Google is the most used search engine. If you’re not found in searches, your business can suffer. Although Google (and the other search engines) don’t full disclose what they use for rankings, they do share some things. It is possible to get good rankings without buying ads. Here are some things you can do both free and with a minimal investment.
Check Your Business Listings
Do you have a Google My Business page? What about the other directories important to your business type – for example, if you provide a home improvement, make sure you’re on Houzz. Restaurants should be on Yelp (but don’t pay them). Although being on the directories is good, having consistent NAP – name, address, phone is key. Make sure you use the same format on your website and in all your listings. Google and the other search engines don’t see 123 Main St and 123 Main Street as the same nor do they see 500 Main St #201 and 500 Main St. Suite 201 as the same. Be consistent, it matters. You can pay a listing service or SEO marketing company to help clean up your listings.
Get Great Reviews
If you do any sort of search for a local business, you’ll see that the companies that show up in the rankings have lots of four- and five-star reviews. Google takes good reviews (both on your Google My Business page and elsewhere) as a sign that you do what you say you do and do it well. Ask your customers for reviews – just make sure you never pay for them or even allude to paying for them as that’s not accepted.
Have a Great Website
A great website is one that clearly tells what you do and where you do it. Google indexes each page of your site so making sure the information is consistent and follow best practices is key. If your website content hasn’t been updated in the past two years, it’s probably time. The search engines now want the site to be written for people and not the search engines – keyword stuffing and awkward keywords will get you pushed down in the rankings.
Another key is adding new and relevant content. One way to do this is by having a blog and talking about what you do, sharing your expertise and answering questions your customers have. If you’re constantly adding a new location or new service areas, consider adding geo service pages.
If you’d like a free evaluation of your website, we can help. We’ll look at it and a few major directories and let you know what recommendations we have for you. Call our marketing team directly at (629) 777-6410 or talk to any one of our team members when they’re on site and they’ll connect you with one of our marketing professionals.
