Success for the modern business requires more than just a great product, low price, and excellent service. You need some way of finding your best customers, then deliver the best possible solution to their problems. You need to convince the prospect that your solution is worth the price.
That’s where your website comes in.
The Role of Search Engines
Today, when a prospect has a problem often their first action is to look for a solution on the internet. Search engines like Google, Bing, and Safari allow users to access an entire web of possible products, services and solutions. As a business owner, your goal should be to be found on the internet, attract the searcher to your website, and then offer the BEST solution.
Offering a low price, great product and excellent service may make you the best solution, but you need to find and attract the customer first. That means understanding how search engines and internet rankings work, and how you can make them work for you.
How Search Engines Work
The goal of a search engine is to present answers – the best possible answer for a search query. To do that, search engines have a few tools at their disposal:
- Crawl: Internet search companies like Google use little robot programs called spiders or bots to explore the internet. They find information and content at every URL they can find. They are constantly searching every nook and cranny on the web.
- Index: The search engine will store and catalog all this information – like building a giant library of the web. This is known as indexing. Once a page (like your website) has been cataloged by the search engine, it can be used in providing an answer for a search query.
- Rank: Depending on how the content has been cataloged and indexed by the search engine, it will be used in answers to search queries. The goal of the search engine is to rank the information (URLs like your website) by the most relevant.
The spiders will collect and catalog the data and information to build the Search Engine Results Page (SERP) that is presented to the customer when they conduct a search.
The Search Engine Results Page (SERP)
As we said, the goal of the search engine is to deliver the best possible answer for any search query. This goal is what drives the organization and ranking of the websites on the SERP.
In the past, the ranking system was relatively simple (as compared to today). The search engine would try to link the keywords in the search phrase to the keywords used in the websites metadata. This led to many websites stuffing keywords on the website. The page and metadata would be so stuffed with odd phrases and search terms, it would be nonsensical – almost impossible to read or use.
Relevance was all about keywords, and not the best possible answer.
Today, thankfully, search engines are more concerned with the usability and relevance of a website, rather than just keywords.
How Ranking Works on the SERP
Today, search engines use several factors to organize and rank websites on the SERP and determine the relevance of the website. These factors are incorporated in the algorithm the search engine uses to build the answer for a search query. The most important factors include:
- Architecture: The design and site structure are critical for your ranking. Is the website easy to crawl, with readily available information? If the bots crawling your site find a logical structure and site map, then the person running a search query should also find the site easy-to-use. They will find the answers they need quickly and easily. That means site links to relevant information, a logical site map, and an architecture that is easy for the bot to navigate.
- Content: With Artificial Intelligence (AI), a bot can rank the readability of the site. Is the writing and content engaging and useful, or is it poorly written with grammar errors and confusing text? The bot is looking for relevant answers and appealing content. It wants to find phrases that directly answer the question in a search query. It wants the site to be helpful, and catering to the needs of the searcher.
- Links and Authority: Search engines rank sites by authority using links. Internal links help a search engine crawl your site and connect relevant information, while external links show the relevance of your site. A site that is an authority in the industry should have many other sites linking to it. For example, if you are an industry leader, then other sites in the industry will use you to answer questions. The algorithm will even rank links by relevance, so in the home repair industry a link from a pet website will have less relevance than a link from a home repair trade organization.
- Keywords: While search engines have incorporated additional factors in the algorithm, keywords are still an important tool. Using the right keywords, the same ones your target audience will use, will alert the search engine you have an answer the audience may be looking for. Incorporating keywords in the text, page titles and the metadata alert the search engine to the questions you are answering.
There are other factors that contribute to ranking. For example, what queries did people have when they clicked on your site? How long are people spending on your page and content? What industry are you working in? Factors like these do have an impact on your ultimate page rank, but they are factors you have less control over and are typically built by providing a better customer experience on your website.
How to Take Control of your Page Rank
While there is no exact science or guaranteed method of ranking first on a search results page, there are steps you can take to improving your ranking and visibility to customers:
- Update your Website: Sites that are on older platforms, sites that haven’t been maintained or have a confusing site map, will not rank well. Newer sites will incorporate the latest site architecture making them easier for the bots to navigate and index. Site speed is another factor in ranking. It’s a good idea to consult in a web and SEO expert to review your site and identify any issues that may be negatively impacting your ranking.
- Claim your Google My Business: Search engines like to confirm the reliability of the information on your website. They do that by consulting outside sources like your Google My Business, your listings with local chamber of commerce, and other listing services. Make sure to claim your Google My Business and review your information with the listing services in your area. Consistent information across the web is important.
- Content is King: Your website should be easy to use, easy to read, and focus on helping your customers. If you are really working to solve your customer’s problems, rather than just selling a product or talking about your business, then the search engine will know you are providing the best answer possible. Adding a blog or additional web pages will give you room for additional keywords. SEO optimized text, and text that is optimized for local and voice search, will give your site a boost.
- Provide Valuable Information: Google and other search engines are in the business of providing the best possible answer for a search query. Make sure your site is filled with useful, valuable information. No one knows your customers better than you, so take the time to make your site a reflection of you and your business. Focus on the customer, and explain how you are helping people. Provide tips and make visiting your site a great experience.
- Target your Keywords: No website can rank for everything. Take time to select the keywords you want to rank for, then incorporate them in your text, titles, and metadata. Talk to your prospects and customers about the search terms they use to find your business to discover high-quality keywords that your competitors may not be using.
The Link Between your Business and your Website
Your website is often the first experience a new customer has of your business. A better web experience, and an optimized website, will translate to more business for you.
There is no guarantee when it comes to web search. The algorithm for search rankings is incredibly complex, and there are no short cuts or magic bullets to improved rankings, despite what some less reputable digital marketing companies will tell you.
Working on a fundamentally sound website is critical. Focus on helping your customers. Providing the best possible experience for you customers, both online and off, will position your company for success.