So, you want to maximize your Google presence. And why wouldn’t you? There are many free tools from Google for businesses to boost their visibility online, so make sure you are taking full advantage of them!
Google My Business
Google My Business allows you to manage how your business appears on Google Search and Google Maps.
- Set up a Google My Business Account
- Claim Your Business
- Verify Your Business
After completing these three steps, you are ready to optimize your profile!
- Update as much information as you can in the “Info” tab. This will include contact info, hours, website links, products and services listings, photos, etc.
- Publish lots of photos! According to Google, businesses with photos see 35% more click throughs to their website and 42% more requests for driving instructions!
- Use the Posts function to share events, sales, offers, new products and services, and anything else going on at your business. Use photos when possible. Always use a call to action, such as “learn more,” “shop now,” “call today,” etc.
- The Insights tab shows you how many people are searching for your business and the search words they’re using. Use this information to tailor your search words when optimizing your content for SEO.
- Manage your online reviews. Solicit reviews from your current and past clients and reply to the reviews you receive. Responding to reviews shows that you care about your customers and value their business. Also pay close attention to any negative reviews you may receive online and respond accordingly.
Learn about reputation management and what to do with a negative online review.
Improve Your Google Search Ranking
1. Write High Quality Content Optimized for SEO
Writing high quality content that your audience wants to read is probably the best way to boost your google ranking. Your audience will want to spend time on your website if your content interests them, plain and simple. Use relevant keywords, optimize your images, meta descriptions, and include both internal and external links. Google favors sites that are mobile-optimized so make sure you have a responsive web design. Within your content, make sure you are using H1 and H2 tags. This not only helps your reader view your content more easily, since most people skim through articles anyway until they find something that jumps out to them, but there is a correlation between using header tags and Google rank position.
Learn about common SEO mistakes and what to do instead.
2. Backlinks
Links from other sites back to yours, called ‘backlinks,’ play a very important role in boosting your Google ranking. If other sites want to link to you, well then your site must be important! These backlinks bring in traffic and boost your ranking.
3. Local Search
Be sure your business has claimed its “Google My Business” listing. This is important because many people are using the feature to find a business “near me.” This also includes staying updated in Google Posts and getting positive online reviews.
4. Voice Search
Hey Siri, OK Google, Alexa… Nearly half of all online searches are done by voice! When writing your content, include phrases that someone would use to ask their device, rather than focusing only on single keywords.
5. Use Google Search Console
Use Google Search Console to track your website’s traffic and performance. You’ll be able to see a lot of valuable information, including your site’s total clicks, website performance and mobile usability, and any other sites that have backlinked to your website.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to improve your Google search rankings and maximize your Google presence with the many free tools Google offers. If this all sounds like a foreign language, don’t worry! Just give the experts at Blindspot a call and we’ll get it all sorted out for you.