E-commerce is growing fast, but many small businesses are struggling to keep up. According to the U.S. Census, online sales jumped 8% from 2023 to 2024. More customers are shopping online, but if your business isn’t showing up in search results, you might as well not exist.
That’s where search engine optimization (SEO) comes in. Done right, it helps businesses get noticed by the right people at the right time. But many small business owners don’t have the time or expertise to make sense of SEO. That’s where SCORE, a nonprofit dedicated to helping small businesses, steps in with free mentoring and educational resources to help entrepreneurs thrive online.
How SEO Makes or Breaks a Business
Most customers start their buying process with a Google search. If your business isn’t showing up, they’re going straight to your competition.
“A website is more than just an online brochure,” says SCORE mentor Dean Swanson. “It’s where customers go to learn about your products, make purchases, and decide whether they trust your brand. But before they can interact with your website, they have to find it first.”
SEO helps businesses appear higher in search results when potential customers are looking for products or services they offer. Without it, your website is like a store with no sign—people just walk past without even realizing it’s there.
How Small Business Owners Can Make SEO Work for Them
Getting started with SEO doesn’t have to be overwhelming. SCORE mentor Adam Torkildson suggests beginning with keyword research—figuring out what words and phrases potential customers are using when searching for your products.
“Think about how someone might search for your business online,” he says. “You want to include those words in your website content, like page titles, meta descriptions, and header tags. That way, search engines connect your website with the right searches.”
But SEO isn’t just about throwing in keywords—it’s about making sure your website answers the questions customers are asking. A website that loads fast, is mobile-friendly, and provides useful information ranks higher in search results.
Getting Expert Help Without the Price Tag
SEO can be confusing, and hiring an expert isn’t always affordable for small business owners. That’s why mentorship can be a game-changer. SCORE offers free one-on-one mentoring with experts who have been in the trenches and know what works.
Just ask Michelle Nguyen, owner of the online boutique Emmi’s Closet. She needed help getting her website off the ground and turned to SCORE for guidance. “My mentor introduced me to another SCORE mentor, Kenneth Lo, who helped with SEO and website building,” she says. “Then he introduced me to someone else who helped with the financial side of my business. It made all the difference.”
Another SCORE client, Roshani Samdurkar, relied on mentoring to help launch her bakery, M.A.D. Bakery, in Bettendorf, Iowa. Having access to experienced business professionals saved her from making costly mistakes.
Free Resources for Small Business Owners
SCORE doesn’t just offer mentoring—it also has free online courses and webinars that break down SEO in simple terms.
If you want to start improving your website today, SCORE recommends checking out these free resources:
- E-commerce Website Platforms, SEO, and Marketing Course – A beginner-friendly guide to choosing the right website platform and getting traffic to your site.
- Learn the SEO Basics and Boost Your Website Traffic – An on-demand webinar covering the fundamentals of SEO.
- The SEO Implementation Blueprint: Tools, Tactics & Techniques – A deeper dive into practical steps for improving search rankings.
These resources are all available at SCORE.org, along with an option to request a mentor for personalized help.
SEO Doesn’t Have to Be a Mystery
Many small business owners think SEO is too complicated or expensive. But ignoring it could mean missing out on customers who are actively searching for what they offer. With the right guidance—whether through free mentoring, online courses, or practical SEO strategies—businesses can turn their websites into customer magnets.
Want to start getting more customers through search? Visit SCORE.org and take advantage of free SEO resources today.