Beginner's Guide to Optimizing Your Online Presence for Google Search

Most small business owners know that they need to be on Google, but many don’t know how to optimize their business for better visibility in search results. After all, as a small business, you’re competing with some pretty big fish—literally. Here are a few tips to get you started.

Research Your Google Search SEO Keywords 

If you want potential customers to find your website when they do a search, you need to make sure it's full of keyword-rich content. This means using the words and phrases that potential customers would use when they're looking for a business like yours. For example, if you own a pet grooming salon, some keywords and phrases you might want to use would be "pet grooming," "dog grooming," "cat grooming," etc. 

Keyword research is an important part of SEO (search engine optimization) and can help ensure that potential customers are able to find your site easily. You can use free tools like Ubersuggest or Bulk Keyword Generator to find relevant keywords for your website. Once you've identified some keywords, work them into the content on your website - including titles, blog posts, product descriptions, etc. Be careful not to overdo it though! Keyword stuffing will hurt rather than help your SEO efforts. Aim for a keyword density of 1-2% across all of your web pages.

Create Quality Content 

Google's algorithm is designed to surface the most relevant and useful results for searchers. That means that, in order for your website to rank highly in Google searches, your content needs to be helpful, informative, and well-written. One way to ensure that your content meets these criteria is to base it around the needs and interests of your target audience. Another is to regularly update your website with fresh content—aim for at least once a week, if possible. In other words, it needs to be truly unique.

This may seem like a no-brainer, but it's important to make sure that you do your research before you start writing. In order to produce high-quality content, you need to make sure that your facts are straight and that you understand the topic inside and out. Not only will this help you write better content, but it will also help you avoid any embarrassing mistakes.

It's also important to remember who your audience is when you're creating content. Write in a way that is easy for them to understand and make sure to answer any questions they may have. If you're not sure who your target audience is, take some time to figure it out before you start writing. Once you know who you're writing for, you'll be able to tailor your content so that it's relevant and engaging for them.

People are visual creatures, so it's important to make sure that your content is visually appealing as well as being informative or entertaining. Use images, infographics, videos, or other visual elements sparingly but wisely so that they enhance your content without overwhelming or distracting from it.

Optimize Your Webpages for Google Search

Each page on your website needs to be optimized for both search engines and users! That means including your target keywords in the title tag, meta description, headings, and body copy. You should also make sure your website is mobile-friendly and loads quickly; otherwise, you run the risk of losing potential customers who click away before your site has even had a chance to load. Google provides a free tool called PageSpeed Insights that lets you know how quickly (or slowly) your pages are loading and provides recommendations for improvement.

Did you know that 47% of consumers expect a page to load in 2 seconds or less? And 40% will abandon a page if it takes more than 3 seconds to load! So if your website takes forever to load, not only are potential customers going away empty-handed; they may never come back. There are a few ways you can improve your website speed including:  

• Compressing images before uploading them onto your website.  
• Using caching plugins  
• Reducing the number of plugins you use   

Website optimization includes everything from developing targeted keyword lists to adding calls-to-action (CTAs) on key pages to improve conversions, and more. In short, it's any change or addition you make to your website with the goal of making it more effective at achieving your desired outcome -- whether that's getting more people to fill out a form, buy a product, or sign up for your email list. 

Make sure you have a Google My Business listing. 

This is one of THE most important things you can do to optimize your business for Google search. Your GMB listing is what comes up when people do a local search for your business. It includes your business name, address, phone number, hours, website, and more. 

To create or claim your GMB listing, go to google.com/business. Once you're there, click "manage now" and follow the instructions. If you already have a listing but haven't claimed it yet, make sure you do that as soon as possible! 

Be sure to include: 

• Your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) - this should be consistent with how it appears on your website and other online directories.
• A description of your business - use keywords and phrases that potential customers would use when searching for your business.
• Categories - choose categories that accurately reflect what your business does.
• Hours of operation - let customers know when they can expect to hear from you.
• Photos - photos are worth a thousand words! Choose photos that accurately reflect what your business looks like and add captions to describe them.
• Videos - if you have any video reviews or testimonials from happy customers, be sure to include them on your GMB listing.

Get Listed in Online Directories 

Google pulls its listings from online directories like Yelp, so it’s important to make sure your business is listed in as many relevant directories as possible—and that your listings are accurate and up-to-date. Include plenty of pictures and encourage customers to leave reviews; positive reviews can help boost your ranking in search results. (And if you do get negative reviews—and sooner or later, every business does—respond promptly and professionally.)

To Sum it Up:

Optimizing your small business for better visibility in Google search results may seem like a daunting task—but it doesn’t have to be. By following these simple tips, you can start attracting more visitors—and more customers—to your site. And that can only mean good things for your bottom line. If you’d like to learn more, get started with $99 Social today!!