Author:
Ahmad Akbar ,Suheri ,Josua Betrand Sinaga
Abstract
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) frequently face challenges in effectively promoting and selling their products online. This study aims to develop an optimized website design for digital promotion of SME products, incorporating enhanced search engine optimization (SEO) techniques. The paper first reviews key barriers inhibiting SMEs from harnessing digital channels, including limited expertise and resources in web development, SEO, and online marketing. Core principles of effective website design are then introduced, covering aspects like user-friendly interfaces, high-quality content, efficient site architecture, and responsive layouts. Building on this, SEO best practices are outlined based on an analysis of major ranking signals and algorithmic behavior. An integrated methodology is subsequently proposed for planning and creating SEO-optimized websites tailored to SME product promotion. The methodology incorporates defining goals and KPIs, competitor analysis, keyword research and mapping, optimized content development, technical site optimization, performance tracking, and continuous improvement. To validate the efficacy of this methodology, the study implements it in developing an e-commerce website for a small homemade food business. KPIs including organic traffic, conversions, and revenues are tracked before and after site development. The results demonstrate significant increases across key indicators, highlighting the effectiveness of the proposed approach in bolstering SME digital promotion through optimized website design and SEO. The methodology and findings aim to provide an accessible, impactful framework for SME adoption of digital channels.