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BOOST YOUR GOOGLE RANK: 6 Things You Need to Know

120 Broadus Ave., Greenville, SC 29601 (864) 248-0886 | DOM360.com

Search engine optimization (SEO) is constantly evolving. From AMP to the elimination of right hand side ads in the SERP, and all the other Google updates, to now-forbidden Facebook “likegating”, the only constant in SEO is change. Strategies that worked and were embraced, even lauded, just two years ago are now out-of-date with the latest search engine algorithms. When it comes to Google, the biggest search engine in the world, outof-date equals out of favor, which equals ineffective for improving your search results. You can devote dozens of precious hours to improving your rank on search engine results pages (SERPs), but without the proper research, direction, and knowledge of the latest updates, it could prove futile. We’ve gathered the most up-to-date information, tactics, strategies and ideas, all in one place, so you can more easily learn what steps you need to take to get your business higher on Google’s results pages. Consider it your survival guide for navigating the ever-changing world of search engine results.

2

Google Algorithms

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6 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW 01

GOOGLE REWARDS RELEVANCE

When it comes to search engine optimization, let Google’s mission statement be your guide:

[1]

“

“

Google’s mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.

In short, when your customer searches for something online, Google wants to make sure he or she receives the information that’s most relevant to the search. The fundamental basis of all SEO comes down to that simple concept. Pages that are deemed most relevant to search queries are going to be served up first to Google users. While you’re probably well aware that performing a Google search for pizza on your home computer will provide different results than it does on your work computer, did you also know people sitting next to each other in the same office can get different results? [2]

pizza

Joe

Jane

3

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These different results are based on cookies collected during past searches. Based on what she’s looked for in the past, Google knows Jane is probably interested in vegetarian or lighter pizzas, while Joe, based on his past online behavior, is looking for a big slice of NY style pie.

pizza

pizza

Dan’s NY Pizzeria

Sam’s Fresh Pizza

Joe’s Pizza Search Results

Jane’s Pizza Search Results

But you don’t sell pizza, so what does this mean for you? It means everything on your website needs to be relevant to the different types of people who will be searching for it. Sell benefits and features from different perspectives. Think about specific details different buyers may search for and make sure you are answering the questions they may have. For example, if you’re selling an SUV, make your vehicle details page (VDP) relevant to many different kinds of searchers by including many different selling features, like MPG, expanded leg room, a built-in DVD player, increased cargo space, and a rear-facing camera. That way, if Joe searches for an SUV with great gas mileage and Jane searches for the SUV with the most leg room, they can both end up on the same page of your site, despite their initial search being different. There are tactics and strategies for optimizing your rank results that we’ll get into in the next few points. For now, though, if you read no further in this paper, remember this one thing. To improve your Google rank, your website and social media pages need to be filled with compelling, up-to-date, well-researched content that is relevant to what your customers are looking for.

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120 Broadus Ave., Greenville, SC 29601 (864) 248-0886 | DOM360.com

02

MOBILE MATTERS!

In 2016, Google launched a new project, called accelerated mobile pages, or AMP. AMP drastically improves the speed of your mobile pages. [3] According to Google, 40% of users abandon a website that takes more than 3 seconds to load. In order to avoid getting left behind in the movement towards AMP, and losing customers in the process, your content must be optimized for mobile consumption. If your site isn’t responsive, your customer interaction won’t be the only thing that suffers. It could hurt your SERP rank too. You’ve seen the stats before: 76% of all vehicle buyers begin their search on a smartphone or tablet. Google recognized that and adjusted its algorithm accordingly. If Google’s decision (and the possible bottoming out of your search rank) isn’t enough to convince you a responsive site is a necessity, take a look at our paper from last December “Your 2015 Website: Why Going Responsive is a Must”[4]

76

%

of all vehicle buyers

begin their search on a smartphone or tablet.

for compelling stats and reasons to make the move.

03

FASTER REALLY IS BETTER

Speed it up! It may seem odd that website load times would have a significant effect on your search rank, but there’s no denying they do. When it comes to Google, they’ve made no secret of their love for speed. Faster load times are possible when you get rid of back-end clutter. To optimize your website’s speed and, in turn, improve your ranking, remove any unneeded code. There are a couple ways to test your site speed: developers. google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/ will show you a speed and user experience score on a scale up to 100. At tools.pingdom.com, you’ll see actual page load speeds and be able to identify individual pages that are slow to load. [5] While removing code that serves no purpose, also be on the lookout for duplicate content that can be removed. Getting rid of it can speed up your site. Additionally, Google’s bots don’t like seeing the same information on multiple pages within a site, and they will adjust your rank downward accordingly. Faster load times not only help your SERP rank – they help your bottom line, too. Walmart.com and AnythingAuto.com experienced both sides of that fact.

Walmart.com

Sales Increase

found that when load times jump from

1 second to 4 seconds,

conversions decline sharply.

Cart Size Increase

13% 11

%

1 second of improvement,

Conversion Rate Increase

they experienced up to a

2% conversion increase.

Page Speed Inprovement 13-14s

11-12s

9-10s

7-8s

AutoAnything.com cut load times in half, which resulted in a

9% conversion rate increase as well as growth in key metrics

And for every

>15s

Auto parts retailer

5-6s

3-4s

1-2s

5

9

%

50%

such as cart size and overall sales.

120 Broadus Ave., Greenville, SC 29601 (864) 248-0886 | DOM360.com

04

THERE IS A METHOD TO THE MADNESS OF CHOOSING KEYWORDS

Research. Research. Research. You don’t need to choose dozens of keywords and then try to figure out how to make them fit your needs. Instead, identify just a handful of keywords that are specific to you and can generate real traffic. But you may be asking, “How do I do the research?” or “Where do I get started?” Selecting keywords requires forethought and planning. Work cooperatively with your digital agency, using your business knowledge and their tools to identify keywords that will be successful for you. You can then follow the

64

keyword selection process.

%

First, figure out what your page is about. [6] [7] Ask yourself questions that will be answered by the information on your page. Then, imagine you are sitting at your computer with the Google homepage in front of you. What would you type to find the answers to those questions? Those are your potential keywords. Refine them by thinking of the

of search traffic comes from ORGANIC SEO

most common way people would say it. Your agency will be able to tell you how many searches have been performed on that keyword each month and provide a list of hundreds of similar keywords, as well as their monthly search totals. Use that data to further narrow down your choices. Remember, 64% of search traffic comes from organic SEO, [8] so you’ll want to remove any keywords that use unnatural language patterns, mention another brand by name or sound like a commercial. In the end, you should end up with a handful of quality keywords. Use one main keyword for each page and use it often: the page name, URL, text body, meta description. Using the keyword often, in various locations, increases your SERP strength and rank.

Treasure!

1. Figure out what your page is about

Two to ten well-researched keywords!

5. Refine your list with your digital agency

MAP TO

KEYWORD SUCCESS

2. Ask yourself what answers your page gives

6

3. Determine what you'd search to find those answers

4. Use those search terms as potential keywords

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05

THE BACKLINKS TREND CAN BE DANGEROUS

Backlinks, by definition, are “incoming links to a website or web page.” Early on, they were the way we navigated the web, but as search engines took over, they became a useful SEO tool instead. The number of backlinks you have can be an important factor for determining your SERP rank. Google even goes so far as to say that ”Google interprets a link from page A to page B as a vote, by page A, for page B.” [9] Backlinks have, however, become a bit controversial. This development dates back to pre-2012, when backlinks, regardless of how

“

“spammy” they were, improved search rank. So the floodgates of spam links were opened. In more recent years, search engines have started flagging and

The objective isn’t to ‘make your links appear natural’; the objective is that your links are natural

“

Matt Cutts,

Founder of Google’s Webspam Team

penalizing unnatural and spam-targeting backlinks. [10] What worked just a few years ago to boost your rank can now keep you far off the first page of Google results. You may have heard a lot of buzz lately about companies and services that allow you to buy backlinks. They promise quality link placement that will drive up your rank. Use caution. Some of these companies are using questionable methods that can potentially backfire. If your website traffic is relatively low and you suddenly start generating vastly increased backlinks, search engine robots will view those links as “unnatural” and penalize — rather than reward — you for them. Google’s own Matt Cutts, who started the company’s webspam team, put it best: “The objective isn’t to ‘make your links appear natural’; the objective is that your links are natural.” If you decide not to take on the risk or expense of buying backlinks, you can go the free route and still see rank improvement if it’s done the proper way.

It will require both patience and networking. In an ideal SEO scenario, content you post to your site will be picked up and shared by lots of other sites, thus increasing your number of backlinks. Think of those viral videos that it seems everyone you know is emailing each other or sharing on their social media pages. If the original source of that video is a single site, thousands of new backlinks could be created. You may not create the next viral sensation, but new and compelling videos, blog posts and photos are great content to be passed around, increasing your site’s traffic. Seek out credible people, businesses and sites where you can act as a resource, or get involved in a discussion that can lead to an opportunity to share a link. Backlinks from the Better Business Bureau, the Chamber of Commerce, and charitable agencies and groups where you donate time or money are quality backlinks that also reinforce your marketing and community engagement efforts. It may take time, but those types of links are recognized as natural and valid by Google and can help your rank improve. Worried about the links on your own site? There are several tools available to test the inbound links, including Majestic and Ahrefs. Just enter your domain name and see a breakdown of your link quantity and quality.

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120 Broadus Ave., Greenville, SC 29601 (864) 248-0886 | DOM360.com

06

TIME TO GET SOCIAL!

You’ve taken the time and found the right keywords. You’re utilizing them in the most efficient way. Now what? Do you really just have to sit and wait for people to find your site and (hopefully) share something that creates a backlink? Not at all. This is where social media can be an extremely valuable marketing tool for you. Simply owning your social channels on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Vimeo, LinkedIn, Google+ and Foursquare will help you lock up the first three Google SERPs for your name, with little to no seepage. Photos and videos are great opportunities for customer engagement and also provide you with a chance to spread your message. Every single person who purchases a car from you should have their picture taken and shared on Facebook and Twitter. If you aren’t already doing this, start now. It is a tiny step that can provide dividends. Buying a car is a big event in people’s lives. They may post a picture of their new ride, but will they mention where they bought it? Maybe, maybe not. But if you post a picture congratulating your customer on his or her new vehicle, they will likely share it with a large network of friends and family members, who may even share it again. Not only is this a simple but effective piece of marketing, the more activity and engagement your social media pages receive, the higher they’ll rank on Google’s search results. Social media DOES affect your search rankings, just not in the way it used to. Five years ago, it appeared (although due to Google’s secrecy about their algorithm no one could officially confirm) that your number of likes on Facebook and followers on Twitter impacted your rank. [11] That led to Facebook “like-gating,” the practice of offering incentives in return for a page “Like.” For example: “Like our page to save 25% on your next order.” In late 2014, that practice officially came to an end. [12] Now, Google says social media pages like Twitter and Facebook are indexed the same way other pages are done. This isn’t to say Likes and Follows aren’t a good thing. But it is better to use good, quality social content to build your audience organically. There are steps you can take to optimize your social media presence and increase your rank. A well-thought-out company description, for example, can help move you up the page. Make sure you’re using keywords to describe who you are and what you do. Keep your posts frequent, relevant and compelling. As a side note, even if your social media profiles didn’t impact your SEO for some reason, utilizing these practices will still improve your overall online presence, so get started on them today!

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120 Broadus Ave., Greenville, SC 29601 (864) 248-0886 | DOM360.com

As mentioned earlier, search engine optimization best practices change all the time. Don’t let outdated tactics hold down your Google rank. Learning, understanding and implementing these six survival guide tips will get you on the right track:

01 Google rewards relevance. 02 Make your website mobile-friendly. 03 Faster is better when it comes to site speed. 04 Do the research, and choose your keywords carefully. 05 Backlinks may be trendy, but caution is needed. 06 Use social media as both a marketing and SEO tool. There is virtually unlimited information out there about search engines and how to get to the top. Don’t let the volume of data overwhelm you. Remember, an individual or company that promises they can rocket you from page eight to the #1 rank on Google in an extremely short amount of time is either using a dangerous black hat technique or downright lying. Research, knowledge, proper techniques and patience are the basic skills needed to survive today’s uncertain SEO landscape.

Sources [1]

www.google.com/about/

[2]

themetaq.com/articles/reasons-your-google-search-results-are-different-than-mine

[3]

https://googleblog.blogspot.com/2016/02/amping-up-in-mobile-search.html

[4]

www.dom360.com/marketing-downloads-and-resources/

[5]

www.webperformancetoday.com/2014/04/09/web-page-speed-affect-conversions-infographic/

[6]

www.anvilmediainc.com

[7]

https://searchenginewatch.com/2016/01/21/seo-basics-22-essentials-you-need-for-optimizing-your-site/

[8]

searchenginewatch.com/sew/study/2355020/organic-search-accounts-for-up-to-64-of-website-traffic-study

[9]

support.google.com/webmasters/answer/40349?hl=en

[10]

neilpatel.com/2014/12/02/improve-google-rankings-without-getting-penalized/

[11]

www.weidert.com/whole_brain_marketing_blog/how-social-media-impacts-your-seo-in-2015

[12]

www.dom360.com/marketing-blog-facebook-leads/

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