We all crave getting found quickly and easily on Google. But how do you do it? We’ve got 7 ways to help you get found on Google.
How To Get Found on Google
In order to successfully boost your website’s organic search results you must first understand and take advantage of the following features:
1. The GoogleBot:
- This is a search software Google sends out to collect info about websites in order to add them to Google’s massive index. Although GoogleBot spends only a couple of seconds on your website it aims to improve Google performance and scale as the web grows, giving you ample opportunity to appear on people’s Google searches.
GoogleBot Works Two Ways
Crawling
- This is the GoogleBot going into different websites and finding new and updated information to report back to Google. When the GoogleBot crawls it goes through your website links and documents and takes all your site info back to Google.
Indexing
- All the information gathered by GoogleBot while “crawling,” is then categorized and Google determines whether or not it will be added to the Google index. Google also decides if your site has quality content, which can make your site appear higher in the organic listings. Indexing looks at whether a page has pictures, videos or a list of links; the more pictures and links you have on your website, the better.
2. Sitemaps
- An XML sitemap is a list of everything on your site: web pages, documents and graphics. If you organize it and update it constantly this overview of site links allows for the GoogleBot to “crawl” easier through your business’s website. NuZoo.com is a WordPress site, and there are plugins that automatically update your XML site map.
3. Google Webmaster
- This is a search console you can use in order to monitor, make changes and maintain your website according to Google’s rules. It makes sure that Google can access your content, submits new content for crawling and removes content you don’t want shown in search results. It also creates and monitors content that is visually engaging in organic results and the best part is, if you have a Gmail you’re all ready to sign up for it.
4. Google Analytics
- Same as Webmaster, you can sign up for analytics through your Gmail account. Once you have it, Google Analytics helps you track where your website is in Google indexing as well as in social media. You can monitor your website traffic, see where users come from, what pages they visit on the site, when and where they leave. You can also use Queries to find out where your site ranks for specific keywords. For example, NuZoo ranks #4 for video media company and #17 for graphic designers chicago. So we can target the keyword/phrase graphic designers chicago and try to move us up the rankings.
5. Content Experiments
- This is a free, (yes FREE) optimization tool for visitor rates and satisfaction on your business website. This is an additional Google Analytics feature that helps you test almost any change or variable on your website and see how it optimizes (or doesn’t) any specific goal(s) you have envisioned. The more you know about your audience the better for your online future.
6. Website Links and URLs
- Submitting your website URL to any social media sites or partnering sites helps get a search engine crawler in your loop faster. Let’s face it, everyone has some sort of social media profile nowadays; having your link on sites like Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn, where people can share and re-tweet, means GoogleBot will get to your website faster.
7. Creating offsite content amps up your link building process
- The more links your website has, the better. But they need to be quality links; Google rewards you for links from authority sites. At NuZoo we create informative slideshows, post on GooglePlus and Facebook, and write articles for LinkedIn ~ all of which we link back to our site.
As you can see, how to get found on Google isn’t an overnight thing. You need to be consistent and in it for the long haul, and you will start to see results.
Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net / Salvatore Vuono