Getting your business noticed isn’t as easy as it once was. However, today, there are a few tactics you can use as part of an SMB online visibility strategy for dominating SERPs in 2026 and beyond. But what are the most popular modern online features for improved rankings today? From embracing modern AEO to classic regular email campaigns, here are a few.

An Optimized Google Business Profile

Setting up a Google Business Profile (GBP) is one of the first steps you should take. Even if your business is solely online, the data and content attached to a GBP will help boost visibility with optimized local SEO. You can learn more about this with a local SEO course, as there is much more to it than a registered address, work hours, and contact email. Local SEO can include weekly updates, photos of the team at work, and local schema markup for results.

Supplementing Standard SEO with AEO

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a trusted method of boosting search engine results through technical features and creative content. However, search engines such as Google are beginning to shift away from standard SEO results, and more people are using AI. Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is something no business that cares about SERPs should sleep on, by structuring content to appeal to AI engines with a clear question and answer format.

Improved SMB Online Visibility with Response

It would not be wise to ignore reviews since 95% of customers read online customer comments before deciding on a purchase. But more than gauging what they are thinking, customer reviews can help you maintain a strong brand reputation through engagement. For example, you can take negative comments for review to improve, and build upon the positives. You can also leverage reviews for SEO in the form of user-generated content and local search authority.

Predictable and Reliable Marketing Automation

For all the modern and powerful tactics you can try for boosting search engines and online visibility, classic email campaigns are still a trusted method. However, you can tweak your email strategy to include modern features such as automation. Tools like MailChimp are highly recommended as they can help you uncover and use leads more effectively with features such as automated scheduling, customer segmentation, and automatic replies to customer queries.

Short-Form Content Repurposing

While social media seems to be all about connecting and engagement, it can also act as secondary search engines. Through clever use of content, you can appear in SERPs by piggybacking on the ranking of a social media platform. However, you can also consider repurposing content for social media to appear in SERPs and the social media search itself. You can create short-form videos from longer ones that answer questions related to your products.

Summary

Making your Google Business Profile better by amending it now and then can help improve SMB online visibility. However, a more powerful approach is to tailor content to appeal to answer engines such as AI, and you can leverage social media by repurposing short-form content.