If there’s one thing we all have in common, it’s search.
Search engines have evolved into one of the most important influencers when it comes to decision making. Think about it:
Looking for a recipe? Search.
Where to get a tire changed? Search.
Need a hair stylist? Search.
Where to eat in a new city? Search.
You get the point. Search can be as great of an influence on new business development and revenue streams as anything else.
But despite the great influence, the relative understanding of search for most people is generally unknown. Search Engine Optimization is one of those giant terms that can encompass any number of actions and consequences. From a conversational perspective, it can become entirely confusing because two people could be using the same phrasing and mean entirely different things.
So let’s boil it down: ultimately search engine optimization means taking actions with your digital property to make yourself available. You’re trying to get to the front of the line!
There are professionals who specialize entirely in search optimization. Their ability to manipulate code and dig deep into the gutters of the web make them magicians of sorts. Of course, it’s not magic. Nothing on the internet is. It’s a series of actions with a specific outcome. It’s more science than magic.
But let’s face it. That’s a very specific skill and most of us don’t have the time, resources or will to become web scientists. So what can we, the average person with a web property, do to help support our search results?
The good news is, there are a handful of easy enough tools to execute actions that will help to propel you up the search results and get off of page 2. (Page 2 might as well be page 50).
Content
Search Engines love fresh content. Search engines are constantly crawling to find new web content to display. They thrive off of it! So the best thing you can do is feed the need. Keep the updates on your homepage consistent. Publish new blogs on a regular schedule. Create a diversity in the type of content you display. You’ll be rewarded for it!
Web Platform
When choosing what platform to build your site on, do you research around how the platform is proven to interact with search engines. Not all platforms are built the same and certainly don’t have the same ability to catapult you up the search results. There are lots of website builders that are marketed via their ability to be adaptable and create an ease of use for anyone. That’s not always what it’s cracked up to be. Sure, you might be able to build a nice looking front end but a website is as much about functionality as it is about looking pretty. Those smart builders generally lack any kind of power in the backend and that’s what’s really important in terms of pushing your content and interacting with search engines.
Social Media
There are often times when a Facebook page will rank higher than a website. Don’t underestimate the power of social media to be searchable. It follows the simple principle as the fresh content above. The sheer volume of content that is being produced daily by social channels creates an undeniable digital footprint. Every time you create a new status post, put up random thoughts about the topic of the day or share a picture of your cats, you’re creating search results. The key with this one is to have a plan. Be specific with your intention. Think about posts as lures and curate them appropriately.
One more note…
All of this should be part of your digital strategy. Have intention with your actions. Know where you’re sending the traffic you’re creating with search results. Have a plan for what you want to happen when you create new traffic. Create a strong landing spot with obvious calls to action and an ability to absorb traffic. If this doesn’t resonate with you, check out our blog on digital strategy and start there. Search Engine Optimization is just one building block for a complete digital strategy.
And beyond that, we’re always here and ready to help. You can always call us here at KV.
