While you may not be able to completely control the search results that pop up in Google (we wish it were the simple!), there are many ways you can go about making your site more obtainable. The great news is you don’t necessarily have to be great at coding and know everything there is to know about search engine optimization (SEO). We have a few basic tips that can help steer your website in the right direction and help you reach your traffic goals.
Get the Overnight Celebrity Idea Out of Your Mind
Many newcomers to the business aspects of the web have heard stories about individuals who started with next to nothing and seemingly overnight were making bank without much effort. What these stories fail to show is the reality of website maintenance. Sure, there are people who have a streak of luck but if you want to truly stick around and make your presence known, there is a lot of hard work that goes on behind the scenes. You cannot simply sit back and have your website making money for you. So, remove this expectation out of your mind, as this will hinder your progress along the way. It takes a lot of patience to achieve most things in life that you want badly, and being a successful website owner is one of them.
Becoming Indexed
There are a few ways to make sure your site is properly included in search engines. Google is a great tool, but sometimes it may take a month or more for your new site or content to appear as something which can be located via search. Many people will say submitting your URL to both Google and Bing (which includes Yahoo) is a waste of time but it literally only takes a moment, so we’re all for it. This way, you’ll help those crawlers to locate each page within your website.
The effort shouldn’t cease there, though. Social networks are extremely popular and since your Facebook page is already indexed with Google, updating your profile with a link to your newly created website will not only allow everyone in your contact list to know about your site but this will also help speed up Google’s awareness. Take full advantage of Twitter, YouTube Google+ and social bookmarking sites such as Delicious to get the word out. The great thing here is you’re not only getting Google’s attention but you’re also gaining free advertisement to the masses.
Creating What People Want and Need
Every website needs to have a purpose and some sort of goal. This doesn’t necessarily mean you must know what you want a year from now or 10 years from now but having some kind of idea as to where you would like the journey to take you is important because it gives you something to stride for. Getting to know your future visitors is just as important as getting to know the ones you have once your site is up and running because they will help lead the way in the growth of your website. In the beginning, writing great content can be intimidating but over time, you’ll see which pieces your readers respond to and enjoy the most. Take note of their comments and make sure you update often to keep your site interesting. Never post in a hurry. Only add content to your site if it’s well thought out and will benefit your visitors.
Promotion: A Daily Endeavour
One of the best ways to get your name out there is to put yourself out there. Imagine having a physical business (versus one solely web-based). If all you did was open shop and wait for customers to come to you, it would take much longer for word of mouth to spread. Many businesses take about a year before they start to profit and this number could likely double or triple if your only source of promotion was through customers who happened to stumbled upon your company.
On the internet, building a site and getting indexed is a lot like opening and waiting for clients or customers to magically appear. If you aren’t actively marketing, it’s extremely difficult to be found. This is why branching out and becoming an active member of the online community is imperative to your success. Not sure where to begin? Locate forums and blogs related to your business. This is going to help get your foot in the door. See what types of information and people you meet there. While it may all seem a bit intimidating at first glance, you never know what gems may be hiding. Comment on those threads and maybe even offer to be a guest blogger in return for a link back to your website. This is going to not only help Google better locate your site, but will bring in people who are probably within your target audience which is exactly the kind of attention you need.
About the Author
Todd Ramos is one of the brains behind seo companies in CT. He has been in this industry for over 15 years and knows the rules of the game very well. In this post, he has shed light on the ways to improve your websites searchability.
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