May 19, 2022
If there is just one thing that your internet strategy consultant can tell you about maintaining a successful online presence, it is that Google is all-powerful! While there are other search engines out there, most people use Google. In fact, as of December 2021, Google is dominating the search engine market, maintaining an 86.19% market share! The truth is if your website isn’t ranking on Google - it might as well not exist!
Did you know that 75% of searchers will never look beyond the first page of results when looking for goods or services? That means if you don’t make it onto page one of Google for your target keywords, you instantly lose three-quarters of your potential customers! Even if you make it onto the coveted first page of Google Search Results, your position within that top ten can also make a huge difference. For example, the click-through rate for the top spot is around 43%, with second place getting approximately 37%. The CTR decreases as we move down the page, with number 10 getting 3%. It’s not just about getting onto page one, it’s getting as close to the top as possible, and that’s where your internet strategy consultant comes in!
Many people wonder how the order of the search engine rankings is determined. There is no simple answer because it is a highly complex process that constantly evolves. We know that the Google Algorithm has multiple different ranking factors that are used to decide which website offers the most relevant answer to a search query. We know what some of these rankings are, such as mobile-friendly design, page loading speed, and content relevancy, but there are many unknown factors that Google likes to keep close to its chest. As an internet strategy consultant, we work with the factors we know for certain and then study search trends and results to pinpoint some of those additional factors. This is the information that shapes our decisions when it comes to developing an internet marketing strategy for our clients. We live and breathe in this data day after day. It’s what we do, and our tried and tested bluedress formula has proven to be successful for clients in a variety of niches.
It is important to understand that Google makes the rules, and they don’t always make those rules public! If you want to get your business onto the first page of Google, you need to look at the known ranking factors and optimize your website accordingly so that Google is more likely to rank it favorably. This can be confusing, and that’s why it is best to work with an experienced internet strategy consultant like bluedress INTERNET MARKETING®. However, you can take a few simple steps to get the ball rolling.
One of the best ways to improve your chance of getting on page one of Google is to open a Google Business Profile. This is a powerful tool in your online marketing arsenal, and best of all - it’s free! It is important to complete every section of the profile to get the maximum benefit from it. That includes uploading images, adding your contact information, creating a description of your services, and listing opening hours. Your listing will appear both on the google search results page and on the map! It will allow you to gather verified reviews from customers and allow customers to call you directly or send a message via your business profile.
You will need to choose the keywords you want to rank for on Google. These are the words and phrases consumers are likely to input to find your business. For example, a hair salon might be targetting keywords such as:
Once you have determined which keywords you will use, you need to tell Google! You do this by placing your keywords in specific locations on each page of your website, including the Meta Title, Meta Description, ALT Tags, and, if appropriate, in the page URL. Google will look to these places for information to determine what your website is about.
It is important to note that you cannot just add the keywords; you also need to provide relevant information pertaining to those keywords. That’s where your content marketing strategy comes in!
One of the ranking factors that Google looks for when ranking pages is that the website is being regularly updated with relevant content. One of the easiest ways to meet this requirement is to publish blog posts weekly or monthly which contain your target keywords. However, a word of caution - don’t be tempted to overstuff your content with those keywords. Ultimately, you should write your content for your human visitors, not Google! It needs to be relevant and accurate. When you work with an internet strategy consultant like bluedress INTERNET MARKETING®, they will help to determine what your audience wants to see. Your content should be designed to educate, entertain or evoke emotion. What questions does your target market want answered? Providing solutions will help give you credibility and boost your reputation within your industry.
If you look at any Google Search results page, you will notice something that all top-ranked websites share in common. They are all designed to be mobile-friendly. This is thanks to Google’s mobile-first indexing, which favors mobile-friendly websites. The majority of organic traffic comes from mobile devices, so it is important to make sure that visitors can easily navigate your website from phones and tablets.
One of the things we help our clients with as an internet strategy consultant is making sure that their websites offer a great user experience. It needs to look aesthetically pleasing but also be user-friendly. You will want to include an intuitive navigation menu so that visitors can easily find the information they need in as few clicks as possible. Clear call-to-action buttons are also a must-have as they will guide visitors where you want them to go! When you provide visitors with a combination of great content and a fantastic user experience, they will stick around longer, and they will keep coming back. Google will notice this, and as a result, you will rank higher on the search results.
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To Your Best Online!
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Ingrid Maddox, Internet Marketing & Strategy Consultant. bluedress INTERNET MARKETING®, an Internet Marketing Company headquartered in Knoxville, TN. Internet Marketing Developed, Implemented, and Managed to Full Circle! Organic Internet Search Engine Guru. Turn-Key Internet Optimization Programs Placing You Everywhere and Anywhere You Need to Be Online.
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