[caption id="attachment_3721" align="aligncenter" width="509"]
Improve your search engine rankings with these tips.[/caption]
The problem with relying on search engines to attract customers is that everybody else does the same thing.
Every day, the internet grows a little bigger and more crowded, with businesses just like yours trying to compete for the same dollar. If you want someone to find your business through an Internet search, you have to do more than set up a web site and cram it with keywords. You have to be strategic, fresh and relevant if you want to improve your Search Engine rankings. Here are some easy ways you can help optimize your business:
Go mobile. Most search engines will penalize web sites that are not mobile ready. Not only is it difficult to improve your search engine rankings if you’re site is not mobile ready, you run the risk of your customers not seeing you at your best. More than 50 percent of all online searches are now conducted on mobile devices—so be there or be square. Your site has to work on phones and tablets, too.
Be social. Social media profiles appear in search engine rankings, too. Make sure you include keywords that your audience will search for throughout them—particularly in the ‘about’ section or in profiles.
Claim a Google+ page. Yes, Google+ is still out there and yes, Google is still the top search engine around (although Youtube is catching up). You can create a Google+ listing here.
Post content elsewhere. Sharing information is an important way to attract customers, whether it’s through search engine rankings or just plain old fashioned word-of-mouth advertising. Write reviews, join group discussions on sites like LinkedIn, or on forums that your customers might take part in. If you can include your site’s URL, it can count as a valuable backlink to your site – boosting its value in the eyes of Google, Yahoo! and Bing.
Blog. Don’t look at a blog as a way to give away advice or services that you’d otherwise charge for. Look at each blog as another page of content that a search engine can pick up and add to their results. Post regularly, and include relevant content that your customers want to know. You can sprinkle in sales promotions, too, or tie your content directly into the special you’re promoting—for example, a blog on the importance of proper maintenance can directly link to your spring car service.
Don’t forget the alternatives. Alt tags, or alternative tags are an often-missed opportunity to increase your search engine rankings. They are the text descriptions of the graphics you include in your content, and important for customers looking for you with out-of-date browsers. Include keywords in your Alt tags can help you climb the search engine ladder, too.
Those six things will help you climb up the search engine ladder. Remember, if it sounds like a bit too much, it’s something we can handle for you. Do you have any other ideas? Let us know in the comments!