As many larger firms begin to make use of the increasingly popular tactic of search engine optimization (SEO), smaller organizations should question why they are not benefiting from the approach, an expert has asserted.

Julia Hyde of SEO firm Creative Search Media suggested through the company blog that there is nothing stopping smaller businesses from competing with their larger competitors through the internet.

The internet is a "great equalizer", she explained.

"Small to medium[-sized] businesses can still compete with the giants but only if they invest time and money into creating a website that serves both the search engines and their visitors well," Ms Hyde continued.

There are many under-performing websites, making SEO an effective tactic for companies wishing to stand out, she added.

Recently, Brandon Cornett, author of a book on small business web tactics, said the internet is the only place where small companies can take on their corporate competitors and win.

Katherine Griwert is Brafton's Marketing Director. She's practiced content marketing, SEO and social marketing for over five years, and her enthusiasm for new media has even deeper roots. Katherine holds a degree in American Studies from Boston College, and her writing is featured in a number of web publications.