SEO for SMEs: How to Compete with Bigger Brands on Google Search

Are you an SME owner or marketer struggling to take on the big boys?

Before you throw in the towel entirely, rest assured that it’s possible. Big brands may outspend you, but SMEs can still outrank them with smarter SEO.

Specifically, you can use smart SEO strategies to catch up to and even overtake them at times. In this article, we show you how small companies can compete with bigger players through tactics like a local SEO checklist, long-tail keyword targeting and more.

Why SEO Matters for SMEs

Google search rewards relevance as well as it does ad spend. Remind yourself of that when you start worrying about how big your competitors’ budgets are.

Even if a larger organisation can quickly outspend you, it may not necessarily out-focus you. Organic search and smart, targeted SEO can help you drive qualified leads to your site too. 

Moreover, big budgets don’t guarantee rankings. There are a lot of stories of people spending money on poor SEO strategies, only to see poor outcomes. That’s because it’s always about the quality, agility, and relevance of your work – not how much you spend on it.

Local SEO as Your First Competitive Advantage

SMEs with actual products or services should learn how to rank local SEO as soon as possible. This is how you show up when nearby customers search for services like yours, e.g. if someone searches for “yoga studio Tampines” or “acai bowls Bukit Batok”.

Google ranks local results using relevance, distance and prominence. It also encourages businesses to keep profiles accurate and manage reviews for the same reason.

The beauty of local SEO is that many bigger brands overlook it. They often ignore hyperlocal content or funnel everything to a single generic page.

This can leave openings for SMEs to optimise for smaller, more specific audiences like neighbourhoods, HDB estates, districts, or suburbs.

A Starter Local SEO Checklist

Not sure where to begin with local SEO? Here’s a quick local SEO checklist you can try:

• Claim and optimise your Google Business Profile with the right NAP, hours, categories, services, description, and photos.

• Build consistent local citations on reputable directories like trade bodies or SG-specific listings.

• Proactively request and respond to reviews while referencing your services or locations where possible.

• Add location pages, embed maps, and weave suburb or landmark terms in your website copy.

• Ensure your pages are mobile-friendly and fast to support on-the-go “near me” search.

Choosing Long-Tail Keywords for SEO Success

Long-tail keywords are highly specific search queries or phrases. They usually have lower competition but a much stronger intent than short-tail keywords. 

Translation? They’re easier to rank and more likely to convert!

Here's how to choose long-tail keywords for your SEO content strategy or site:

• See what Google itself suggests in its search bar autocomplete function and the “People Also Ask” section.

• Make a list of what your own customers ask during sales or customer support conversations.

• Use Google Search Console to mine real queries your site already appears for.

• Use Google Keyword Planner to check keyword volume.

• Use tools like Semrush or Ahrefs to expand your keyword list.

Intent Is the Name of the Game

When selecting keywords, the most important thing is to focus on intent. 

Is it informational (e.g. “how to insert tables into Webflow”)? Is it transactional (e.g. “best closed shoe inserts for flat feet”)? Then create content that answers that intent appropriately.

Here’s an example: don’t just go for the keyword “running shoes” if you’re selling trainers. Go for something more specific, like “women’s running shoes with arch support in Singapore”. 

That helps you find buyers already willing to purchase. The traffic may be modest, but it can translate to real revenue faster.

A Strong SEO Content Strategy

Content is still the backbone of SEO today because Google’s systems are all about information and intent. Your goal is to provide information as well as an experience that satisfies the target audience’s intent.

The trick here is simple: plan content that actually maps to your funnel. You should know which piece of content is designed to meet your customer at which stage of their journey.

That applies to all types of content, from blog posts to comparison pages or even videos. Use local and long-tail keywords naturally in the copy and observe the classic rules of optimisation.

Creating a Natural Ecosystem and Flow

Link your content to the different parts of your funnel in a way that makes sense. This will improve your customers’ experience as they journey from discovery to conversion.

For example, let’s say you’re a digital marketing company. You create something like a “Local SEO checklist for small bookkeeping companies”. 

Now you have to interlink that to the service pages at the appropriate sections. You can even put a consultation booking form there in the call-to-action section.

Target, Measure, Iterate

SEO isn’t a set-and-forget exercise. Algorithms change, competitors do new things, and audiences themselves shift over time. 

That's why it's critical to work on your targeting properly for each strategy. And when that’s done, monitor everything you can! Rankings, organic sessions, clicks, conversions. These metrics give you the data needed to spot issues and make improvements.

Check it every week or fortnight so you can detect problems early and adjust your strategy if needed.

This is actually one of the advantages SMEs have over bigger brands. It’s usually easier to pivot a strategy more quickly with a small company than a big one.

Why Focused SEO Matters for SMEs

For SMEs, a focused SEO strategy isn’t just about rankings — it’s about driving meaningful results that directly impact your business. By investing in smart SEO, small businesses can compete effectively with larger competitors and capture opportunities that bigger brands often overlook.

A well-executed strategy can deliver:

• Increased visibility among local customers for immediate leads.

• Higher conversion from qualified traffic, with people ready to buy.  

• Stronger brand authority through content that Google and users trust. 

• Cost-effective marketing as SEO compounds over time, unlike paid ads that stop once the budget ends.

Get an Experienced SEO Partner in Your Corner

This should have given you ideas for outmanoeuvring bigger brands. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to have expert help too.

If that’s the case, reach out to us. We’ve helped many SMEs build and execute powerful SEO strategies, and we can do the same for your business!