Whether you are outsourcing SEO to a reputed firm in Chicago or intend to do some experiments on your own, the following tips will sure give you a better idea on how to proceed:

1. SEO results cannot be achieved instantaneously; the work done today may take weeks or even months (in some cases) to show noticeable results
2. There is no one-for-all SEO strategy; an SEO strategy that worked well for one website may not produce the same results for another website
3. On-page as well as off-page SEO is necessary; achieving results with just one of the two is not possible
4. If your small business website is brand new, you will need to have a great deal of patience; it will take some time before the results pour in
5. Do not let yourself believe that an SEO campaign will have a finishing date; it is an ongoing process
6. Be careful of Google’s algorithm updates; you don’t want to be implementing SEO techniques that are no longer relevant or worse, invite penalties
7. Start using Google Webmaster Tools and Google Analytics from the very first week
8. Do not ignore Google Plus; having a business page on G+ is an absolute must
9. If you want results quickly and are certain that the returns for targeted traffic will match up the investments, consider PPC campaigns alongside SEO
10. On a fundamental level, focus on creating content for human readers and not search engines
11. NEVER copy content from other websites; you can at most have it rewritten by expert content writers
12. Start a blog; having a blog is one of the best ways to update your website on a regular basis
13. Socialize on the Internet; start contributing content to other blogs, websites, forums, etc.; focus on adding genuine value to these websites for better online presence
14. Each page should have a keyword optimized Title and Meta Description
15. Do not hesitate to copy keyword ideas from competitor websites if the need be
16. Start creating content that’s optimized for long-tail keywords; embed more questions within your content
17. At any cost, avoid keyword stuffing and link purchases; link building should always be done at a steady, natural pace
18. Make sure the contact information is uniform on all online channels including your official website, Google Plus page, Facebook page, etc.
19. Get your small business listed in all popular directories and classifieds; write catchy descriptions to attract targeted traffic to your website

Last but not the least, contact an experienced SEO consultant and seek advice on how to achieve lasting SEO results.