With over 63,000 Google searches taking place every second of every day, it’s no wonder why search engine optimization (SEO) techniques are being examined so closely by businesses vying for the few precious spots on the first page of search results. Showing up on the first page of Google can mean the difference between a thriving business and one that can barely struggle to find new customers.
When you consider that 75% of all Google searchers never even make it to the 2nd page of the search results, it becomes clear that your chances of someone finding you diminish rapidly if your site isn’t listed near the top. So how do you get to the top? With the help of SEO!
What is SEO, and how can it help my website?
In simple terms, search engine optimization means organizing your website and online content to rank high in the unpaid section (organic listings) on a search engine in order for it to appear as a top result for searches of a certain keyword. That sounds straightforward and simple enough until you try to figure out the algorithm that Google uses to determine your page rank.
Google is very vague when it comes to their search algorithm. There are over 200 determining factors they use to assign page rank and many of them are not made public, but one thing that many of them are looking for are consistency and accuracy, so that is a good place to start if you are looking to improve your Google ranking and your position in the search results.
What are some easy steps I can take to improve my rank?
SEO changes all the time so the rules are often ill-defined, but on is that “content is king,” and should be the first thing you focus on when trying to improve your SEO and your search results ranking. It’s important to remember, however, that Google algorithms look for quality over quantity, so your content needs to be clear and concise and also relevant to the goods and services featured on your website. After all, Google’s goal is delivering the best and most relevant results for every search.
One of the most effective ways to accomplish this is to take inventory of your website and look at it through the eyes of potential customers. Is it easy to navigate and are you able to quickly find what you’re looking for? Is there assistance available for people who need it? Does it give visitors enough relevant information (your locations, hours, prices, reviews, testimonials, daily specials, etc.) to make an informed decision on whether or not to consider your business? These are all things you need to keep in mind when optimizing your website.
What else can I do to make it easier for potential customers to find me?
I used to own Beneva Flowers, which was located in Sarasota, Florida. It was the biggest shop in town, and we had an aggressive pay-per-click marketing strategy to make sure people saw Beneva on top when they thought of Flowers in Sarasota. But then I began to wonder what happened when people searched for flower delivery in one of the neighboring cities that also happened to be in our delivery area and I noticed that we weren’t always coming out on top in some of those other areas.
I felt that we were doing a big disservice to people who lived in those areas. We made deliveries there every day, but we weren’t promoting those areas very prominently on our website. The information was there if you knew where to look, but it wasn’t ranking as well as I expected.
From there I decided to enhance the information that was already on our website with unique pages dedicated to each city in our delivery area. That way when someone was searching for a flower shop to deliver to Bradenton (a neighboring city), Beneva’s Bradenton page was the first to appear.
I added these pages to all the other floral websites we were managing, and they always preformed very well. Now we are offering the same opportunity for all of our clients who have websites through us or Teleflora. The new pages are similar to the one pictured above and contain relevant keywords to enhance your website and boost your Google ranking when people are searching for areas where you deliver. It also includes a Google map so people will know exactly where they’re searching.
We have already began creating pages for some of our clients and will be expanding the program in the coming weeks, but we need your help! In order for us to create a set of neighboring city pages exclusively for you, we need to gather a little information first. The process is simple, just click here and fill out a few short questions about your local areas along with any hospitals, care facilities or venues in your delivery area and the zip codes where you deliver. We’ll take it from there and begin building your pages and increasing your Google rank!
The bottom line is that search engine optimization is no longer optional because there are only so many coveted spots on the first page of results to go around. Your competitors are working hard to find ways to occupy those spots and they’ll take advantage of every opportunity they have to get there. These city pages won’t solve your SEO issues overnight, but they’re an effective place to start and we’re here to help! Give us a call today at (941) 806-1911 or drop us a line below – let’s get started today!