Why are your competitors ranking higher than you?
It’s becoming an all-too familiar story. Businesses big and small in San Antonio are increasingly aware of the value of the internet for acquiring leads and making sales. But when they enter their company name into a Google search, they’re often disappointed with what they see.
The first question they have when they come to us is, “Why is Blah Blah Services higher up on search results than me?”
There are myriad reasons why — and they all have to do with the way your online presence is interpreted by Google. Since this mammoth search company owns over 70% of the world’s market share, it’s the goliath that you’ll want to please the most.
Here are some of the things that can be done to enhance your ranking:
Update your website
Since it was launched in — oh, say 2010 — you’ve done very little to update your site besides adding new products and personnel. As a result, you’re missing out on tons of opportunities while your competition is literally jetting past you. What are the things you need to do?
Make sure your site’s elements are current
Enhance the copy. Insert keywords where they need to be. Delete that old, nonessential and just plain out-of-date content. Make sure it’s informative, grammatically correct and free of typos. Optimize your photos for fast loading.
Be certain that your site is technically up-to-date
Is it secure (meaning https:// vs. http://)? Google stakes its reputation on search results for safe online environments, and unsecure sites will be kicked to the bottom. Even if you’re not collecting credit card information or other sensitive data, you still need to secure your site to protect your visitors from hackers.
Speed is king. An old site will load v-e-e-r-ry slowly, and that’s bad, because research shows that users are giving up after under two seconds. In fact, Google’s optimal page load speed these days is under one-half second!
Go mobile. Your website absolutely, positively must be mobile-friendly. We have many customers whose websites are viewed far more frequently on mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets — sometimes as high as a 90% mobile/10% desktop ratio. Think how much business you’re missing out on if you’re not mobile!
Mark it up. There are all sorts of things that should be going on behind the scenes on your site, including HTML tags, photo tags and content snippets. Visitors won’t see this stuff, but Google certainly will.
Add backlinks. These are links on your page content that link back to reputable sources. For example, when you proudly claim that your company has a five-star rating on Yelp, link back to your Yelp profile. Backlinks that provide additional relevant information (i.e., “We only use Sample quality materials”) are also looked upon kindly by the Google gods.
Add a blog
Whatever business you’re in, you can blog about it! This will add valuable keywords to your overall site, enhance user experience and put you in a position of expertise in your field. Blogs aren’t meant to be used as aggressive sales tools, but as sources of free information of benefit to your visitors. They’re looking for advice and information. The more you supply, the more you’ll benefit!
Get social
Do you have a limited social media presence — or none at all? You may think, “Oh, Facebook and Twitter are a waste of my time,” but that’s just not true. Having a lively and consistent social media presence warms up customers, gives your business a personality and keeps your name out there on the web, which positively impacts your SEO.
If you’ve read this far, you’re probably saying, “But how can I do all of this stuff?”
Good news — you don’t have to!
That’s what we’re here for. Strottner Designs can provide web optimization services, content creation, on- and off-page SEO, pay-per-click and everything else to get your SEO revving. Contact us and start climbing that Google ladder of success!
