Getting your business off the ground is often a stressful and overwhelming task. Having to manage a website capable of driving customers in your direction can only add to the weight on any budding entrepreneur’s shoulders. Luckily, a few simple tricks do exist to make your website visible in search engines and around the web.
1. Know your audience
Once you understand what your niche demographic is and who you are marketing to, you can quickly tweak your website to fit those specifications. If your website fits the identification of your customer, they will see your site higher up in Google and Bing search results.
2. Make sure locals can find you
With a Google My Business account, you can set up the business location, contact information, and any other relevant information. When a user makes a local query, your website will appear with other relevant businesses in your area.
3. Find the right keyword
Using a tool like Search Engine Watch can help you pinpoint exactly what terms your site’s visitors are using. With that knowledge, you can then focus on those terms. If the language of your website resembles what your audience prefers, your website will subsequently rank higher in search results.
4. Know your competitors
How are their websites performing? What keywords are they using? Compare your keywords to theirs by using the Google Keyword Planner. If their business is substantially larger than yours and you share identical keywords, consider changing yours.
5. Use Google Analytics
Google Analytics is an indispensable tool when monitoring the health, traffic, and profits of your site. Not taking advantage of Google Analytics means you are essentially trying to optimize your website blind.
6. Add a blog to your site
Consistently creating content on your website’s blog will allow you to establish a relationship with your visitors and speak directly to them about your business. The new content generated will also maintain your site’s relevancy and rank in the search results. Additionally, the products you choose to advertise in a blog post will help them rank farther up around the web as well.
7. Make sure your website is mobile responsive
Most plugins and simple CSS will ensure that your website is mobile friendly. If a user is having difficulty navigating a website that is not responsive, your traffic will dip and not recover until the site is easy to read and navigate again. Make sure your site is responsive across the various screen sizes of existing cell phones, tablets, and iPads.
8. Be patient
Your website will not crawl up the Google and Bing search pages overnight. Establishing search trends and traffic does take time. Continue to monitor the behavior of your target audience and competition and adjust your keywords accordingly. Your website will respond and move up the ranks.