The internet has completely changed the rules for small businesses, both good and bad. Undoubtedly, it has leveled the playing field for small and big businesses alike. There are no rules or boundaries when it comes to growing your business, the sky’s the limit if you know how Google works and how to get them to love you with search engine optimization.
That is why it is essential to know what Google is looking for and how they classify sites.
Statistics tell us that less than 10% of all internet users will go to page two of an internet search, so knowing how to rank on page one is essential to even be seen.
The world of purchasing has also changed due to the internet. More and more purchases, especially during the COVID-19 era, are being made online. Since people are foregoing heading out with their masks for everyday items, making your presence known online has become the only way to make or break it. So, do you know how to get Google to love your website and rank it highly? Here are the secrets you need to know to have Google fall for you.
How SEO Works
Search engine optimization is a digital strategy used to ensure that your website is ranking highly when someone does an organic search on Google. When someone types in a keyword or key phrase, Google’s algorithm goes to work matching the sites that rank the best for that search. Keywords are critical for the success of your business because, as mentioned before, people rarely go to page two of a search. People tend to correlate the best companies with the highest rankings on Google and an usually find what they want on page 1.
It Is All About Content
The phrase content is king is the number one rule for SEO. The content on your website is what Google uses to match you with what people are searching for. It isn’t a once and done proposition either. Google is continually updating and reranking sites, which is why new content and updating are so important. Things like blogs or articles that you refresh continually provide recent, trending, and relevant content to trigger Google to say, hey this website has the best info for this search.
For instance, things like having recent information about COVID-19 or even school openings, are all seasonal or timely. Timely content signals to Google that your website is up-to-date and relevant. That is why finding keywords that your likely audience will be searching for is so critical to the SEO process.
Link Positioning and Backlinks
Google classifies and ranks the number and quality of links, along with your content to rank your site. If you have authoritative site linking or highly credible links, Google assumes that you must also have credible information on your site. The more credible links you have that then link back to your website, the more credibility you gain and the higher your ranking soars.
There are various ways to get quality backlinks. One way is to offer sites and blog links in exchange for websites linking back to your site. Things like having guests posts, where you can insert a link to your page, or even being interviewed for information and quoted with a link, are all good ways to gain useful backlinks to your site.
Keywords and Updating
Business owners need to have clear and concise words and phrases that their consumer base will use to search for their product or service embedded on their website. Those words are then used as content in both static pages, like landing pages, and in recent articles, like blogs.
When you work with an SEO professional, they will also have ways to input geographical location words to signal local Google searches, and long-tailed keywords, which are strings of words that people will likely input to find you. It is also very important to know what your competitors are doing and the content they are using to draw in their customers.
Keeping an eye on others in your industry is a great way to gain knowledge. And also, to see content in a different and useful way that you might not have come up with on your own.
Getting the Most Out of Your Web Design, Means Targeted SEO
It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to pour a ton of money into creating and designing your website if no one will ever see it. Although you want to make it attractive, you also have to create it with Google in mind. Fast loading speeds, mobile-friendly design, ease of use, and content are all things that go into making Google love your website as much as your clients do. After all, Google is the gatekeeper, so make sure to flood those gates by making Google love your website.
