Small Business SEO: Titles, Meta & Focus Keywords

Small Business SEO lives in places most owners never look—plugin fields, page settings, and the code that search engines read. That’s why essentials like the focus keyword, SEO title, and meta description are often skipped. Tuning these “under-the-hood” items improves how your pages are understood and how often people click.

Focus Keywords: The GPS Pin for Small Business SEO

Your focus keyword tells Google exactly what the page is about. Without a clear phrase, the algorithm guesses—and can send the wrong visitors.

• Choose one exact phrase your customer would type (e.g., small business SEO).
• Place it naturally in the intro, a subheading, and a few times in the body (target ~1% density).
• Match wording exactly in the SEO title and meta description so plugins can verify it.

SEO Titles: Your First Impression in Search Results

The SEO title is the bold, clickable line on Google. It should lead with your focus keyword and, when space allows, include your brand or city.

Good: Small Business SEO: Titles, Meta & Focus Keywords | Panorama Marketing Group
Weak: Home | PMG

• Keep titles around 55–60 characters.
• Put the focus keyword first for clarity and CTR.
• Write for humans—clear beats clever.

Meta Descriptions: Your 150–160 Character Pitch

Meta descriptions don’t directly change rankings, but they do drive clicks. A clear summary with your focus keyword helps searchers choose you.

Template

<meta name="description" content="<What you do> for <who> in <where>. <Benefit> since <year>.">

Example using the focus keyword

Title: Small Business SEO: Titles, Meta & Focus Keywords | Panorama Marketing Group
Meta:  Small Business SEO made simple: focus keywords, strong titles, and
       clear meta descriptions to boost visibility—no black-hat tricks.

Why These Items Are Often Neglected

• They’re hidden in your SEO plugin fields, not on the page.
• Assumption that “the web guy already handled it.”
• No checklist to confirm each page has them properly set.

White Hat vs. Black Hat: Still Relevant?

Yes—but Google is far better at ignoring manipulation than it used to be.

• White hat: helpful content, fast pages, honest metadata, natural links.
• Black hat: keyword stuffing, hidden text, spammy link schemes—short-term boosts with long-term risks.

For small businesses, stick with white hat basics and keep your metadata accurate. It’s durable, safe, and effective.

How We Dial It In: Yoast or AIOSEO + ChatGPT

At Panorama Marketing Group, we use Yoast or AIOSEO along with ChatGPT to fine-tune each page. These tools help us set the right focus keywords, write accurate SEO titles and meta descriptions, and confirm that everything aligns for both people and search engines. The result: a professional, well-optimized site that sounds human and performs well.

5-Step Checklist (5 Minutes per Page)

1. Set one focus keyword (exact phrase).
2. Intro: include the exact phrase in the first paragraph.
3. Subheading: use the phrase in at least one H2/H3.
4. SEO title: ≤60 chars with keyword up front.
5. Meta description: 150–160 chars with the keyword once.