Short Answer: Yes, small businesses can do SEO themselves. With the right tools, strategies, and consistency, DIY SEO can improve your visibility, boost local rankings, and attract new customers without hiring an agency. In 2025, that also means optimizing for AI-driven search, not only with keywords but also with entities that AI systems recognize and trust.

Introduction: Why DIY SEO Matters for Small Businesses

Search engine optimization (SEO) is one of the most powerful ways small businesses can compete with larger competitors online. Instead of relying on expensive ad campaigns or hiring a costly marketing agency, you can build visibility organically by learning the basics of SEO and applying them to your website.

DIY SEO matters because it is affordable, scalable, and puts you in control of how your business shows up online. Whether you run a coffee shop, plumbing business, boutique, or consulting firm, learning to optimize your website helps you connect with customers right when they are searching for your services.

And in 2025, SEO has evolved. As I explored in my blog, What’s New in SEO 2025: Trends and Best Practices, search engines now favor content that is structured for AI Overviews, entity mapping, and trustworthy signals. That means DIY SEO now involves optimizing for both keywords and entities, so search engines understand not just the phrases you use, but who you are, where you are, and what you offer.

What Is DIY SEO?

DIY SEO, or “do-it-yourself SEO,” is simply taking SEO into your own hands instead of outsourcing it. Rather than paying an agency, you will handle tasks like keyword research, content writing, and optimizing your Google Business Profile yourself.

The difference comes down to time vs. money. Agencies bring experience but cost thousands per month. DIY SEO requires your time and effort, but it is budget-friendly and puts you closer to your customers since you know your business best.

In 2025, DIY SEO also means learning Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and entity optimization, structuring your content so AI can understand not just words, but the relationships between your business, services, and location. If you want a deeper dive into the shift from keywords to entities, see my LinkedIn post: How to Optimize Entities vs. Keywords for the Future of SEO.

Step 1: Keyword & Entity Research for Small Businesses

The foundation of SEO is understanding what your customers are typing into Google. That is where keyword research comes in, but in AI-driven search, entities matter just as much.

How to Do Keyword Research Yourself

• Use free tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest, or Keyword Surfer to identify what people search

• Look for long-tail keywords such as “best Italian restaurant in Savannah” instead of just “restaurant”

• Focus on keyword research for small businesses that relates to your niche and location

If you ever feel stuck picking blog topics, my LinkedIn article, How Do You Choose SEO-Friendly Blog Topics? 5 Proven Tips can help. And if you want to explore the actual tools, check out my Top 5 Free SEO Tools to Research Keywords & Write Blogs roundup.

Why Entities Matter

An entity is simply a “thing” that search engines can uniquely identify, such as a person, place, brand, or service. For example:

• “Middletown Honda” (business entity)

• “2026 Honda CR-V” (product entity)

• “auto repair” (service entity)

AI models connect these entities together, so if your website clearly identifies itself as a plumbing company in Warwick, NY (business entity + service entity + location entity), you are more likely to appear in both local SERPs and AI Overviews.

Step 2: On-Page SEO Basics (with Entity Signals)

Once you have identified the right keywords and entities, it is time to optimize your website pages.

Key On-Page SEO Checklist

• Title Tags: Include your keyword naturally.

• Meta Descriptions: Summarize the page in under 160 characters.

• Headers: Organize content logically with H1, H2, and H3.

• Image Alt Text: Describe images with both keywords and entities, such as “Warwick NY bakery storefront.”

• Internal Links: Link related service or location pages together.

Entity Optimization Tip

Add structured data (schema markup) to your site. Schema tags your content with entity details like “LocalBusiness,” “Product,” or “Service.” For example, a dentist can use schema to explicitly tell Google:

• This is a Dentist (service entity)

• Located in Savannah, GA (location entity)

• Associated with Dr. Smith DDS (person entity)

This makes it far easier for AI to pull your business into generative answers.

Step 3: Content Creation That Attracts Customers & AI

Google rewards websites that publish helpful content. Blogs, service pages, and FAQs all increase visibility.

Ideas for Content

• Service guides such as “How to Choose the Right Roofing Contractor”

• Tutorials such as “How to Fix a Leaky Faucet”

• Local spotlights such as “Top 5 Cafes in Newburgh for Remote Workers”

AI & Entity Optimization Tip

When writing, include both keywords and entity-rich details. For example:
Instead of only writing “affordable SEO strategies,” say: “Affordable SEO strategies for small businesses in Savannah, GA, help local shops like bakeries, boutiques, and HVAC companies reach nearby customers.”

This way, you have included service entities, business-type entities, and location entities that AI can map together.

Step 4: Local SEO for Small Businesses

Local SEO is one of the most entity-driven strategies out there. Google does not just read your words, it maps your business as an entity in a place.

Local SEO Checklist

• Google Business Profile: Fill out every field

• Reviews: Build consistent reputation signals

• Citations: Keep your business name, address, and phone number consistent

• Location Keywords: Add terms like “Savannah GA florist” naturally

Entity Optimization Tip

Treat your Google Business Profile like an entity hub. Add services, attributes, and FAQs so Google can connect your business entity to your industry and location entities.

Step 5: Off-Page SEO and Link Building

Backlinks strengthen your authority in both keyword and entity SEO.

Beginner-Friendly Link Building Tips

• Submit to local directories (entity = business listings)

• Guest post on local blogs (entity = author, site, topic)

• Partner with local organizations (entity = community group)

Every link acts like a vote that ties your business entity to a broader web of trusted entities.

Step 6: Technical SEO Made Simple

At its core, technical SEO ensures that your site is crawlable and fast.

Simple Fixes

• Use responsive design

• Improve site speed with compressed images

• Use HTTPS

• Fix broken links

Entity Optimization Tip

Technical SEO also supports entity visibility. For example, if your business has multiple locations, create separate, crawlable location pages with structured data so AI recognizes each branch as its own local entity.

Step 7: Affordable Tools for DIY SEO Success

You do not need expensive platforms. Free and budget-friendly tools work.

Recommended Tools

• Google Analytics to track visitors and behavior

• Google Search Console to monitor site health

• Yoast SEO to optimize blog content

• Screaming Frog Lite for technical site audits

FAQs About DIY SEO for Small Businesses

How long does it take to see results with DIY SEO?

3 to 6 months for rankings, sometimes faster for local and AI visibility if your Google Business Profile is optimized.

Can small businesses compete with larger companies?

Yes, especially with entity-based SEO. Larger companies cannot always hyper-target specific neighborhoods or niche services in the way small businesses can.

Do I need to blog for SEO to work?

Not always, but blogs help capture long-tail queries and reinforce entities such as your services, your city, and your business type.

What is the most important SEO task for beginners?

Start with entity clarity. Make sure Google knows exactly who you are, what you do, and where you are. Then build keywords and content around that.

Conclusion: Your Next Step in DIY SEO

DIY SEO might feel overwhelming at first, but small businesses do not need to do everything at once. Start simple: research keywords, claim your Google Business Profile, and make sure your site clearly defines your business as an entity tied to services and location.

In 2025, search is not just about words, it is about entities, authority, and AI visibility. By combining traditional keyword research with entity optimization, you will give AI and search engines the exact data they need to recommend your business.

If you would like to see how these trends play out, my blog What’s New in SEO 2025: Trends and Best Practices explores generative search, AI Overviews, and the rise of entity-first SEO.

Your next customer could find you not only in Google’s top results but also inside an AI Overview, simply because your business entity was the clearest, most trusted option.

Need help building your own DIY SEO strategy? Contact me for personalized guidance and hands-on support.