To attract new business and grow your business, your website should be easy to find and impossible to ignore. This means anticipating how people might search for you and making sure your brand stands out and screams, ‘Look at me, click on me, spend some money!’
People may stumble on your website in various ways. If they’re familiar with your brand, they might visit your site directly by entering your URL or brand name into the search bar. Or, If they’re looking for a specific product or service without knowing your brand, they might ask Google for suggestions like ‘best hairdressers near me’ or ‘buy garden furniture online.’
Your job is to do everything you can to ensure your site pops up for these searches so you can turn browsers into buyers, expand your customer base, and propel your business forward. This is where Search Engine Optimisation, or SEO, comes in.
What is Search Engine Optimisation?
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) involves continuously improving your website to boost its visibility in search engines like Google. By improving your web pages’ rankings and visibility, you increase the chances of users discovering your website, engaging with your content, exploring your products or services, and ultimately making a purchase.
While there’s no exact formula or one-size-fits-all approach to SEO, the core principle is simple. Google is the dominant search engine, and Google likes good websites. So, the best way to boost your online visibility and gain more customers is to make sure your website is as good as possible. Simple, right?
What makes a good website?
Preference is subjective, and what one person considers a ‘good website’ might completely differ from someone else’s opinion. But, in this case, the ‘person’ we really need to impress is Google. So, what does Google consider to be a ‘good website’?
Google uses a wide range of metrics to rank websites on its search engine results pages (SERPs). Some of these we know for certain, and others we can only speculate on. We also can’t always be certain how heavily these factors are weighted or when Google will update its algorithm, meaning new metrics might come into play, and old ones might become less significant.
To keep things simple, what we know for certain is that a ‘good website’, according to Google, is one that’s easy to find, easy to use, and nice to look at, or in other words, user-friendly.
What does Google care about
We’ve mentioned that Google prioritises user-friendly websites, but what does that actually mean, and how can we leverage Google’s algorithm to boost our online visibility and capture new sales?
Content
You’ve probably heard the phrase “content is king” about SEO, and it’s true. Google’s main goal is to connect users with the websites they need. So, if your site’s content aligns with what people are searching for, Google will send more traffic your way.
You can shape your content to align with what people are searching for by doing some keyword research and sprinkling those keywords throughout your site. But be careful not to overdo it—your content should flow smoothly, be easy to read, and offer valuable information. Otherwise, Google might penalise you, and your rankings could drop.
Top tips for optimising content:
- Regularly update your site with new content and avoid relying too heavily on ChatGPT, as it may appear unoriginal.
- Use a content marketing calendar and keep an eye on competitors to generate new ideas and stay on top of making regular content updates.
- Use a dive of keywords within your content to align with user searches and improve online visibility.
Structure and design
Another key consideration is structure and design. A well-structured and designed website with clear labels and simple navigation helps search engine crawlers and users understand your website better. Ensure every page is organised by using clear paragraphs, headings, and alt text for images, and ensure your menu is easy to navigate and logical so that all important pages are easy to find.
Top tips for optimising structure and design
- Incorporate H1 to H6 tags to break up text and make your content easier to read.
- Add alt text to images to assist users with visual impairments who use screen readers.
- Regularly gather feedback to identify and address any user pain points and improve overall usability.
SEO is about attracting as many eyes as possible to your site with the ultimate goal of increasing sales. The key lies in making continuous, small improvements to make it more appealing to users – and, by extension, to Google’s algorithm.
Remember, SEO is a process of trial and error. Don’t be discouraged if one change doesn’t lead to an immediate boost in rankings; adjust your approach and keep trying. Your company website is a powerful tool for both you and your customers, and with the right strategies and patience, you can use it to your advantage, regardless of whether you’re an ecommerce business or not.
When you spend a lot of time on your own site, it’s easy to overlook the small snags and niggles. A fresh perspective can help identify these areas for improvement, and partnering with a marketing expert can help you refine your digital marketing and align it with your overall business strategy.
Contact Burles & Co. to learn more about how we can help you stay ahead of Google’s algorithm changes and elevate your business.
