It is no secret that with over 87% of search engine market share on planet Earth, Google has the power to literally transform your business by simply ranking your website in top results. Traditionally business books would tell you that when it comes to making your business successful, it’s all about choosing the right “location”. However this concept does not mesh well with “today’s consumer” as our approach to making decisions has changed.
In a nutshell, the growing trend is that if we are interested in a product or service, we like to be first informed by doing research at our own convenience. Once we have made up our mind, we then locate businesses that are credible (and in some cases socially responsible) by reading reviews and doing more searching. If all that sparks further interest, we then initiate contact with the business of choice. Sound familiar? If so, you are part of the spoiled group of 80% that have adopted this technique to make better and more informed decisions. Chances are that the larger the purchase, the more time you spend doing research online. Hence, part of the formula to be a successful business today is to get the right “position” with Google.
As businesses we tend to fall in to the trap of expecting different results by doing the same old things. It is important to be educated about new marketing trends and updating your marketing strategy to compliment those trends. So let’s get that out of the way first; go learn about the top 20 trends you need to include in your marketing strategy.
There are almost too many things you can do to get better rankings in Google. However the core algorithm of Google has been powered by two major elements since it’s inception:
- Content: Content on your website tells Google what your website is about. To learn more about building quality content for your website, go download the free ebook “Essential Guide to Creating a Powerful Content Strategy”.
- Links: Links from other websites to your website act as endorsements. However, there is a lot more to how they effect search engine optimization (SEO). Go check out the free guide called “Mastering SEO for Business Success” which gives you direction on how content and link building can influence your website positioning. It is a quick read that lays it all out for you in plain English.
When creating content and links, it is crucial that you invest in doing keyword research. Often businesses make the mistake of structuring content around keywords that are not very popular or are highly competitive. You want to use keywords that are searched often and are less competitive. A free tool that allows you to do keyword research is available when you sign up for a Google Adwords account. Although Google has recently started concealing keyword data through Google Analytics, the Adwords keyword research tool does provide useful data on search terms for the past 30 days.
Before getting carried away, the goal should be to create compelling content for website visitors rather than focusing it primarily for search engines. Once you have created the content, keyword analysis will allow you to optimize your content further so it gets traction in search engines.
To learn more about mastering the Google game, check out additional free resources available at the 2 Web Academy. Also, if you have any questions about this article or SEO in general, feel free to get in contact with us.
This article was originally published in the June/July 2014 edition of the Business View.
