How to be number one on Google
People turn to Google in their I want-to-know, I want-to-go, I want-to-do, and I want-to-buy moments. For this reason, it’s vital that your business is represented on the search engine results page when people search for keywords relating to what you do.
There are 3 main ways you can get your business onto the first page of Google search results:
- Search Engine Optimisation
- Search Engine Advertising (AdWords)
- Local/Maps/Business listings
Search Engine Optimisation
SEO involves working to get your website listed “organically” in the search results, otherwise known as the “free” area of the search engine results page. This is deceptive. To actually work on getting listed “for free” you can spend thousands of dollars over a period of at least 6 months, and that’s just to get listed for perhaps 3-5 main keywords.
Don’t get me wrong, SEO is still very important, but it should be looked at as a long term strategy and handled with some consistency. It should also be seen as ONE PIECE of the search engine puzzle.
Search Engine Advertising
Otherwise known as Google AdWords, Search Engine Advertising is the fastest way to get your business shown on Google for multiple keywords. The amount you need to budget can depend on your industry competitiveness, how many keywords you want to target and how much traffic you want to grab. Google lets you set a daily budget, and you could spend anywhere between $300 and $20,000 per month.
The key with AdWords is to remember that people turn to Google when the are READY TO BUY products and services, so it’s just a matter of putting your business in front of them at that critical moment.
Finally, with Google AdWords I can’t stress enough the importance of using an expert, otherwise it’s very easy to spend loads of money, and use up all of your time tweaking campaigns without getting the return on investment you require.
Local listings, Map Listings, Google My Business
If your business has a physical address or shopfront, setting up your Google My Business profile is vital to ensure that you show up as a map pin when people search for your products along with a geographical reference (e.g. Hairdresser South Auckland).
Best of all, IT’S FREE.
Google are really all about making sure their users can find what they are looking for, so the more you can do as a business to let them know who you are, what you do, and WHERE you are, the better.
For more information on getting to page one of Google, get in touch with JJ Marketing. Otherwise, Search Engine Land is a great resource for those wanting to upskill.