blog posts (1200+ words)
Case studies
White papers

Make sure your content:

Solves customer problems
Is visually appealing
Uses internal linking
Includes keyword variations

Pro Tip: Google loves value-packed, in-depth content. So will your readers.

Step 8: Remove Zombie Pages

Zombie pages are inactive or low-performing web pages. They:

Dilute your SEO authority
Offer no user value
Can even hurt rankings

Deleting or updating them improves crawl efficiency and user experience, helping you grow your business online more effectively.

Step 9: Word-of-Mouth Marketing

Did you know 64% of marketers believe word-of-mouth marketing is the most effective?

Encourage satisfied customers to share your brand.
Offer referral bonuses or discounts.
Ask for social media shoutouts and testimonials.

This builds organic trust and helps you grow your business online authentically.

Step 10: Build and Nurture an Email List

Email marketing is still one of the strongest ways to grow your business online.

How to build your list:

Add personalized CTAs to each landing page.
Offer free resources like ebooks, discounts, or checklists.
Segment your audience for targeted email campaigns.

Remember, your email list is your business asset.

Step 11: Retarget with Paid Ads and Social Media

Sometimes users don’t convert the first time. Retargeting gives you a second chance.

Use:

Google Ads
Facebook and Instagram Ads
Retargeting based on cart abandonment, page views, or time spent

Combine paid ads with organic content to grow your business online faster.

Step 12: Seek Expert SEO Help

Trying to do everything alone might slow you down. If these steps feel overwhelming, it’s okay to ask for help.

With Managed SEO Services, professionals handle:

Keyword strategy
Content marketing
Link building
Analytics tracking

Letting experts manage your SEO ensures you can focus on what you do best—growing your business online.

Final Thoughts

Every online business has the potential to scale, but only those that are SEO-ready can grow their business online sustainably. From keyword research and backlinking to long-form content and customer engagement—each step plays a crucial role.

If you’ve been wondering where to begin, start with any of these steps today. And if you need expert support, our team is just a message away.

Ready to grow your business online? Let’s make it happen.

Step	Action Item	Purpose	Tools/Pro Tips
1	Competitor Research	Understand strategies used by similar businesses	Sprout Social, SEMrush, Wappalyzer
2	Research Target Keywords	Discover what your audience is searching for	Google Trends, Keyword Planner, Focus on long-tail keywords
3	Track Website Performance	Ensure technical health of your website	PageSpeed, Screaming Frog, Fix broken links, optimize images
4	Use Simple SEO Tools	Quick SEO guidance for beginners	Bluehost Simple SEO, Keyword article suggestions
5	Build Backlinks & Get Reviews	Increase domain authority & trust	Google My Business, Ahrefs, Directory Listings
6	Talk to Your Customers	Understand user intent and purchase behavior	Engage via surveys, chat, social media
7	Create Long-Form Content	Improve dwell time and answer user queries deeply	Blogs, Case Studies, 1200+ word content
8	Delete Zombie Pages	Improve crawlability and remove low-value pages	Check for 404s and outdated content
9	Word-of-Mouth Marketing	Gain organic visibility through existing customer advocacy	Referral offers, Ask for testimonials
10	Build and Nurture an Email List	Generate leads and repeat sales through owned media	Personalized CTAs, Free resources, Email segmentation
11	Retarget via Paid Ads & Social Media	Re-engage past visitors and improve conversions	Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Retargeting audience segmentation
12	Engage Expert SEO Advice	Get professional help to execute SEO at scale	Managed SEO services, Focus on strategy + execution

Step

Action Item

Purpose

Tools/Pro Tips

Competitor Research

Understand strategies used by similar businesses

Sprout Social, SEMrush, Wappalyzer

Research Target Keywords

Discover what your audience is searching for

Google Trends, Keyword Planner, Focus on long-tail keywords

Track Website Performance

Ensure technical health of your website

PageSpeed, Screaming Frog, Fix broken links, optimize images

Use Simple SEO Tools

Quick SEO guidance for beginners

Bluehost Simple SEO, Keyword article suggestions

Build Backlinks & Get Reviews

Increase domain authority & trust

Google My Business, Ahrefs, Directory Listings

Talk to Your Customers

Understand user intent and purchase behavior

Engage via surveys, chat, social media

Create Long-Form Content

Improve dwell time and answer user queries deeply

Blogs, Case Studies, 1200+ word content

Delete Zombie Pages

Improve crawlability and remove low-value pages

Check for 404s and outdated content

Word-of-Mouth Marketing

Gain organic visibility through existing customer advocacy

Referral offers, Ask for testimonials

Build and Nurture an Email List

Generate leads and repeat sales through owned media

Personalized CTAs, Free resources, Email segmentation

Retarget via Paid Ads & Social Media

Re-engage past visitors and improve conversions

Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Retargeting audience segmentation

Engage Expert SEO Advice

Get professional help to execute SEO at scale

Managed SEO services, Focus on strategy + execution

Why SEO is the Key to Grow Your Business Online in 2025 and Beyond

The digital marketplace is evolving rapidly. Whether you’re running an eCommerce store, a service-based business, or a personal brand, SEO remains the cornerstone of success. If your goal is to grow your business online, SEO isn’t optional—it’s essential.

Why SEO Is More Than Just Google Rankings

Many people think SEO is only about ranking higher on Google, but that’s only part of the story. When you optimize for SEO, you:

Attract the right audience organically

Build brand trust and authority

Improve user experience

Get more qualified leads without paid ads

Increase your conversion rate

This is why businesses that invest in SEO strategies consistently see long-term growth. It’s not a one-time fix but an ongoing process that pays compounding returns over time.

Social Media vs SEO – What’s Better to Grow Your Business Online?

Social media is powerful for brand awareness and engagement, but it’s short-lived and algorithm-driven. SEO, on the other hand, delivers long-term visibility. A single well-optimized blog post or product page can bring traffic for months or even years.

To effectively grow your business online, combine both strategies. Use social media for outreach and engagement, and use SEO to drive evergreen traffic and conversions.

Final Word

The roadmap is clear. If you want to truly grow your business online, you need more than just a pretty website or trending Instagram Reel. You need a strong SEO foundation built on strategy, research, content, and performance.

Every step discussed in this blog—from competitor research to expert guidance—helps align your business with how people actually search, buy, and engage online.

So, stop waiting. Start optimizing. It’s time to grow your business online the smart way.

SEO Checklist Table to Grow Your Business Online

Why SEO is the Key to Grow Your Business Online in 2025 and Beyond

Why SEO Is More Than Just Google Rankings

Social Media vs SEO – What’s Better to Grow Your Business Online?

Final Word

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