HOW TO RANK ON GOOGLE
It’s time to get smart about how to use search engines, specifically, Google. Google dominate the Internet because they offer an amazing product. Most companies are not using it or not taking advantage of its full potential. I assure you, follow these simple steps and Google will find a permanent spot in your marketing tactics toolbox.
People who are searching for businesses or services usually only click on the listings that appear on the first page of a Google search. So obviously, that is where you want to be. By following these strategies you have a much better chance of landing a prized position:
1. Set up Google Analytics and learn about your website.
If you don’t already have a Google Analytics account set up and installed, do it as a priority. It is the first thing I usually ask for when putting together a marketing strategy, and as a business owner or marketing professional, you will love all the tools and statistics that you will have access to. You will be able to see where your traffic comes from, what pages are popular and where you loose your audience. It is an essential tool for creating customer profiles.
Being able to track where visitors are coming from to your site is an excellent insight and it is free. You will be able to see what campaigns are working for you and where to invest more effort.
2. Google AdWords and keyword search
Google analytics also gives you access to a free Google AdWords account. In Google AdWords, you will be able to search keywords that define your business offering.
You will also be able to see the average times in a month that those keywords have been searched, based on location. Further to that, you can see the ‘competition’ for those keywords and if they are popular in your industry.
Once you establish what will work for you, use these keywords in your web copy and other content. This will help with where your site is ranked when those terms are searched.
If you do have an advertising budget, Google AdWords is a good place to invest. Because it is a pay per click service, you can control your spend from the start and set your limits. You will only pay the pre-set amount when someone clicks on your ad.
Google AdWords has terrific targeting tools. You can choose who you want to target based on many factors such as gender, location and age. They also provide you with step-by-step tutorials on how to set up your account.
3. Create content
This is where most people fall behind. You must consistently create compelling content.
The importance of a content marketing strategy should not be ignored. If you have a strategy in place, that is both written down and articulated to stakeholders, you are much more likely to stick to it and also perform better.
Content can consist of written blogs (such as this), images, video, and podcasts. Anything that is accessed or can be accessed by your audience should be considered a marketing opportunity.
Remember to use your keywords in your content, and then track the results through Google Analytics to see if your campaigns are successful. You may just surprise yourself with where your website leads are really coming from. By having more information, you will be in a much better position to target your ideal audience and uncover new insights into who your audience actually is.
There are many tools out there that will help with search engine optimisation (SEO) such as Yoast, Serps and Moz. But knowing your audience and creating parameters is always the first place to start.
By Amanda Lacey
Director of POPCOM
