That article lead to a series of debates and ‘the Google argument’ arose frequently. The term digital is often linked, in the minds of many marketers, customers and Web users, with Google – as in, “digital is the future, traditional is the past.” So, with that in mind, “how important is it to be on the first page of Google?”

It’s impossible to argue against the power of Google. The numbers themselves are just amazing. In the US alone there were over 2 million searches for “white and gold dress” in just one day! (Haven’t heard about the dress that nearly broke the Internet? Check it out here). Google now processes over 40,000 search queries every second on average (visualize them here), which translates to over 3.5 billion searches per day and 1.2 trillion searches per year worldwide. Seriously, wow!

Google is certainly massive and, like traditional media, it is here to stay. People talk about a decline, and perhaps there will be, but until there is a different way to quickly and efficiently search the Web, Google is likely to stay number one. I’m aware of ‘in app searches’ and how this challenges Google in the long term, and how they’ve recently lost contracts with Mozilla and Apple to be the default search engine, but I think it will be long time before any other mechanism closes in on the power of Google in digital.

When considering Google rankings, it helps to take a look at Page 1 search results. Choosing the city and business type at random, I’ve done a search for “Plumbers Charlotte.” The results page is home to a range of paid adverts, located at the top and down the right hand column, one organic result and the ‘local 7 pack’ of map related listings. Each listing situated above the fold is monetized, with the exception of the single organic result. Below the fold, there are 9 organic results, including Yelp, Yellow Pages and Angie’s List. 6 of the organic results are Charlotte-based plumbing businesses. Page 2 has 8 plumbing businesses listed in the organic results.

Google suggests that there is, on average, just over 1,000 searches for Charlotte Plumbing. This number is relatively high, making it worth ranking for. However, it is important to remember that dedicating a large percentage of your marketing budget to Google AdWords and search engine optimization tactics is a very risky strategy. These days, it is both difficult and expensive to land on the first page of Google’s search results, as well as difficult to achieve. Research has shown that click through rates drop off rapidly after the first page of search results (they fall from an average of 36.4% for the first spot to 2.2% for the 10th result). On Page 2, click through rates are even lower.

Meanwhile, there are many other ways to generate traffic online, from social media to blog posts, referrals, local search engines, Internet Yellow Pages and review sites like Angie’s List and Yelp. Another great method is to have your traditional media, such as newspaper and radio ads, reference your website.

Yes, Google is big. It’s (perhaps) growing. It’s important. That said, it is certainly not the be all and end all for most businesses and it pays to think outside the “Google Search” box.

Image Credit: SEO by India7 Network, via Flickr, CC License

Not developing a digital marketing plan for growing your business on the web is a rookie mistake that, unfortunately, is seen quite often. Great search engine optimization, which includes keyword research, optimization, valuable content and more, requires a solid plan. Getting your ideas in line is key to launching a successful campaign, and building credibility and brand authority.

Not Blogging

Blogging boasts many great benefits, including improving your website’s SEO! In addition to offering fresh, interesting content to site visitors, optimizing blog posts with relevant keywords adds pages for Google to index, increasing your chances of ranking in the search engine results pages. Not blogging is an SEO, and a business, don’t.

Not Considering Local Search Trends

Many of the searches conducted by large search engines like Google and Bing focus on a specific area, such as Toronto or the Cayman Islands. If your business is targeting a narrow market, this knowledge is key to attracting customers and clients located in your area. Instead of focusing on national, or even global, search trends, narrow it down. You won’t be sorry.

Not Maintaining It

Good SEO requires maintenance. Google consistently releases new updates, meaning results are always shifting, algorithms are being updated regularly and ranking factors are changing. Keeping tabs on which step in your plan is next is a great way to analyze your progress and stay on top of the competition and emerging websites. Set it and forget it? I think not.

Forgetting Your Users

As important as ranking in the search engines is, it’s important to remember who your website is for: the users. Current and potential business, your website must adhere to SEO best practices and offer unique, valuable content, provide information in a clear, concise and trustworthy manner, be easy to navigate and engage the audience visually.

Not planning ahead, not blogging, not considering local search trends, not maintaining and forgetting the user experience are 5 more SEO don’ts that must be avoided. Interested in learning more? Check out our posts covering the important aspects of on-page SEO and the importance of SEO to small businesses for more information.

Image Credit: How to SEO WordPress Site by SEOPlanter, CC License

Don’t Steal Content

Plagiarized, or duplicate, content is a big no-no in the world of the Web. While taking small sections from other sources and citing them properly is permitted, think twice before you copy and paste information that belongs to others. Google, which values unique, valuable content, will figure it out.

Don’t Stuff Keywords

A well-known black hat trick, keyword stuffing is the practice of adding extra keywords (in some cases, many extra keywords) to page content in order to try and improve rankings on search engine results pages, or SERPs. Outdated and considered poor etiquette, you’re much better off not.

Don’t Use Link Schemes

A technique that used to be all the rage, Google has been cracking down on websites with unnatural link schemes via updates like Penguin 2.0. This includes using article directories, blog comments, link farms, hidden links and similar tactics to build backlinks to your website that, unfortunately, won’t be recognized as legitimate.

Don’t Rely on Content Spinning

Spinning content, or rewriting existing articles so that they appear different to search engines, is an SEO don’t due to the increasing focus on originality. Many of the for-hire writing services turn out inferior work at a low cost and, while you may not be flagged for duplicate content, readers gain no value from this. Repurposing content, if necessary, is a much better bet.

Don’t Spam Users with Ads

At the risk of sounding repetitive, a key part of SEO these days is, to put it simply, creating websites based around offering real content to real users. Google is getting better at detecting this, meaning sites that are overrun with advertisements are less likely to rank properly. Part of search engine optimization is offering a great user experience.

When it comes to SEO, stuffing keywords, stealing information, building unnatural links, spinning content and going overboard on ads are 5 key don’ts. Learn more about the relationship between businesses and search engine optimization here and here and stay tuned for Part 2 for 5 more tips!

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Keywords

Web content needs the proper distribution of keywords in order to best leverage the power of Google and other large search engines, such as Bing. Copywriters must distribute researched keywords throughout the content naturally. Variations, such as long-tail keywords, are important as well. Avoid keyword stuffing, which is the denounced habit of inserting too many, often irrelevant, keywords into web copy in an attempt to manipulate a site’s search results ranking.

Title Tags

Well established in the SEO world, the title tag remains a critical ranking factor in 2014. The “clickable” search result, it must be both keyword-optimized and enticing enough to encourage users to venture in. Ideally less than 65 characters, title tags should also include the name and location of the company in question.

Page URLs

The ideal Uniform Resource Locator, or page URL, is readable, includes relevant keywords and is a maximum of 100 characters in length. Words should be separated by dashes and, if location is an important factor, it should be included. An optimized URL gets your small business one step closer to being found online.

Headings

Another crucial factor, every web page should have a single heading tag, or H1. What Google uses to interpret what a page is all about, it should dictate the main topic simply and clearly. In terms of placement, it should come first, followed by subsequent subheadings if applicable (H2, H3 and so on). Keep it short and snappy and if you can include a keyword, that’s even better.

Alt Image Tags

One of the lesser-known elements of on-page SEO, alt image tags are the tags attached to (surprise!) images on your web pages. An alternative information source for those who prefer image-disabled browsing, they are a detailed description of the image. Keywords should be incorporated when possible – don’t force it. Simplify the process by choosing photos that work with the subject matter.

When it comes to on-page SEO in 2014, title tags, heading tags, keywords in content, optimized URLs and alt image tags are key factors to consider. These elements play an important role in ensuring that Google and other search engines understand and index your website, boosting organic search rankings and, in turn, traffic. Learn more about the benefits of SEO for small businesses here.

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