Millions of people use Google every day to search for everything from “diabetes treatment” to “sporting goods store in Chicago.” Those people click on the first results Google returns. Nobody goes to the 15th page. This means that only the websites that are in the first positions get found. Search Engine Optimisation is a collection of tactics that help a website rank in the first positions of Google for search terms that describe their business. For example, an Italian restaurant in Newcastle will really benefit from being #1 on Google for search terms like “Newcastle Italian restaurant” or “Italian restaurant in Newcastle.”

How does a small business know if it really needs an SEO strategy?

SEO is a marketing tactic. You should only do SEO if it makes you more money than it costs you, right? To figure out if your business needs SEO, you need to find out how many people are searching for what you sell. You can use the Google Keyword Tool to find this out.

Let’s work with the example we mentioned before: the Italian restaurant in Newcastle. According to Google, all the variations of “Italian restaurant in Newcastle”combined have over 14,000 searches per month. According to the most recent data, the website that is #1 on Google gets 56% of the clicks, which in this case is about 7,800 clicks. Just to be on the safe side of the forecast, I always like to assume that a company can get only half of these clicks. So, let’s say you only get 3,900 visitors a month.

Now, how many of these visitors will make a reservation at your restaurant? Does 5% sound reasonable considering that these people were looking for an Italian restaurant in Newcastle and they found yours? This would result in 195 reservations per month. Let’s say your average profit per reservation is £50. Being at the top of Google can bring you £9,750 in profits every month. If this number is higher than what SEO costs you, then you should move ahead and do it.

It’s crucial that you run these numbers for your own business. In some industries SEO is extremely profitable and in others it isn’t anymore. This is because different industries have different profit margins, different search volume and doing SEO for some keywords is very expensive.

What attracts customers? Obviously the quality of a product does, but visual images contribute a great deal. It is not only the image provided by the packaging that counts but the whole corporate identity of the company.

There are now many products and services on the market which are similar in content though produced by different companies. It is vital, therefore, for a company to distinguish itself from its competitors by having a strong company image which is immediately recognisable.

Logos are part of this image. They are symbols which often include a name or initials to identify a company. The logo establishes a visual identity for the company, just as different groups of young people express their identity through hairstyles and clothes. All groups from all cultures and throughout the ages have used colours and symbols to show their identity.

To view 20 inspiring and thought provoking logo’s, click here.

Today, most small businesses need an online presence as much as they need a phone or mailbox. Customers and clients — current and potential — expect you to have one. For some small businesses, a website has become the primary selling tool — a means to access inventory or colloborate on client projects. For other small businesses, a website is little more than a directory listing with static contact information. Other small businesses have launched constantly updated weblogs or detailed service-oriented resources. From simple to complex, websites have become a requirement for doing business in many industries.

In addition, most people begin their search for a product online using a search engine like Google, Yahoo or Bing. Having a website, especially a web site that is designed to be an effective Internet marketing tool, can be very valuable for small businesses. Without the right web site, people will not be able to find your business.

Read more from smallbusiness.com