Take Control of Your SEO: A Guide for Small Business Owners

If you’re a small business owner in Helena, Montana, looking to boost your online visibility without hiring a full-time agency, you’re in the right place. Learning how to apply DIY SEO strategies can save you time and money while helping you grow your customer base.

In this guide, you’ll discover practical, actionable small business SEO tips you can implement yourself. These steps are beginner-friendly, designed to increase your chances of showing up when local customers search for services like yours.

Focus Keywords and How to Use Them

Your focus keywords are your main signal to search engines about your page’s purpose.

For Helena, MT businesses, using phrases like small business SEO tips Helena MT naturally throughout your content shows search engines that you’re providing relevant, local expertise.

Best Practices:

Use your target keyword in your page title, meta description, first paragraph, headings, and image alt text.
Maintain about 1% keyword density. For example, in a 1,200-word post, aim for around 12 mentions.
Include keywords in image alt text and captions.

Pro Tip: Avoid keyword stuffing. Use your keywords naturally, making sure your content remains helpful and easy to read!

Understand the Power of Local SEO

Local SEO helps people in your area find your business when they search online.

For example, when someone in Helena searches for “SEO services Helena MT” or “local marketing experts,” you want your business to appear in those results.

Here’s what you can do:

Include your city and state in your website copy, page titles, and meta descriptions.
Create content that mentions local events, landmarks, and community topics.
Make sure your contact page includes accurate business information.

BusinessBuilder Tip: Think about how your customers search — use their language and location details naturally in your content.

Optimize Your Google Business Profile

Your Google Business Profile is one of the most powerful (and free) tools to boost local visibility.

To DIY this step:

Claim and verify your profile.
Add accurate details like address, phone number, and business hours.
Upload high-quality photos of your business.
Regularly post updates about your services or promotions.
Respond to reviews — it builds trust and improves your rankings.

Need help? Google offers a step-by-step guide.

Use Targeted Keywords Throughout Your Site

Keywords are the words and phrases your customers use to find businesses like yours.

For example, if you’re offering SEO services in Helena, MT, or DIY SEO tips for small businesses, these are perfect phrases to include naturally throughout your website.

DIY action steps:

Add keywords to your page titles, headings, and first paragraphs.
Use descriptive image alt text (e.g., “business owner learning SEO in Helena, MT”).
Avoid keyword stuffing — always write for people first.

BusinessBuilder Tip: Focus on “long-tail keywords” like “affordable SEO services Helena MT” or “how to improve local search ranking.”

Build Local Links and Connections

Local links help search engines see your business as part of your community.

DIY ways to build local links:

Submit your site to directories like the Helena Chamber of Commerce.
Partner with local businesses and cross-promote.
Write guest posts for local blogs or news outlets.

These natural connections help search engines (and customers) trust your business.

Improve Website Speed and Mobile Friendliness

Google favors fast-loading, mobile-friendly websites.

DIY improvements you can make:

Compress images using tools like TinyPNG.
Use a reliable web hosting service.
Test your site with Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.

BusinessBuilder Tip: A faster website keeps visitors happy and improves your search rankings.

Create Helpful, Local Content

Helpful content builds trust and keeps visitors on your site longer.

DIY ideas for your blog or website:

Write articles answering common customer questions.
Share how-to guides (like this one!) for local businesses.
Highlight local events or customer success stories.

Regularly publishing fresh, helpful content signals to search engines that your site is active and valuable.

FAQs: DIY SEO for Small Businesses

Q: Can small business owners really do SEO themselves?
A: Absolutely! While SEO takes time, these DIY steps can make a noticeable difference in your local visibility.

Q: How fast will I see results?
A: Many small businesses see improvements within 3–6 months of consistent effort.

Q: Should I still work with an SEO expert?
A: DIY SEO is a great starting point, but partnering with a professional can help you avoid pitfalls and speed up results when you’re ready to grow further.

Q: How do I know which keywords to use?
A: Start by thinking like your customer. Tools like Google’s Keyword Planner can also help identify popular search terms in your area.

Final Thoughts: Grow Your Helena Business with DIY SEO

Doing your own SEO might feel overwhelming at first, but these simple, consistent actions can make a real difference for your business. Over time, you’ll improve your online visibility, attract more local customers, and build a stronger presence in Helena, MT.

And when you’re ready to take things to the next level, professional support is just a click away.

Need expert guidance? Mr. BusinessBuilder helps small businesses in Helena, MT, with affordable, effective SEO services. Learn more about our SEO solutions here.