Just as love goes through the stomach the path to business success in this highly digitalized era goes through Google. You may think that this comparison is a bit far-fetched, but if we look at the fact that Google holds a monopoly over online search and is often referred to as an internet gatekeeper, it becomes evident that it also has the power to make or break a business.
These days, people turn to all-knowing Google every time they want to search for something, be it an address, a company, information on a specific topic, or random facts. Google holds the answer to almost everything and our dependence on the search engine has grown significantly yet imperceptibly over the years.
Therefore, if you want to put your business into the spotlight and keep your website high in the rankings, being on good terms with Google is always a good idea. But the problem is that Google can be quite moody and pleasing. It is harder than it seems. Apart from the periodic algorithm updates that can mess up your relationship, the search engine also has a set of requirements that websites have to follow in order to get on its good side. As SEO experts at Seeders point out, Google analyses hundreds of factors to determine a site’s ranking, which makes it quite difficult to understand the rules of the game.
Fortunately, you don’t have to wonder what Google wants and what you can do to keep it happy. We’ve done the heavy lifting for you and rounded up some useful tips and strategies that can point you in the right direction and mark the beginning of a beautiful friendship between your website and Google.
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Play fair
The first recommendation is more about the don’ts rather than the dos. The one thing that you shouldn’t do if you want your website to be Google-friendly is violating Google’s guidelines. The search engine has a clear set of guidelines for webmasters that explain the best practices for helping sites appear in Google Search, such as:
- Keeping a simple URL structure
- Making links crawlable
- Ensuring browser compatibility
- Avoiding duplicate content
- Creating a useful, information-rich site
- Having a clear conceptual page hierarchy
- Optimising page loading times
Over the years, many techniques meant to trick Google into ranking sites higher in search results have appeared, including keyword stuffing or paying for links. These are considered black-hat practices and they’re frowned upon by Google. You should refrain from using shady techniques to boost your rankings. The search engine is getting smarter by the day, so even if you get away with it for a while, Google will discover and penalise you sooner or later.
Focus on the user
When designing your site, the end-user has to be at the centre of all your efforts. So, you have to build your site from the users’ perspective and think about how they will interact with all the elements and features on your pages.
If a visitor lands on your home page and has no clue what to do next or is having a hard time finding the information they’re searching for, you can be sure that your site will have a high bounce rate. As you may have guessed, Google takes note of that and it will be reflected in your rankings. You have to make it as easy as possible for users to navigate your site and keep them engaged in order to increase your traffic and improve your Google ranking.
Brush up on your SEO skills
People’s interest in creating sites that are search engine-friendly has given rise to a new discipline. We’re obviously talking about search engine optimization or SEO. It’s been a while since SEO practices have emerged in the online environment, and the field has significantly evolved and increased in complexity over the years.
Getting familiarised with these practices can definitely make a positive difference for your website and business. There’s a wide range of SEO techniques and practices you can apply to give your website the boost it requires. However, since you can’t become an expert in the field overnight, you might want to get professional support in this respect and look for agencies that offer link building services and other similar solutions if you want to build an effective SEO strategy.
Be original and unique
Google has always been a big fan of uniqueness and originality. And by that, we don’t mean your site should look completely different from all the rest in terms of looks and design. It’s all about creating fresh and unique content that can provide users with relevant and compelling information.
Apart from keeping your audience engaged and entertained, quality content can also help establish you as an authority in your field and signal to Google that your site delivers a great user experience and is trustworthy and reliable. Master the art of creating quality content and you’ll eventually climb to the top of Google search results.
Consistency is key
Quality content can indeed work wonders for your site’s rankings, but only if you’re consistent in delivering it. It won’t help much if you post a great piece of content on your website once in a blue moon. It’s like throwing a drop of water into the ocean.
It takes more than that to get Google to notice you and convince the search engine that your website deserves to be at the top. It takes consistency and an ongoing effort to keep your site fresh and up to date. Google has no use for lazy sites that bring no value to the online landscape, so make sure you stay active through regular posts and website updates.
Building a good relationship with Google takes time and perseverance, but in the end, all your efforts will pay off. Hopefully, this guide can help you break the ice and start a long and profitable partnership with the search giant.
